While the month of June is technically Pride Month, we wish to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer families, as well as LGBTQ+ adults with children in their lives, all throughout the year.

Recently our friends at Do512.com launched Gay.Do512 — a section of their website that intends to better serve Austin’s vibrant and thriving LGBTQ+ community, highlighting queer and queer-allied events, spaces, guides and resources. While these listings will mostly be geared towards adults, we wanted to also take a moment to highlight some upcoming family friendly events, too.

Photo from the Zilker Summer Musical Sock Hop, photo by Kaylin Balderrama

— Pride/LGBTQIA Night at the Zilker Summer Musical
Sunday, August 5, 7:30 p.m.
The LGBTQIA community, families and friends are invited to a special Pride Night at All Shook Up. Before the performance, hear from special guest, Chuck Smith, CEO of Equality Texas. This is a fun, casual, FREE, Austin event on the Zilker Hillside where all are welcome each night. All shows begin at 8:15 p.m., but The Hillside fills up fast, so get there early to claim your spot. Read more about the show here.

Photo from the Thinkery Facebook page

— Thinkery Community Night Spotlight: LGBTQ Family Pride
Wednesday, August 8, 4 p.m. — Admission by donation, suggested $1 per person
Thinkery is hosting a playful evening in celebration LGBTQ families. Thinkery strives to be an inclusive, friendly, inspiring space to learn for the entire community, regardless of financial status, mental/physical abilities, ethnicity, nationality, race, sexual orientation, gender expression/identity or family status. Activities include:

  • Mini-Pride Parade – Grab a rainbow flag, a noisemaker and show your pride as we march through the museum.
  • Rainbow Fruit Kabobs – Get cooking with Common Threads and learn healthy snack recipes.
  • Drag Queen Storytime –  Enjoy a special storytime with Austin International Drag Foundation Inc.
  • Taste the Colors of the Rainbow – Enjoy free ice cream generously donated by Lick Honest Ice Creams!
  • “What Makes a Family?” Art Wall – Add a picture of what family means to you – we’re more alike than different.
  • Parachute Play – Experience your kindergarten glory days while jumping under a colorful parachute.

Photo from the Austin Pride Facebook page

— Austin PRIDE Festival
Saturday, August 11, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. 
Austin’s Annual PRIDE celebration includes a Festival held at Fiesta Gardens starting at 11 a.m. that includes a Family Zone, food, live music and plenty of entertainment. This is the biggest LGBTQ advocacy event of the year, bringing together local and national organizations. While festival tickets for adults are available online here (at a slight discount), take note that children’s tickets are only available at the gate. Day-of admission is $20 cash for adults, $10 for children 7-17, and children 6 and under are free. A a full list of performance times will be published in on the Austin Pride Facebook page and in the Festival App.

Take note that from 12 – 1 p.m. at the Festival, you can enjoy Story Time with Drag Queens. Three fierce, fabulous and magical Drag Queens will be reading children’s books with themes of Family and acceptance. Bring a blanket and sit under the big tree as the Queens read to the children in the Family Zone.

Photo from the Austin Pride Facebook page

— Austin PRIDE Parade
Saturday, August 11, 8 p.m.
You can join fellow Austinites as they take to the streets to celebrate PRIDE and equality. There is no cost or tickets needed to view the parade that begins at the Texas State Capitol, runs down Congress Avenue and concludes in the Warehouse District. You can expect a colorful show of local organizations, live performers, and floats.

Community Organizations:
For local resources and family-friendly events, keep up with these local non-profit organizations, who also offer plenty of ways to get involved in a supportive way! 

— Out Youth where youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities have a place where they are loved, acknowledged, and accepted for exactly who they are.

— PFLAG Austin an organization dedicated to offering free support groups that offer: acceptance, encouragement and answers to your questions about LGBTQ issues.