Seven days of activities for inclusive LGBTQ+ Family Week in Provincetown

Rasheek Tabassum Mujib, Cape Cod Times
·3 min read

PROVINCETOWN — Family Week, which is billed as the largest gathering of the LGBTQ+ parent and family community in the world, will return to Provincetown starting on Saturday, with seven activity-filled days.

The annual event focuses on including everyone in the celebration, according to organizers, with a wide range of activities suited for all age groups. There will be art exhibits and projects, youth empowerment programs, dancing, sports like a kickball game, beach campfires, a "blues parade" musical experience, and more. For a full list and schedule, and registration: https://www.ptownfamilyweek.com/event-details.

Family Week is hosted and organized by the Family Equality and COLAGE groups, and COLAGE — an organization to support people with one or more LGBTQ+ caregiver and help families build networks and connections — will hold a variety of workshops. Since its inception in 1995, Family Week has been designed to provide a place for LGBTQ+ families to connect with each other in a fun, safe and inclusive environment, according to information from the organizers.

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Kate Diana, 9, and David Diana, 4, of New York have come to Family Week with their moms Donabella Diana, right, and Ellen Mabaquiao since they were babies. Coming from New York City, Provincetown is a getaway to relax and feel safe, Mabaquiao says. “At home, our guards our up,” she says. “We can be ourselves here with no judgement.”
Kate Diana, 9, and David Diana, 4, of New York have come to Family Week with their moms Donabella Diana, right, and Ellen Mabaquiao since they were babies. Coming from New York City, Provincetown is a getaway to relax and feel safe, Mabaquiao says. “At home, our guards our up,” she says. “We can be ourselves here with no judgement.”

There will be a "Littles Gathering" every morning for children aged 0-5; family yoga and yoga for parents; and a family-oriented Drag Queen storytime and dance party on Wednesday, July 27 with author Lil Miss Hot Mess, hosted by Provincetown Theater. From 10 a.m. to noon on Monday, July 25, families can help build an interactive art installation with Legos at Bas Relief Park on Bradford Street.

The first-ever Family Night, with a theme, “Y’all Means All,” will include music, food and dance on Thursday, July 28 as a community fundraiser for Family Equality and COLAGE. “The Doll Parts,” a Dolly Parton cover band, is set to perform at the event at Motta Field, 25 Winslow St.

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The Center for Coastal Studies will hold several events involving coastal sea life, including paid classes on, “Junior Entanglement Responder” and “Family Fun with Whales.” Hindu Charters will host workshops to teach children how to tie sea knots and other sailing basics.

Warner Bros Discovery, a sponsor of the event, will hold both outdoor and indoor movie screenings: "The Goonies" at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 24 at Motta Field; "DC League of Super-Pets" will be screened for matinees inside at Water’s Edge Cinema (237 Commercial St.) on Wednesday through Friday, July 27-29; and "Happy Feet 2" will be screened Wednesday, July 27, at Motta Field.

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For many of the event participants, organizers say, this is the only time of year that they can be their full authentic selves in a safe space, where they can talk about their families without fear of being judged. The workshops and training for parents and children are intend to build more meaningful connections and help the families overcome difficult challenges, they say.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: family week 2022 in provincetown is 7 days of LGBTQ+ of fun, workshops