The first ever Royal Oak Family Pride will take place at the June Food Truck Rally at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market on June 12. The event, which will feature a full schedule of fun and family friendly activities including drag queen story time, a dog fashion show, face painting, a bounce house, photo booth, a performance by the Sing Out Detroit Choir and more, was the brainchild of Royal Oak resident David Mates Knapp.
"Pride events come in all shapes and sizes, and all of them are so wonderful and necessary," Mates-Knapp said. "Since my husband and I are currently in the process of adopting, I've been trying to find more queer-friendly things to do in the area that are appropriate for kids, too. Most Pride events are fun and friendly, of course, with activities for people of all ages, but I was thinking of something a bit different when I brought this idea to the city of Royal Oak."
Mates-Knapp said he's seen very few Michigan pride events across the state that are specifically focused on queer families and their children.
"I also wanted to create an event that served as a resource for queer couples that wanted to learn more about the adoption process or wanted to connect with other queer family hopefuls," he said. "Those resources are priceless. More importantly, I just wanted to see a pride event in Royal Oak."
There hasn't been an official pride event since 2001, when PrideFest changed its name to Motor City Pride and relocated to Ferndale.
"Royal Oak has such a queer and diverse community with amazing business owners who run queer-friendly shops and restaurants," Mates-Knapp said. "I love the idea of having pride in every city we can. With the help of Royal Oak's Judy Davids and Carol Schwanger, Royal Oak Public Library's Mary Karshner and Emily Dumas and volunteers Ellen Knoppow, the Rev. Preston Boyd,and myself, we came up with an event that is educational and fun, as well as family friendly.
"We plan on highlighting the wonderful history of queer culture while lifting up the vibrancy of the queer community as a whole, focusing on family support for all," Mates-Knapp continued. "We were able to partner with many individuals and businesses in Royal Oak to really shape a Pride event that will highlight the very best Royal Oak has to offer, from food trucks to local supports to adoption agencies that will help queer families thrive. This is truly a community event perfect for families of all shapes and sizes."
Royal Oak Family Pride will take place Wednesday, June 12, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market, which is located at 316 E. 11 Mile Road in Royal Oak. For more information, visit gaybe.am/4G.
First Ever Royal Oak Family Pride to Take Place June 12
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