Even though National Pride month is in June, pride is celebrated at all times of the year. And if you’ve been here long enough, you know that the Oakland Pride parade and festival is coming up on September 9 through the 10th at 20th Street and Broadway.
Both events are don’t-miss events, but there’s another component you’ll want to jump into. Some people host parties before or after the parade so they can have a close celebration with friends.
If you’re ready to host a pride party, read on: we’ve got loads of ideas to share.
Parade Prep
Don’t go to a pride parade looking plain! Grab some wearables such as rainbow hats, scarves, glasses, multicolored beads, vests, ties, suspenders, and socks. Express yourself with wigs, face paint, glitter, or sequins. Grab some big, fake eyelashes and get decked out.
You don’t have to restrict yourself to rainbows, either. Pride is all about expressing yourself. You can craft a unique look that’s true to you. Or you can pick one of the other pride flags expressing your identity and build a look around that, such as the baby blue, pink, and white transgender flag.
Decorations
Keep everyone in the mood once it’s time to go home to the party. Deck out your home in multi-colored streamers and large pride flags. Choose party cups, plates, napkins, and balloons in all seven rainbow colors.
Add a little sparkle wherever you can. Glitter balloons in the seven colors of the rainbow are great for this. Mylar balloons spelling out “Happy Pride” keep the mood festive.
Favors
You should have a few favors at a pride party to make people comfortable. For example, pronoun pin buttons can give people a no-pressure way to share pronouns in a way that will make your trans and intersex guests feel welcomed and comfortable.
Handheld pride flags in all varieties make nice favors to take home or toy with. And you can add a few more strings of beads so guests can get that much more sparkly and fabulous when they arrive.
Food
A rainbow cake is a fine staple for a pride party, but don’t forget to mix up a couple of rainbow paradise cocktails. Offer some rainbow mocktails for those who don’t wish to drink.
Bring plenty of other food as well. To step it up to the next level of inclusiveness, consider labeling food by dietary preference, and try accommodating as many as possible. If you have a BBQ, add a few Beyond burgers.
Pride is all about loving people for who they are, right where they are. Addressing accessibility and inclusion in your food is part of that.
Any Day Can Be a Pride Day
Can’t throw a party in time for Oakland Pride? Don’t worry. You can use these ideas for a coming-out party or celebrate pride whenever you want. Members of the queer community and their friends can use a great reason for celebration and support 365 days a year, so bring your party spirit and get those invites out!
For example, you could pick a casino theme, and center a bunch of cool frat house decorations or sorority decorations around becoming a mini-Vegas, complete with various gaming tables and high-class (possibly non-alcoholic) cocktails.
Choosing a decade is another easy way to punch up frat house decor or sorority room decor. There’s plenty to choose from: the 1960s, the 1940s, the 1980s, or the 1920s are all popular.
Nobody wants to be at your events if the food isn’t great. Food boosts attendance, keeps people there, and leaves potential pledges with good feelings about your sorority or fraternity.
The right bouquet will depend on the age and temperament of the recipient.
You can combine flowers with balloons to create some truly unique Valentine’s day gifts. Get balloons shaped like roses or simply find a collection of Valentine-themed balloons that you like.
Balloon bouquets make great decorations for baby showers even if they aren’t necessarily good baby shower gifts. Combine them with a balloon arch to make the parent-to-be feel especially special on the big day!
You want your sign to be read, and you can use a variety of supplies to make it happen. Calligraphy pens, colored crayons, sharpies, and markers can all be helpful if you plan on hand-lettering your sign.
If you can’t stand the thought of leaving anyone out then it’s a good idea to opt for a small, outdoor wedding. You have room to invite a few more people because there’s more room for social distancing and the chances of infection are a lot smaller outside.
There will be some family members, friends, and loved ones who just won’t be able to attend, no matter how many precautions you take. Some won’t want to travel. Others will be immunocompromised.
While it might be disappointing to switch over to a small, intimate wedding, or a small wedding reception, there are benefits. Pre-covid, most weddings cost over $25,000. That’s more than enough to put a down payment on a house or to indulge in an epic honeymoon when things are just a little bit safer.
This Jewish holiday celebrates the Jewish people’s escape from Haman. If you’re looking for ideas for a Purim costume for adults, think about putting together a Queen Esther costume by adding a gold armband and bangles to a dress you already have. Your child will love a Haman costume that you make complete with a fake beard and mustache. Spice up a hamantaschen costume with a fun wig for easy Purim dress up. Don’t be afraid to recycle and reinvent costumes that are already in your closet. You don’t have to spend a lot of extra money on a full costume. Take stock of your current inventory and dress it up with fun costume accessories. Now that you’re in costume, it’s time for 
Whether it’s your first 
Did your child just come home from school telling you they need a fake sword for the school play? Or they need a Chautauqua costume for their next performance? Save money by finding a complete costume that your child may have worn in the past and sprucing it up with a wig, hat, feather boa, or costume jewelry. It’s easy to dress your kid up in black pants and a button-up shirt; transform that basic outfit into a character from the past by adding a vest, a fake mustache, fake beard, wig, and appropriate hat. Little items like a pocket watch, a fake mouse, or spectacles will make your kid’s costume complete.
Don’t wait until the last minute to get you or your children outfitted in the perfect costume for the next school play, fair, festival, cosplay convention, LARP, theme party, Purim, or any other fun celebration that may come around throughout the year.
A classic winter wonderland theme is perfect for an elegant quinceañera. This theme complements a gown that’s light blue, white, silver or even purple.
Happy Oktoberfest! If you’re wondering when Oktoberfest is, it actually isn’t in October: It starts on the second Saturday of September. That means it’s finally time to get gussied up with traditional Oktoberfest clothing and celebrate life, love and family with Oktoberfest games. Get ready for elaborate costumes, games and, of course, Oktoberfest beer.
Set The Oktoberfest Table
Get Your Costumes On!
