Celebrating Pride Month With Kids and Teens

There are few places in the world that do Pride Month as well as the Bay Area – not surprisingly, considering we are a focal point for the gay rights movement. 
Pride Month 2019 is special for marking the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots that tipped off the gay liberation movement and prompted the nationwide Pride celebrations of today. 
For Bay Area families, there are a lot of different ways to celebrate in the community – from casual storytimes at local libraries to regional celebrations like the San Francisco parade and celebration that attracts nearly a million people every year on the last weekend of June..  
Here are some favorites for children and teens. All events area FREE unless otherwise noted.
San Mateo County Fair Family Pride Day
The fair is showing its Pride by giving children ages 12 and under free admission on Mon., June 10. (Tickets are $6-10 for adults.) Parking will be free until 2 p.m. In addition to all the usual fair entertainment, the PJ Masks characters will be around to meet kids starting at 5:30pm. 
El Cerrito Loving Day Celebration
This family-friendly event at El Cerrito City Hall Civic Center celebrates marriage equality and racial equality on Tue., June 11, to mark the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the ban on interracial marriage. Check it out from noon to 3 p.m. 
San Mateo County LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration
Children’s activities, including a bounce house and crafts hosted by the OFC, will happen at this 7th annual county festival on Sat., June 15 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at San Mateo Central Park, 50 E. Fifth Ave. 
Museum of Ice Cream
San Francisco’s interactive art museum has Pride in mind all month, with new exhibits celebrating positivity and self-expression. Sample a seemingly endless buffet of ice cream treats before taking a dig in a pool of giant rainbow sprinkles. Save room for the spectacular limited-edition Harvey Milkshake, named for the San Francisco gay civil rights leader. Shop for special He/She/They pronoun pins. Through June. Tickets are $38; kids age 2 and under are free. 
LGBTQ+ Teen Pride Prom 
All teens from Bay Area high schools, including incoming ninth-graders, are invited to dance and socialize at the Sat., June 22 Pride Prom put on by the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco’s Queer Jewish Youth Group. RSVP here. 
East Bay Family Pride Party
The Oakland Public Library co-sponsors this annual Pride celebration featuring live entertainment, crafts with the Oakland Museum of California and children’s activities like face painting. Join in the fun on Sat., June 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dimond Park, Oakland. 
San Francisco Pride Parade Celebration OFC Family Garden
One of the largest and oldest Pride parades in the world, the San Francisco Pride Parade will start making its way down Market Street at 10:30am on Sun., June 30. Make sure to bring the kids by the OFC Family Garden for its play structure and kid-centric entertainment, including face painting, crafts and other activities. The Our Family Coalition, the Bay Area’s leading nonprofit advocacy and support group for LBGTQ families, will be hosting the fun from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Civic Center Playground, directly opposite of the Asian Art Museum just steps from the parade route. 
Bay Area-Wide Library Pride Events — All Month
Bay Area libraries all over the Bay Area are celebrating Pride with special events for kids and teens throughout the month in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Santa Clara, Los Altos and San Jose. Check your library’s website for drag queen story hours and other Pride-related storytimes, craft and movie events.