Family-Friendly Pride Activities

By Cara Weglarz, Summer Communications Apprentice

Half a century ago, the Stonewall Riots sparked the LGBTQ+ rights movement by inspiring the queer community to stand up to discrimination. Fifty years later, what we know now as WorldPride will come to New York City for the first time to commemorate all of the progress that has been made. Born in the heart of New York City’s Greenwich Village, Pride celebrates, inspires and empowers the brilliant individuals that belong to the LGBTQ+ community. No longer just for adults, the festivities include dozens of family-friendly events catered towards kids and adults of various ages, backgrounds and interests.

From movie nights and picnics to puppy parades on the beach, show your Pride with these exciting and diverse events throughout New York City and the surrounding communities.

Manhattan

Live Free, Love Fierce

June 15 and 28, East Village. Pricing Varies.

Visit the 14th Street Y on June 15 and 28 for their first-ever Pride event series. All are welcome to come honor the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall and celebrate WorldPride’s first year in NYC with a Family Fun Day and Commemoration Rally!

NYC Pride Family Movie Night

June 21, West Village. FREE.

LGBTQ+ families are welcomed to a free screening of the Disney/Pixar animated film Coco at West Village’s Pier 45, hosted by the drag performer Miss Richfield 1981. The pier will open to the public at 6:30pm for families to grab a good spot and the movie will begin at dusk.

Kidding Around Family Pride Picnic

June 29, the High Line. FREE.

Presented in partnership with NYC’s LGBT Community Center, this summer festival will include carnival-style games, face painting, a musical performance, refreshments and more!

Youth Pride

June 29, Central Park. FREE (advance registration required).

This youth and families event returns to Central Park complete with interactive experiences, games and entertainment. Join this Central Park gathering headlined by rising pop sensation Ava Max for an afternoon of fun for the whole family.

#AscendWithPride: An Afternoon with Friends & Family

June 15, Roosevelt Island. FREE (advance registration required).

Get your cameras ready, because a 12’ x 100’ Pride flag is coming to FDR Four Freedoms State Park! Celebrate the unveiling of NYC’s largest LGBTQ Pride Flag from 12-6pm with food trucks, Drag Queen Story Hour and more.

PrideFest

June 30, West Village. FREE.

Finish out Pride month with a visit to the 26^th year of this massive family-friendly street fair! It’s the perfect place to stop after the neighboring Pride March to grab a bite to eat, enjoy the entertainment and shop the various Pride vendors.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn LGBTQ+ Family World Pride Event

June 15, Park Slope. FREE (advance registration required).

Make new friends and connect with other families in the Brooklyn community at this free LGBTQ+ family event! Enjoy pizza, snacks, drinks and a 3:30pm magic show by Razzle Dazzle Magic.

Queens

Let’s Make Some Noise! 

Various dates throughout June, Queens Public Libraries. FREE.

Come decorate the library for Pride Month! Color and cut out Pride flags, create a collage or make some colorful and inclusive signs to celebrate and support the Queens LGBTQ+ community. Event times, dates and descriptions vary based on location; check the Queens Library website to learn more about how your local library is celebrating.

The Bronx

1 Bronx World Pride

June 23, South Bronx. FREE.

Join 150+ vendors and 90 artists to celebrate diversity at the 1 Bronx World Pride Rally, March and Festival! Complete with family games and a stage packed with performances, this day-long festival will take place on Third Avenue at the end of the march.

Nassau County

Pride On The Beach

June 21-23, Long Beach, New York. Pricing Varies.

Celebrate Pride on the beach at Long Beach with dozens of exciting events perfect for the whole family! Complete with a Pride event where four-legged friends are welcome, a market fair with hundreds of vendors and an LGBT Youth Prom, there’s an event for everyone during this three-day celebration!

Suffolk County

Crafting with Pride

June 19, Centereach, New York. FREE (advance registration required).

Bring a friend and celebrate Pride Month by creating jewelry, canvases and more fun crafts. Kids grades 3-5 are welcome to join the event and can register online.

Westchester County

Teen Pride Month Party

June 22, Greenburgh, New York. FREE.

Teens ages 13-19 are invited to watch a screening of Love, Simon (PG-13), decorate cookies and enjoy all kinds of delicious rainbow treats at the Greenburgh Public Library. Bring your positivity and creativity to make new friends and celebrate Pride!

If you’d like to add our schedule of June Pride events to your Google calendar, check out our Family-Friendly Pride Activities Calendar.

Cara Weglarz is a rising senior studying Business Management with a minor in Media Studies at The King’s College and a summer apprentice in the New Victory Communications Department. Outside of her studies and apprenticeship, she is currently producing a concert version of “Bring It On: The Musical” at Feinstein’s/54 Below and enjoys creating art and theatre with the kids that she babysits.