Green’s Dictionary of Slang

frolic n.

(US black) an entertainment or performance.

[1900		B.T. Washington Up From Slavery (1901) 135: At night, during Christmas week, they [plantation slaves] usually had what they called a ‘frolic’ in some cabin on the plantation. This meant a kind of rough dance, where there was likely to be a good deal of rough whiskey used].
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 80: Frolic.–An entertainment or performance, originated by professional entertainers to indicate the number of times they appear in any one day.
1934		C.S. Johnson Shadow of the Plantation 83: ‘I don’t go to them frolics. People git drunk and comes back and tries to show everybody who dey is’.
1934		Z.N. Hurston Jonah’s Gourd Vine (1995) 47: ‘Whut you know ’bout swingin’ gals? You don’t eben know how tuh dance.’ ‘Dat’s much ez you know. Ah done been tuh four, five frolics ’cross de Creek since you been gone.’.
1981		(con. c.1910) Bukka White q. in McKee & Chisenhall Beale Black & Blue 122: His father gave him a guitar, and by age nine he was playing at country frolics and suppers.
1994		(con. 1920s) S. Calt I’d Rather Be the Devil 17: [R]ural ‘house frolics’ (private parties organized by bootleggers as a means of selling their product) and ‘jukehouses’ (commercially operated night-spots located in towns and cities) .

In compounds

frolic pad (n.) [pad n.² (2)]

(US black) a nightclub.

1943		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 11 Dec. 6B: [The ] hop stops, juice and frolic pads, glamour inns and pads of galloping flickers.
1944		Cab Calloway New Hepsters Dict. in Calloway (1976) 255: frolic pad (n.): place of entertainment, theater, nightclub.