Portland’s fantastic Waterfront Pride festival has returned and the Portland LGBTQ+ community and allies are ready to fill our beautiful city streets with the colors of the rainbow and events that educate. So, get your family ready to fill the month of June with flair as you take to the streets, hit the fairs and even march in parades. There are some awesome events and activities you can participate in, and we even pulled together a list of local LGBTQ+ resources you can familiarize yourself with and support! Read on to find out how you can show your pride all month long
OMSI is already a favorite family spot for all things learning related. Why not expand your LGBTQ knowledge by getting scienc-y in full PRIDE color? Join OMSI In celebrating our LGBTQ+ community. Pride at the Museum welcomes visitors of all ages for a night of Pride-inspired science demos, lectures, Drag performances, music, and complimentary admission to our featured exhibit, The World of da Vinci!
Where: OMSI 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR Event Details.
History of Black Drag in Portland
You don't want to miss this important night full of history lessons for family members of all ages. You can expect an evening of conversation and performance. The panel includes Lawanda Jackson, Cicely, Maria Peters Lake, Sheniqua Volt combined with performances by Coco Jem Holiday, Nay Nay Leakes Cartier, and DJ Set by DJ No Bi. Es.
Where: McMennamins Kennedy School Theater Movie Theater, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland Event Details.
Portland Pride Waterfront Festival
Portland Pride includes a two-day festival at Waterfront Park and an epic, colorful and joyous parade winding through downtown Portland. With food, drinks, live music and nonprofit information booths lining the Willamette River, the festival is a great place to gather, mingle and get more information about local LGBTQ+ groups.
Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland Event Details.
Dyke March
This is an awesome opportunity for families to experience and celebrate a beloved part of the LGBTQ community. Dykes gather at the Dyke March to celebrate their love and passion for women and for all dykes. Help them celebrate their queerness in all its manifestations. The dyke identity includes those who are questioning and challenging gender constructs and the social definitions of women: trans dyke, MTF, transfeminine, transmasculine, genderqueer, and gender fluid dykes. Allies are welcome to join the march and families are encouraged to cheer the participants on as they parade through downtown!
Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland Event Details.
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Pride Beaverton
Beaverton City Park will host Pride Beaverton for an afternoon of fun for the whole family. This celebrations features crafts, entertainment, food, and drinks. Emcee extraordinaire Poison Waters and Pride DJ will keep your whole family moving and grooving all day long! Sure to be a highlight, Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus, featuring performers that lift hearts and open minds by telling stories using circus arts.
Where: Beaverton City Park 12500 SW 4th St., Beaverton, Or When: June 26, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Event Details
Pride Pics
In celebration of Portland Pride 2022, Pride Northwest returns with Pride Pics: an outdoor film experience on Portland’s gorgeous Waterfront highlighting the impact of our LGBTQIA+ community on screen. Pride Pics features a curated pair of LGBTQIA+ films each evening. The films will be screened outdoors on a custom big screen next to the main stage at Portland Pride along with food, beverages and fun!
Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland Event Details.
For the second year in a row, Portland Pride Waterfront Festival has been canceled in an effort to stay COVID Safe. But, you can still Support Portland Pride and help ensure the organization will survive the pandemic. From purchasing bumper stickers to buying tickets to some virtual and some live events, your dollars make a difference. There's also the options of donating!
Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC)
SMYRC provides a safe, supervised, harassment-free space for sexual and gender minority youth ages 13-23 who participate in positive activities like art, music, community organizing, open mic nights, drag shows, and support groups and receive services including case management, counseling, education, and more. They are accepting donations now.
New Avenues for Youth 1220 SW Columbia St.; Portland, Or. 17199 SE Division St; Portland, Or. 503-224-4339 Online:smyrc.org
Q Center
Consider donating to this organization, which is the largest LGBTQ+ community center in the Pacific Northwest. Q Center proudly serves the LGBTQ2SIA+ communities of Portland Metro and Southwest Washington. They offer a drop-in and event space on North Mississippi Avenue and it is a frequent first stop for new arrivals in Portland, and for longtime residents who are newly out or questioning their sexual or gender identity. Q Center also serves as an information hub for friends, partners, community, and family members of LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals.
This community resource supports LGBTQ individuals, families and allies. PFLAG is working to make sure that all people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer are not only valued by society, but take pride in and value themselves. They do this through providing peer-to-peer support, educating people on the issues that are important to the community, and advocating for inclusive policies and laws. They are a perfect organization for local families to donate to.
PO Box 6743 Portland, OR 97228 503-232-7676 Online:pflagpdx.org
Basic Rights Oregon
Basic Rights Oregon ensures that all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Oregonians experience equality by building a broad and inclusive politically powerful movement that works to shift public opinion, and achieve policy victories that support the community. They are accepting donations now.
620 SW 5th Ave. Suite 1210 503-222-6151 Online: basicrights.org
Probably not everyone is ready to head back to the movies just yet, but if you and the kids can’t wait to sit in a darkened theater, you can see a movie together in style. If you’re looking for the best place to see a movie with the kids in NYC, here are some of the most family-friendly theaters and film series this city has to offer.
(Don’t forget: Starting December 14th, children aged 5-11 will be required to show proof of one vaccination dose for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment. Starting December 27th, New Yorkers aged 12 and older will be required to show proof of two vaccine doses, instead of one, except for those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.)
For Full Immersion: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Downtown NYC, Downtown Brooklyn, and Staten Island
Alamo Drafthouse
The Alamo Drafthouse proudly states that everyone who works at the theater ("from the managers to the servers to the kitchen staff") is passionate about movies. The experience is a huge step above regular movie theaters, as it boasts incredibly comfortable seats, delicious meals served while you watch (with free soda and popcorn refills!), and hand-picked movies. Alamo Drafthouse screens everything from first-run blockbusters to cult favorites to special family programming. The theater also hosts frequent family-friendly special events, like themed menu nights and screening parties.
While visitors under 18 to the Alamo must be accompanied by an adult, the theater also has plenty of options for kids to enjoy their movies. Parents can check out the Alamo for All, sensory-friendly and kid-friendly screenings, which keep children in mind.
Kids ages 3 and up are allowed in shows that start before 6 p.m., and it's strictly 6 and up after 6 p.m. Note that during any kind of kid-friendly movie, guests under 18 still need to be accompanied by adults.
The brand-new Manhattan location just opened in October 2021! In addition to a whopping 14 show screens, the Downtown Manhattan spot features the unique Press Room bar. Entering the Press Room is like stepping into the past: the space is a bar, an event space, and a museum all in one, and displays over 60,000 letterpress film advertising places from the 1930s up through the 80s.
In addition to the Brooklyn and Manhattan locations, a third NYC location is planned for Staten Island, along with a kung-fu-themed store designed by the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA.
Alamo Drafthouse Downtown Manhattan
28 Liberty Street, Suite SC301 Financial District 332-216-3200 Online: drafthouse.com
2636 Hylan Blvd, Unit 34 New Dorp Beach, Staten Island Online: drafthouse.com
For Kid- and Baby-friendly Screenings: Nitehawk Cinema Prospect Park and Williamsburg
The Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg is a legendary location: The location overturned a Prohibition-era restriction preventing the serving of alcohol in movie theaters. Thanks to this theater, adult visitors are free to enjoy an alcoholic beverage while they watch a movie! Besides that, this triplex has 92-, 60-, and 34-seat theaters, and offers a full menu and bar service during movie screenings. Outdoor movie screenings are often held when it's warm out! The menu uses local ingredients, often influenced by beloved movies.
The second location Nitehawk Cinema in Prospect Park, formerly known as The Pavillion, was fully-updated and refurbished in cooperation with the Landmarks Preservation Commission (the renovation revealed original features and details of the 1928 theater). The 650-seat parkside cinema is primed to showcase both smaller films and huge blockbusters with a suite of state-of-the-art theaters that range from somewhat intimate to massive. (Tip: Theater 2, outfitted with a stage and huge screen provides an exemplary viewing experience.) Seats are a nice middle ground between basic theater seating and oversized, reclining lounge chairs; they are very comfortable and equipped with small tables.
The theater also has two full bars, a mezzanine cafe offering views of Prospect Park, and features special programming throughout the year, as well as brunch.
Although they're generally 18+ locations, both Nitehawk Cinema locations regularly accommodate kids and parents. The first showing of the day for all G- and PG-rated movies are open to children of any age (accompanied by an adult guardian) — these shows are marked as ALL AGES on the website.
If you’re a new parent, treat yourself to a movie and indulge in some munchies at the "Adults with Infants" showings. Every Tuesday, only parents with infants under one-year-old will be permitted (no kids of other ages are allowed).
During the special child-friendly times, the theaters' zero-tolerance disruption policy will be relaxed to allow kids to, well, be kids. (The Nitehawk does ask that if your child needs soothing you take them into the lobby to allow other guests to enjoy the movie.) Note that for all kid screenings, children in car seats are welcome but strollers need to be checked at the door.
A favorite destination for adult movie buffs, the Film Forum in the West Village screens classics, often in 35 mm. The cinema aims to present a selection of international films on diverse topics and themes.
Parents with kids will enjoy the Film Forum Jr. series, which is held every Sunday at 11 a.m. and where you can catch a screening of family-friendly classics. The Film Forum Jr. series presents new restorations of classics, animated films, shorts, international films, and even silent films with live piano accompaniments. This season's showings include the 100th-anniversary restoration of Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid," some Buster Keaton films and other classics, as well as more modern picks like Hayao Miyazaki's "My Neighbor Totoro" and Richard Linklater’s "School of Rock" — and more!
Tickets are $11 for non-members (regardless of age) and $9 for members.
209 W. Houston Soho 212-727-81210 Online: filmforum.org
For Chill Movie Moments: AMC Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings
Wikimedia Creative Commons
With over a dozen AMC theaters scattered around NYC, you're bound to have encountered and maybe even visited a few in the past. But did you know that AMC has sensory-friendly screenings? Since 2007, the theater has offered movie screenings for anyone who wants to enjoy a movie but requires a less sense-intense experience.
At these screenings, the lights are turned up and the sound turned down. Visitors are allowed to get up and move around, make noise, talk, shout or even sing! You'll find family-friendly low-sensory screenings every second and fourth Saturday of the month. (Wednesday evenings accommodate a mature audience.) Participating theaters include AMC Magic Johnson in Harlem and AMC Bay Plaza in the Bronx.
For Local Charm: Cobble Hill & Kew Gardens Cinemas
Head to one of these smaller theaters with a decidedly un-corporate vibe for a mix of first-run (kids' movies are typically on one screen), independent and foreign films. This mini-chain also has a location in Williamsburg (Williamsburg Cinemas) in a newer building. While the buildings might date to the mid-century, the interiors, sound and digital projection systems are upgraded. One thing they all have in common: a slightly goofy, retro PSA telling audience members to be quiet, throw out their trash, etc. and interiors decorated with quirky movie-related art, posters and photos.
Cobble Hill Cinemas 265 Court St. Cobble Hill 718-596-4995 Online: cobblehilltheatre.com
Yes, The Museum of the Moving Image is home to the wonderful permanent Jim Henson exhibit, but it also features tons of kid-friendly programming and screenings that you'll enjoy, too! (P.S., screenings often come with the bonus of some extra insight into the topic or genre thanks to speakers or activities.)
Museum of the Moving Image 36-01 35th Ave. Astoria 718-777-6800 Astoria Online: movingimage.us/programs
For the Most Convenient Screenings: New York Public Libraries
Setting a weekly movie date with the kids is a great way to avoid a case of cabin fever this winter. That said, bundling your set of movie-goers to go crosstown is a big hassle. Stay close to home by attending a screening at your local library.
Many public libraries around New York City host screenings for families and kids of different ages, from children's movies to teen screenings, as well as classics. Many locations have regularly scheduled movie nights (very often on Fridays).
Note that you can request ASL interpretation if you ask for it two weeks in advance. Check out the New York, Brooklyn and Queens Public Library’s websites to find the screenings nearest you!
Various times and locations Manhattan, Bronx, and Staten Island: nypl.org Brooklyn: bklynlibrary.org Queens: queenslibrary.org (though there were no scheduled movie events at the time of this writing)
For Free Screenings in Sunset Park
Industry City
Industry City hosts Rooftop Films' Sunset Park Kid's Cinema Club, a series of free screenings at the complex. (This month, it's 2018's Dr. Suess' The Grinch.) Doors open at Noon, and seating is first-come, first-served. RSVP is recommended. Watch the Industry City Events Calendar for upcoming films.
Industry City 51 35th St. Building 5, Five Two A; elevators between 33rd & 34th Streets Sunset Park Online: industrycity.com
For Watching from the Comfort of Your Car: NYC Drive-in Theaters
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Don't want to go inside to watch a movie? You don't have to, if you go to a drive-in, instead! Drive-ins have made a comeback recently due to it being naturally distanced and inherently isolated and outdoor experiences. NYC and its surrounding areas have a number of excellent options for those looking to stay in or around their car and watch a movie projected onto a large screen. Most locations also have food you can enjoy while you watch, or you can bring your own and make it a car picnic!
Movie Screenings in NYC Parks and Community Centers
Bryant Park Film Festival
The Movies Under the Stars screenings are the perfect free movie experience during the warmer months. Head to your local park with a blanket and picnic basket and enjoy a movie in a cozy outdoor space!
Keep an eye on the NYC Parks website, as there are occasional fall and winter indoor movie screenings as part of this series, as well. For example, at the time of this writing, there are two Christmas movies scheduled to be shown at community gymnasiums, complete with free popcorn!
The hustle and bustle that’s bundled with everyday life for our littlest friends can be tough on a kid with special needs. That’s why some local kid-centric businesses and performance groups block off specific times where the noise is dialed back, lights are dimmed, crowds are kept small and kids are, well, free to be themselves! Read on to learn about a special Blue Man Group performance and museums, play spaces, theatres, a gym and more that keep special needs kids in mind when developing their programming.
photo: Chicago Children’s Museum
YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES
Play for All at Chicago Children’s Museum
On the second Saturday of every month from 9 a.m.-10 a.m., Chicago Children’s Museum invites children with disabilities and their families to experience playful, multi-sensory exhibits for a special Play for All private hour. The first 250 visitors to register receive FREE admission. CCM opens to the public at 10 a.m. and Play For All families are welcome to stay and continue exploring the museum all day. Note: Pre-registration is required.
Outside of the second Saturday of the month opportunity, the museum has sound-reducing headphones, lap trays for wheelchairs, personal museum schedules, visual rule cards, an online Therapeutic Play Guide, a partnership with Francis W. Parker School to provide specially-trained student guides for your child and the entire museum is wheelchair accessible.
Get cultured with a Red Kite Project
Chicago Children’s Theatre created the Red Kite Project to bring on-going theatrical adventures, dynamic learning opportunities and camps to children on the autism spectrum and their families.
Every Monday, 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., kids in grades 5-12 can participate in Red Kite Presents Shakespeare and Autism where the Hunter Heartbeat method is utilized to help participants navigate the social and communicative barriers of autism. This class is designed for neurodiverse learners to develop imaginative play skills, engage positively with their peers and learn how to work together as an ensemble.
We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym
We Rock the Gym is a safe space for kids all across the spectrum where apologies are never needed and uniqueness is celebrated. They’re committed to providing all children a fun, motivational environment to help increase strength and improve movement, sensory processing, communication, social interactions and self-care skills, while also incorporating positive behavior modification. Offerings include structured class times and open play sessions with drop-in and membership opportunities.
Jump, jump, jump around at Airtastic
Start your week off with jumps at Airtastic’s Music FREE Mondays. They turn off the music to remove extra noise that can bother some children.
Airtastic, 850 S. Frontenac St., Aurora; Online: airtastic.com
Blue Man Group goes sensory-friendly
Blue Man Group offers an annual sensory-friendly performance which includes slight modifications, such as dim lighting, bean bags, calm environment and quiet corners to better accommodate individuals with autism. Sound levels are reduced at select moments and noise isolating headphones also available upon request. Keep tabs on their website for future dates.
Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted, Lakeview; Online: blueman.com
Special needs screenings at Studio Movie Grill
Studio Movie Grill hosts family-friendly movies free for children with special needs and their siblings with the purchase of an adult ticket. These special screenings are shown with the lights up and the volume lowered. Don’t worry if your movie date likes to stay on the move, children are free to move around, talk and even dance in the aisle. All screenings are shown at 11 a.m. on select dates.
Studio Movie Grill, 301 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton, 630-480-9557; Online: studiomoviegrill.com
photo: Shedd Aquarium
Fish around for fun times at Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium’s inclusion program, Calm Waters, extends hours on select days exclusively for persons with disabilities. These evenings include a Caribbean Reef dive, during which you can watch a scuba diver explore the habitat alongside the animals, a 4-D Experience that combines the elements of a 3-D film with additional sensory effects like water mist and bubbles, plus an opportunity to learn how Shedd’s marine mammal trainers care for the animals. Check their website for dates and times.
photo: Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium is offering visitors a low-sensory aquatic presentation on Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. and on the last Sunday every month for the last presentation of the day. Shedd’s low sensory aquatic presentations have reduced volume, dimmed lighting and all flashing lights are removed.
Before you visit Shedd, download their sensory-friendly app designed for guests with autism and sensory-processing disorders in mind. It includes video social guides that offer information on individual exhibit spaces, including photos, tips on temperature and noise levels. The app also includes a visual schedule, communication tools, sensory-friendly maps and more tips to plan your visit, set expectations and ease anxiety. And for our Spanish-speaking friends, a Spanish version is now available.
In addition, the aquarium has created a quiet room providing a dedicated space that can be used as a calming room, prayer room or place to privately recharge mobility devices.
Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr., Museum Campus, 312-939-2438; Online: sheddaquarium.org
Have wild fun at Lincoln Park Zoo
While Lincoln Park Zoo doesn’t have set times to bring kids who need special accommodations, they do have a great resource guide on their website giving tips on best times to come and which animal houses are the quietest, have lighting that’s comforting or are all-together sensory neutral. They also give information on best places to park, have wheelchairs available for rent with $20 deposit, ASL guides for the deaf and sighted guides for visually impaired visitors.
Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Lincoln Park, 312-742-2000; Online: lpzoo.org/accessibility
photo: The Field Museum via Maria Chambers
Visit the dinos at The Field Museum
The Field Museum understands that some kiddos may have specific sensory processing needs in order to have a great museum experience. For that very reason, they open the doors to the Crown Family PlayLap one hour early on select Saturdays, so families can enjoy a crowd-free space. There are tactile opportunities and sensory tools to help ensure an enjoyable experience for all.
The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., Museum Campus; Online: fieldmuseum.org
Popcorn and a show at AMC
AMC partners with the Autism Society to offer specialized movie showings where the lights are turned up and the sound down so you can get up, dance, walk, shout or belt out a tune. The Sensory Friendly Film program is available on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
Photo: LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago via Maria Chambers
Play Well Days at LEGOLAND Discovery
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago and Austim Speaks teamed up to provide a sensory-friendly LEGO experience the first Saturday of every month. Special accommodations will be made during Play Well Days including reduction of sound and lights, quiet spaces, a reduced center capacity, staff training by Autism Speaks and earplugs are provided, if requested.
Reach for the clouds at Sky High Sports
Every Tuesday, Sky High Sports turns off the music, dims the lights and dials down the distractions for the comfort of their guests. Jump sessions for kids with special needs and their families is a passion project for Sky High founder Jerry Raymond. The father of a special needs son, Jerry has witnessed how jumping can help improve motor and sensory skills, social interaction and overall fitness for kids and young adults. Times of the jump vary by location, so check the website for the location nearest you before heading to jump.
Go blue at Brookfield Zoo
For the last 4 years, Brookfield Zoo has hosted Autism Awareness in April, where they dye the fountain blue and have special activities — like crafting, quieted carousel rides, tailored Zoo Chats with animals and designated areas for quiet time geared toward special needs families. If you’re visiting on a day outside of the designated Autism Awareness Day, you can pick up a BZ Care Kit for free that includes noise-reducing headphones, hard copies of visual schedules, autism stickers and safety alert badges and ID bracelets in case a child gets separated.
Also good to note, Brookfield Zoo has an online map that shows quiet spaces throughout the zoo where you can duck into when needed. They also have wheelchairs and Electronic Convenience Vehicles available for rent, ASL interpreters upon request and those with disabilities are not required to wait in any lines. They have a robust Accessibility Guide online that’s worth a look through before your zoo visit, as well.
Family Night Out at DuPage Children’s Museum
DuPage Children’s Museum’s Family Night Out provides an evening of play and learning for children on the autism spectrum and other sensory processing disorders, as well as physical disabilities. Check their website for dates.
If you find a member of your crew needs a break from the action, let a DCM worker show you to the Quiet Room. You’ll find a soft couch, dimmed blue lights and a calming marble wall full of light and touch sensations. TIP: After school and early evening are often quieter times for family or therapeutic visits.
DuPage Children’s Museum, 301 N. Washington St., Naperville; 630-637-8000; Online: dupagechildrens.org
photo: Morton Arboretum
Take a nature walk at Morton Arboretum
A trip to the Arboretum is a great first ingredient for a good day for both kids and parents. It’s a fun place to explore and develop a love of the great outdoors. While they don’t have specific hours that target families with special needs, they do offer a thorough resource page on their website to help navigate the Arboretum comfortably and special Visual Schedule books are available at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center on a first-come, first-served basis. The book helps guests plan their visit and is designed specifically for individuals on the autism spectrum or with learning or development disabilities.
Morton Arboretum, 4100 IL Rte. 53, Lisle; Online: mortonarb.org
Take a swim with JCC
JCC Chicago has created an All-In Swim program for children on the autism spectrum designed to teach water safety and swim skills in a comfortable, supportive environment. Their unique curriculum focuses on valuable life-saving techniques, recreational swim therapy and increased independence and self-esteem. Each class incorporates creative games and play, as well as visual instruction such as picture cards. For certain sensory sensitivities, textured mats, wet suits, water toys and flotation devices may be used to maximize the experience. With seven levels of learning, students will make progress at their own pace.
Programs available in West Rogers Park and Northbrook; Online: jccchicago.org
photo: Autism Speaks
HOW TO SUPPORT
Walk Now for Autism Speaks
This no-pressure, three-mile walk takes place in two locations in the spring, downtown Chicago and Northfield. The downtown walk takes you leisurely by the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium and along the lakefront. Strollers — and even Radio Flyer wagons — are welcome. And, that’s right: no registration fees. You won’t get a T-shirt unless you raise at least $150 for Autism Speaks, but anyone is welcome to participate, whether or not you choose to fundraise. This annual event also features an after-party with kid lures like inflatable bouncers, sensory sensitive activities and a petting zoo.
Mattel, the parent company of American Girl, has just announced that a new movie based on the iconic dolls will be produced by MGM. This won’t be the first time that American Girl characters have graced the big screen. New Line Cinema’s Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, which premiered in 2008, was the first time one of its girl dolls hit the big screen, and there have also been several straight-to-video and digital adaptations featuring different dolls and books.
Which doll will be center stage in this feature? There is no information on casting or story yet, which means it could be any of the popular dolls, but chances are it won’t be any of the ones that have already had their story on screen.
“American Girl is a timeless and iconic brand that is part of the fabric of families all over the world,” said Jonathan Glickman, MGM’s motion picture president, via press statement. “We look forward to working with our partners at Mattel and PICTURESTART to bring this cross-generational film to audiences all over the globe.”
Who wants to wait a whole year to celebrate? Not us! Party like it’s your kids’ unbirthday any old day. Scroll down for 12 easy ideas for simple-but-special gifts and celebrations for the other 364 days.
1. Weekday Waffles! Whip up this weekend treat on a Tuesday or Wednesday to start the day with a festive air. Stick a few candles on top if you want to get really wild.
2. DIY Face Paint. Nothing says festive like going full lion-face. Use cosmetics you have at home if you haven’t yet invested in a full face-paint kit.
3. Fake Birthday, Free Cake. Tell a little fib at a restaurant that offers the whole song and dance for kiddie birthdays. Just don’t expect to go back next month for their real birthday!
4. Kid’s Choice. Present three awesome options for an excursion (museum? pool? indoor play space?) and let them make their wish.
5. Spa Day. Break out a bucket of warm water, a few clay face masks and the nail polish. A little pampering makes any day extra special.
6. Movie Date. Go catch the latest kid flick on the big screen. Smuggle in plenty of healthy treats, and even let them pick the outfit they want to walk the red carpet in.
7. Plan a Picnic. There’s nothing like dining al fresco to make a day feel unique.
8. Sleepover Surprise! Invite their bestie to spend the night.
9. Hit a County Fair or Carnival. The festival circuit is still going strong this time of year, so buy a handful of tickets and prepare to be corn dogged.
10. Road Trip! Pack up the car for a little day trip. A nearby beach, hike or even just a neighboring town will offer a special change of pace.
11. Find an Outdoor Concert. Dancing with your Littles is most definitely a festive occasion.
12. Unwrap Some “Presents.” Wrap up old toys they haven’t seen in a while, your haul from the grocery store or even new needed school supplies. The best part is unwrapping anyway.
Happiest unbirthday to you and yours!!
Do you have any ideas for fun unbirthday celebrations? Tell us in the comments below.
Every parent needs a night now and again to relax and let loose. Clean that Play-doh from under your fingernails, slap on some lipstick and dedicate a date night to reconnect with your other baby. Read on for six spots to fly your fun flag and enjoy a night on the town.
Get Your Game On:
Ormsby’s Sometimes you and your spouse need to act like kids again too with the option of few adult beverages on the side. In Atlanta’s Westside neighborhood Ormsby’s is the place to go. Is pool, darts, bocce or shuffleboard your game? This hidden gem offers them all along with an extensive list of craft beers, wine and spirits. Be sure to bring your appetite for their mouth-watering menu that includes grass-fed steaks, roaster duck breast and house-made saffron gnocchi. Ormsby’s, 1170 Howell Mill Road NW, 404-968-2033
The Painted Pin Get your game on at this new, spanky spot that boasts being a “boutique bowling bar.” Custom Chesterfield couches and lane-side delivery of balls and shoes are just a few of the many perks at this posh place. In in addition to the lanes, The Painted Pin boasts bocce, darts, ping pong, pop-a-shot, shuffleboard, and skee-ball—not to mention the world’s only lane-side pour-your-own beer taps. The Painted Pin, 737 Miami Circle NE, 404-814-8736
Joystick Gamebar When you really need to relive your video game playing youth this Old Fourth Ward bar is the place to go. 80s and 90s arcade games, craft cocktails, and some of the best burgers in town provided by Illegal Food make this hole in the wall tops. Joystick Gamebar, 427 Edgewood Avenue SE, 404-525-3002
Bring Sexy Back:
Society 414
Tired of the dinner-and-a-movie date? This newly launched secret supper club offers a sexy, new twist on date night. Each Society 414 Curated Date Night 4 Elements, 1 Key, and 4 Featured Artists. (Think a cooking class followed by a fun-filled evening of amazing food and entertainment.) Before the event, you will be given a series of additional clues including the dress code. The location is revealed 41 hours before the event. See their site for their next ticketed event and add an air of mystery to your evening!
Get High:
Nikolais’ Roof When the occasion is a special one make reservations at this Atlanta institution. Located on the 30th floor of the Hilton Hotel in Downtown Atlanta, both the views and the food will both fight for your attention. You will probably call it a draw and be mesmerized by them both. For a smaller dent to your wallet, consider ordering from the chef’s three course nightly special menu. Nikolai’s Roof, 255 Courtland Street NE, 404-221-6362
Polaris The Maine lobster cocktail is to die for, but it is the constantly changing scenery that is seriously swoon-worthy. This recently re-opened, rotating restaurant located on the top of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta offers a complete 360-degree panoramic view of Downtown Atlanta. Enjoy executive chef Martin Pfefferkorn’s elegant fare as you soak in the spinning scene—from any seat in the house. Polaris, 625 Peachtree Street NE, 404-460-6425
Where do you like to do for date night? Tell us in the comments section below!
