The Cleveland Monsters are proud to announce their annual Black Heritage Celebration presented by Immaculate Cleaning will take place on Friday, February 25, at 7:00 p.m. followed by Monsters Family Day on Saturday, February 26, at 1:00 p.m. when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms visit Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

As part of February’s Black Heritage Celebration, the Monsters are proud to partner with film-maker Steven Matthew Hoffer to promote the immersive feature documentary “The Cannons”. The film follows the day-to-day lives of Coach Neal Henderson and his team of young African American hockey players in the longest serving minority hockey program in North America, the Fort Dupont Hockey Cannons in Washington DC. Over the course of one pivotal hockey season, two teenage boys and one legendary coach navigate the trials and tribulations of inner city living while striving to pursue their dreams on and off the ice.  For more information, visit thecannonsdocumentary.com.

Ahead of the game, the Monsters will be hosting a reception for the Radio One Future History Makers program and their four recipients Alexis Williams, Jazmin Long, Paula Stewart, and Dameyonna Willis. More information about the recipients and the Future History Makers program can be found here. Dropping the puck on Friday will be special guest Howard Smith who was one of the 2021 National Hockey League’s Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award Finalist. Additionally, throughout the game local artist Terry Joshua will be painting a live piece in the Budweiser BrewHouse fresh off his first exhibit The Pinkest Hue at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland. Proceeds from the night’s 50/50 raffle will benefit the Iota Phi Theta Fraternity.

The Monsters Black Heritage Celebration will also showcase the Cavaliers organization Team Member Resource Group (TMRG) BELIEVE. TMRGs are team member led groups that provide support, mentoring, networking, and a platform for voicing the ideas and opinions of team members representing specific dimensions of diversity. Black Employees leading in Inclusion, Excellence, Vision and Education, also known as BELIEVE, focuses on developing, retaining, and empowering our community of Black employees and allies. Members of BELIEVE have had the pleasure of mentoring eight students from The Boys and Girls Club Career Readiness Program over the last 10 weeks who will be in attendance Friday night.

The Monsters Team Shop will offer a special Item of the Game on Friday featuring a $20 Monsters Black Heritage Celebration Adult Tee designed by Monsters Graphic Designer, James Adams, as well as Kids Tee for $18. A portion of the proceeds from t-shirt sales will go back to benefit My Brother’s Keeper, a program that addresses the continual opportunity gaps that boys and young men of color face and assure that all youth reach their full potential. The specialty t-shirts will be available both in store and at MonstersTeamShop.com while supplies last.

As part of their commitment to connecting fellow Black-owned entrepreneurs and businesses, Immaculate Cleaning will be hosting a pregame networking event before tomorrow night's Black Heritage Celebration. Founded in 2011, Immaculate Cleaning has consistently shown up for residents of Cleveland by providing jobs and access to education. As a Proud Partner of the Cleveland Monsters, Immaculate Cleaning is excited to impact more lives throughout Northeast Ohio.

Friday night is also a 1-2-3 Friday featuring $1 Pepsi products, $2 hot dogs and $3 Labatt Blue, and additional select beer specials. Saturday’s 1:00 p.m. puck drop is a Monsters Family Day with Monsters Kid Meal Deals including a hot dog, Pepsi product, and chips all for $6.