Las Vegas, NV – In celebration of National Pride Month in June, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District will host its first-ever Family Pride Day, celebrating LGBTQ+ families and all families. This festival atmosphere will feature a full day of activities for kids, teens, and adults at the Clark County Library on June 16. The event is free and open to the public.
“We welcome our LGBTQ+ friends and hope to have a great turn-out for our first Family Pride Day,” said Dr. Ronald R. Heezen, executive director of the Library District. “Our goal is to make this an annual event and perhaps even expand it to other branches in the future.”
Below is a schedule of events for the day:
Drag Queen Story Time – 11 to 11:30 a.m.
This event welcomes kids of all ages to the Jewel Box for a special story time read by a Drag Queen.
Crafts and Dress-Up Play for Kids – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Young Picassos and those with big imaginations can enjoy arts and crafts and dress-up play in the Large Conference Room.
Face Painting and Balloon Artists – Noon to 1:30 p.m.
The Large Conference Room will transform in to a playground of fun for kids of all ages with face painting and balloon artists.
“Be Kind” Crafts and Activities for Teens – 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Located in the Best Buy Teen Tech Center, Be Kind Crafts and Activities will be available for children of all ages.
A.J. Huth Discusses The Center – 1 to 2 p.m.
A.J. Holly Huth is the youth services manager and PREP coordinator at The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (The Center), where she teaches Comprehensive Sex Education at The Center and partnering facilities. She will be appearing in the Jewel Box Theater to discuss The Center’s history and many outreach and support services. In her role at The Center, Huth facilitates a number of programs including QVolution, which provides social, recreational, and support needs for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 24; and Pivot, which teaches families the skills to be more accepting of the youth and adults in their lives who identify as LGBTQ+. She also oversees special projects such as Youth Thanksgiving and Youth Prom. Huth earned her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Phoenix and has immersed herself in activism and advocacy for the LGBTQIA2 communities.
Teen Drag Competition – 2 to 3:30 p.m.
RuPaul would be proud of our local teens as they compete for the crown during the Library District’s first Teen Drag Competition. Located in the Clark County Library Theater, the competition welcomes 12 contestants to strut their finest drag stuff on the runway for a chance to be named “Fiercest of Them All.”
First, second, and third place will be awarded beautiful makeup gift baskets. The first-place winner will also receive tickets to see Trixie Mattel on June 16 at House of Blues inside Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. All ages are welcome, however, those ages 16 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian with valid photo I.D.
Space is limited to 12 contestants. Those who want to participant should contact allreda@thelibrarydistrict.org.
Special performance by comedian Alec Mapa – 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Comedian, actor and writer Alec Mapa will bring a larger-than-life performance to the Clark County Library Theater. Audiences first discovered Mapa on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning production of “M. Butterfly.” He has since guest-starred on more than 40 television series including “Alias,” “Friends,” “Seinfeld” and “NYPD Blue.”
Mapa played network television’s first gay Asian series regular role on the CBS sitcom “Some of My Best Friends.” He then starred in four seasons of the UPN sitcom “Half & Half,” went on to appear in the ABC hit “Ugly Betty” and was a frequent guest star on “Desperate Housewives.”
An accomplished stand-up comedian, Mapa’s “Wisecrack” comedy special appeared on LOGO in 2005, and quickly became a cult favorite. Additional comedy specials include “America’s Gaysian Sweetheart,” “No Fats, Femmes, or Asians” and most recently “Alec Mapa: Baby Daddy,” which premiered on Showtime in June 2015.
Mapa was awarded the Davidson Valentini GLAAD Award for promoting equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community and has toured the country on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign and The Matthew Shepard Foundation.”
Make-Up Workshops
Concealer, lashes, and eyeliner – oh my! Make-up workshops and demos will take place at the Clark County Library throughout the day and provide youth the opportunity to feel glamorous and explore the world of play with make-up.
To learn more about Family Pride Day and other Pride Month events, visit https://lvccld.bibliocommons.com/events/search/local_start=2018-06-16%20TO%20&fq=branch_location_id:(CC)/event/5a9da5f9a22632250019c30b
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