Family Weekend in Washington will bring families from across the country to the District of Columbia for a real life civics lesson on how laws and policies that affect our families are made.  Parents and children will meet and talk with members of Congress about the issues that are important to our families and have an opportunity to sightsee and visit points of interest in our nation’s capital. The weekend also includes many family activities allowing children and their parents to enjoy the cultural and historic offerings of our nation’s capital.

Zach Wahls, whose impassioned speech before the Iowa Legislature in 2011 propelled him from Youtube sensation into a national LGBT family advocate will serve as honorary family ambassador on Thursday, May 17th and join Family Equality Council and our families for Families on the Hill - the Congressional lobbying visits that are part of the weekend events.

Families on the Hill lobbying visits will focus on three core issues important to LGBT families: Adoption and Foster Care, Repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, and Safe Schools. Family Weekend in Washington also includes a weekend full of family activities allowing children and their parents to enjoy the cultural and historic offerings of our nation’s capital.

For more information:
Family Equality Council Website - http://www.familyequality.org/get_involved/events/family_weekend_in_washington/
Contact Info – Steve Majors, 202.664.0079, smajors@familyequality.org

Join a Walk team, as an individual participant or start a Walk team of your very own. Raise a minimum of $50 and receive an official AIDS Walk Miami T-shirt on the morning of the event. Registering online is simple and fast. Easily customize your own donation page to include stories, photos and more.

For more information, visit http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=487437

Today, Pride Northwest is made up of a dynamic group of individuals from many different backgrounds who are dedicated to providing a venue for the queer community to gather and celebrate. The mission of Pride Northwest, Inc. is to encourage and celebrate the positive diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer communities, and to assist in the education of all people through the development of activities that showcase the history, accomplishments, and talents of these communities.

2012 Information:

- Friday, June 15th, 2012 from 6pm until 10pm (Main Stage & food vendors ONLY)
- Saturday, June 16th, 2012 from Noon until 6pm
- Sunday, June 17th, 2012 from Noon until 6pm

For more information, visit http://pridenw.org/

Enjoy 3 Full Days of LGBT events in Northern California’s magnificent Sonoma Valley - home to some of the world’s most prestigious wines and wineries. Celebrate with world class wine and culinary delights, music and dancing in a private estate vineyard, VIP Receptions, wine tasting excursions, champagne brunch and wine auction in one of the most famous luxury wine destinations in the world.

Located only 45 minutes north of San Francisco it is truly an amazingly breathtaking place to gather and show your Pride, Out In The Vineyard.

For more information, visit http://www.outinthevineyard.com/events/gaywineweekend2012/

Baltimore Pride has celebrated the diversity of our community in Maryland and throughout the Mid-Atlantic for more than 35 years. Attended annually by an estimated 30,000 people, Baltimore Pride is recognized not only as the premier LGBTQ event in Maryland, but also one of the largest festivals in Baltimore City. The Parade and Block Party are held in Mount Vernon, one of the most historic areas of the city and one of the centers of LGBTQ life in Baltimore. The Festival takes place in a lakeside setting in beautiful Druid Hill Park, which provides a pleasant and casual environment for the festivities of the day.

The origins of Baltimore Pride date back to 1976. In the decades since, Baltimore Pride has grown to become Maryland’s largest LGBTQ visibility event, providing an opportunity for the greater Maryland community to experience and learn more about the LGBTQ community through a weekend of wonderful events and exhibitions.

For more information, visit http://baltimorepride.org/

Kamehameha Day is recognized as a state holiday throughout Hawai’i, but North Kohala is a very special place to celebrate.  Kamehameha I was born in North Kohala, where residents played a prominent role in saving his life as an infant.
Small towns, big celebration

Gordan Kalaniopio 2011 floral parade
Although North Kohala is a small community, each year on June 11th it puts forth a large grassroots effort to present a full day of celebration and tribute to King Kamehameha I.

Original statue draped in flowers.  See the original statue of King Kamehameha I in all its holiday glory. Beginning at 8 a.m., the statue in Kapa’au is decorated with 25-foot-long floral lei created in tribute to the King.  Statue decorating ceremoniesstart with an opening blessing, followed by hula, history, and music.

Traditional floral parade.  Watch a traditional pa’u parade with horses and riders adorned in flowers and colors to represent each Hawaiian Island.  At 9 a.m., the road closes while the Grand Marshal, Pa’u Marshal, Descendant of Kamehameha, Ambassador of Aloha, Pa’u riders and floral floats make their way from Hawi County base yard to the statue and back to Kamehameha Park in Kapa’au.

Music in the park.  Enjoy a Ho’olaule’a (music festival) where you can eat local food, see masters create traditional arts and craafts, watch beautiful hula dancers and listen to award-winning Hawaiian musicians.  The ho’olaule’a starts at 10 a.m. and continues until 4 p.m. at Kamehameha Park.

Visitors are welcomed to the North Kohala towns of Hawi and Kapa’au on Monday, June 11, 2012 to take part in this unique local event.  A trip to this historic area on King Kamehameha Day is sure to be a highlight of a trip to the Islands.  While in North Kohala, visitors can take in the natural beauty of ocean cliffs and ranchland, visit breathtaking Pololu Valley, and browse the area’s many shops, restaurants, and galleries. Bring a camera.

For more information, visit http://www.kamehamehadaycelebration.org/

For more information, visit http://www.andersonville.org/events/midsommarfest/details/9

This year Albuquerque Pride will continue the tradition of celebrating PrideFest at Expo New Mexico. This allows continued collaboration with our local LGBT businesses, following the traditional parade route through Nob Hill, as well as easy access and increased space with a new venue lay out! Albuquerque Pride, Inc is proud and excited to include the community’s feedback in planning our celebration this year and are striving to meet the community’s needs.

For more information, visit http://abqpride.com/pride-2012/pridefest/

Capital City Pride is preparing to move forward into the new year with a strong leadership team of veterans and new-comers with plenty of room for others who want to join in hosting Pride 2012.

This year, Pride will be celebrated with a three day festival kicking off Friday night, June 22nd, followed by two full days of festival entertainment on Saturday and Sunday, with the parade on Sunday.  Organizers promise another great year of Pride:

Pride Parade
Spectacular entertainers at the festival
Booths
Family activities
Time with all your old friends & a chance to make new friends

For more information, visit http://capitalcitypride.net/2011/10/looking-forward-pride-2012/#more-16

The Festival is organized by The Edmonton Pride Festival Society (EPFS), which was formed in 1999. The Society is the official non-profit organization that manages the organizing and executing of Pride celebrations in the Capital Region each year. The society’s mission is to celebrate and bring together the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, their family, friends, co-workers, supporters, the business community and the community at large in a spirit of camaraderie, honor, pride and respect. And of course for some fun!!

The Society anticipates the Pride Festival to continue to grow in the years ahead, and we invite you to be a part of it!The 2012 Pride Parade will begin at 12:00 p.m. This year’s parade will start at 108 Street and 102 Avenue. It will travel east on 102 Avenue to 99 Street and take up both lanes of 102 Avenue. The parade will conclude at Churchill Square, which will then kick off the Celebration on the Square presented by TD Bank Financial Group.

For more information, visit http://www.edmontonpride.ca/events/?event_action=view&event_id=89&ret=%2Fpride_week%2Findex.php

Presenters covering many topics you asked for..and some you haven’t imagined!
Intensives that are INTENSE!
Vendor area that is larger, with more variety and shops
Singles Events for those who are looking
Exclusive Master/slave education forums
Cigars and Boots Poolside Party
Oh, and let’s not forget about our SELF contests, Nightly Dungeon Parties and more!
... and those are just SOME of the things we have in store for you… just imagine what else we might have up our sleeve!

For more information, visit https://secure.seleatherfest.com/

The annual Brooklyn Pride Parade is a colorful and very important gay celebration, but on a much smaller and friendlier scale than the mother of them all across the East River.

The parade takes off from 14th Street and 5th Avenue at 7:30 PM and continues along on 5th Avenue Street to the Reviewing Stand at 4th Street and 5th Avenue.  The Parade continues on to Union Street.

The Brooklyn Pride Committee seeks to create a new bridge, whereby local gay people, organizations, businesses, friends and supporters of equal human rights can come together in solidarity and celebration and bring visibility to the multicultural Brooklyn gay community.

For more information, visit http://brooklynpride.org/pride-2011/parade

For more information, visit http://www.circlecityinpride.org/parade/index.htm

For more information, visit http://www.gaypridebrazil.org/sao-paulo/events/plan-2012.asp

For more information, visit http://www.gaypridebrazil.org/rio-de-janeiro/events/plan-2012.asp

A few reasons why you should come:
* HOT GUYS
* Magnificent gay beach
* Neverending 24 hour nightlife
* Shop till you drop
* The food just tastes GOOD
* No gay area because the WHOLE CITY is GAY
* Jerusalem, the Dead sea and more are just 1 - 1.5 hours away
And that is just the tip of the iceberg..

For more information, visit http://www.gaytlvguide.com/component/content/article/12-fp-articles/63-gay-pride-parade-tel-aviv-2012-june-8

Come for a day full of entertainment, music, food, drink, education, and celebration. The festival is open to everyone, and while a $5 donation is encouraged, there is no fee for entry. The festival is family friendly, however due to large crowds and very hot asphalt, we recommend that 4-legged family members (pets) stay at home.

The annual Capital Pride parade steps off on Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 4:30pm. It will travel through Dupont Circle, 17th Street, and through northwest Washington DC.

Mark your calendars and come out for this event that has received City Paper’s “Best of” Award for Best Parade 4 years in a row!

For more information, visit http://www.capitalpride.org/

For more information, visit http://www.gayparties.com/index.php/event/wonderworld_orlando

The main Gay Pride parade this year, will be held on Saturday 30th of June, and is the highlight of Madrid gay pride. The centre of Madrid literally comes to a standstill as a million people line the streets to watch the parade. All of the clubs and bars have their own parties and special nights. For more information on gay Madrid go to gaymadrid4u.com, and for more information on Madrid gay pride visit orgullogaymadrid.com

The gay area of Madrid is Chueca and is where you will find most of the gay bars and clubs. It is also the home of Madrid gay pride and is where the main stage is located. We recommend that you stay as close to all the action as possible, but remember this area is noisy day and night so the better the hotel you pick, the better you are going to sleep. To this end we have picked out some of the better hotels in the area for you to look at.

For more information, visit http://www.gaytravel4u.com/2012/01/26/gay-pride-madrid-june-22-july-2-spain/