We pulled up around 3:30 PM and whew—the heat was no joke. With highs near 100°F and a heat index pushing 108, Charlotte was deep in a heatwave. Setting up in that kind of weather? Brutal. My daughter and I almost called it quits multiple times—especially when we discovered our new tent was broken straight out the box (lesson learned: don’t trust returned items!). But we made it work.

Armed with a styrofoam cooler (which melted way too fast), drinks, cucumber slices, a camping fan, and a misting bottle, we got our tables up, caught our breath, and let the good vibes carry us.

The event was full of energy—line dancing, trivia, a Spades tournament, and plenty of food. I tried the hot dog, wings labeled “Smoked Crack Wings” (you know I had to), pasta salad, and baked beans. My daughter had a veggie burger—she’s pescatarian.

Sales started slow but picked up as the sun started to dip. The 1911 towels were a hit, especially the moment a young Kappa bought one and later his father came by for a matching one. Later, we even got a video of the two of them dancing to Boots on the Ground, waving their towels like fans.

One piece of honest feedback we got? My Kappa Handsign towel needed work—the hand symbol leaned more “OK” than diamond. I took it to heart and pulled the listing until I can revise the design.

We also picked up some custom orders for Spelman, Morehouse, Howard—and even one for a Seattle Seahawks fan (we love a wildcard!).

By sundown, the vibes were still strong, but the tent wasn’t. It collapsed as we packed up. RIP to the white tent. We’ll be back next time in our old faithful forest green setup.

This year’s HBCU Cookout was full of heat, heart, and hustle—and we’re proud to have been part of it.