After a 20-month break and a missed 10th anniversary, Our Night Out is ready to celebrate

When it came time for Wilmington's Our Night Out to set its post-pandemic return, the LGBTQ social group didn't have to search far for an example of large groups gathering again.

"The tipping point for us was Firefly [Music Festival] happening with 50,000 last month," said Joe Johnson, one of the organizers of the group that meets monthly at a different city restaurant. "And when I went to the places where we have these, crowds are back and they're comfortable."

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It wasn't long ago that a group of 100 or more people at an indoor bar would have been illogical, if not illegal. But with nearly 60% of Delawareans fully vaccinated, the barrooms are open, even for large gatherings like Our Night Out.

After a 20-month break, the hugs, glass clinks and laughter will return on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Piccolina Toscana (1412 N. Du Pont St., Wilmington).

Plenty has occurred among the group during that nearly two-year hiatus: a missed 10-year anniversary celebration, the toll of pandemic on their lives and the death of a group co-host.

Toscana is a wholly appropriate venue for the Our Night Out homecoming — that's where the group had its very first meeting when it was just a few people all those years ago. Since then, the monthly meetings have grown to draw up to 250 people.

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Toscana owner/chef Dan Butler said it's hard for him to believe the 10th anniversary of the group's first visit already came and went with an 11th anniversary only a few months away.

"More than any other group, it's such a special thing. Everyone is just so happy to see each other out because there are few chances to have a social interaction like that," he said. "You can always tell when they are here because there are people spilling into the parking lot and having a really good time."

For Our Night Out-ers, the monthly happy hour/early evening gatherings are a rare time to socialize in a large group with other members of the LGBTQ community and its allies, all of whom are welcome to the free, pay-your-own-way casual meet-ups.

A social lifeline for hundreds of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer Delawareans since 2010, a lockdown followed by social distancing meant isolation for some in the group.

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Said Johnson: "There are a lot of folks out there who don't have the closeness in the community that they'd like to have and that's a big reason why we meet in the first place. And it's certainly needed now."

The group's Facebook page is home to 2,000 members, which include several married couples and partnerships that have grown out of the group.

For many of them, their Wilmington Night Out experience started with an introduction by smiley co-host Josh Borin, who would greet new people at the door and introduce them to other more established members.

Borin's August 2020 death at the age of 48 was not caused by the coronavirus but came five months into the COVID-19 crisis. The restrictions at the time meant that a group gathering wasn't possible.

More than a year later, Borin's chosen family will finally be able to come together to grieve and celebrate his life.

"I'm sure there are a lot of folks still struggling through the process," Johnson said. "It's certainly going to be bittersweet getting together without Josh there."

Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormierdelawareonline) and Twitter (@ryancormier).