June is Pride Month and there is tons to look forward to this year as we celebrate our friends and loved ones who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Want to be involved in events and show your PRIDE, but aren’t sure where to start? Well, we’ve got you covered! Here is a roundup of some family-friendly events to check out in and around L.A. during Pride Month.
Second Annual Pride Paddle
This year, the Southbay LGBTQ Center is partnering once again with The Portofino Hotel & Marina to put on the Pride Paddle at the King Harbor Marina from 10 – 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 26. Paddleboarders will launch around 10:30 a.m., and for those who are beginners, assistance and instruction will be provided. Then, after the paddle, The Portofino will host a lunch at Baleen Kitchen where specialty drinks will be provided during a happy our from which 10% of all proceeds will be donated to the Southbay LGBTQ Center. This event is a great way to have a some fun and show your PRIDE by donating.
Attend a Festival or Parade
This year’s in-person PRIDE festival, “LA Pride in the Park” will be held on Saturday, June 11, and will be headlined by none other than Christina Aguilera. The festival will feature a variety of artists and is open to all ages, and tickets can be purchased here. Then the following day, June 12, is the LA Pride Parade, which will be held at its birthplace in Hollywood, where the first LGBTQ+ parade was held in 1970. Attendance at the parade is free and is a great way to support and be supported by members of the community, and is of course open to all ages.
PRIDE in Santa Monica
For those in the Santa Monica area, or for those just looking to spend more time at the beach, be sure to check out the Made With PRIDE Marketplace happening every weekend in June. The marketplace will showcase LGBTQIA+ business owners whose goods and services are all created and curated in southern California, and offers them a chance to share their work with the community. The marketplace will also feature food and live DJ’s each weekend, and will be open all day every Friday through Sunday in June. The event will take place at 395 Santa Monica Place, at the Broadway and Third Street Promenade on level one in Nordstrom court.
Also in Santa Monica, Downtown Santa Monica Inc. (DTSM) will be hosting their own live events at the Third Street Promenade on the weekend of June 17-19. The events will include a special installment by The Mortified Podcast, a high energy dance aerobics class called Dancing with Dane and a shopping opportunity at the Angel City Market outdoor bazaar. This weekend event is also anchored by “Miles of Pride,” which is a light installation that spans the promenade. To get the full rundown of when each event will take place during the weekend, visit the DTSM website for more information.
Show Your Prehistoric PRIDE
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will be hosting its first ever Queer Family Day on Saturday June 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature a dino-themed scavenger hunt around the museum, a dino dance party, a drag queen story time, and special behind the scenes looks at museum exhibits and collections that center and celebrate gender. The event is free with museum admission, and guests are encouraged to wear all green to show off their nature-loving pride.
‘Archiving Gay History’ — A Virtual Event
On June 23 from 4-5 p.m., The Fowler, The UCLA Film & Television Archive and ONE Archives at USC are co-presenting a screening and panel of “PRIDE at The Fowler: Archiving Gay History.” The event will feature a conversation on art and intersectionality highlighting the work of filmmaker Whitney Skauge and artist Sadie Barnette, whose content centers around stories about the lives of gay Black activists. This is a virtual event and folks can RSVP for the link to the conversation online.
Read with Penguin Pride
Finally, Penguin Young Readers is excited to celebrate Pride with families through literature as they spotlight stories written by and centering members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Here are some books to check out this month:
“Calvin” by Vanessa Ford and JR Ford tells the story of a transgender boy’s first day of school as he introduces his classmates to his true self for the first time.
“Kapaemahu” by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu tells the story of an indigenous legend about how four individuals of both male and female spirit brought healing arts to Hawaii.
“Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo tells a historical love story set in a Chinatown lesbian bar in 1954, and is a great read for young adults.
These are just a handful of the great family-friendly stories Penguin Young Readers has collected and you can see even more titles listed here.
While we’ve given you a few events, there is always plenty to do to show your Pride. Be on the lookout for more events listed on our website throughout the month!
Resources for Students
The organization Families in Schools has rounded up a page of LGTBQ+ resources for families, children, and young adults/college students, such as virtual support groups, suggested reading, safety resources and more.