Family Week is a week-long event co-hosted by COLAGE and Family Equality Council where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ) parented families grow together in Provincetown, MA. For more than 20 years, Family Week has supported and inspired, fostered community and friendships, and addressed the unique joys and challenges that arise for LGBTQ families through a week of programs, events, and celebrations. We have found in over 20 years providing youth programming at Family Week, youth who attend COLAGE programs will have a positive and powerful experience connecting with peers from around the country and world that share their experiences. Generations of Family Week alumni are now active allies, change agents, social justice leaders, and compassionate individuals who are making a difference because they belong to a network of empowered people with LGBTQ parents.

COLAGE offers daily programming at Family Week for youth ages 7-18 in collaboration with Family Equality Council which hosts family and parent programs throughout the week. COLAGE programs are thoughtfully developed for each age group balancing creativity with recreation, providing a safe environment to talk with other youth about challenges they face and ways to become empowered, while focusing on connecting your child with a network of peers that will be lifelong friends and support system. COLAGE also encourages parents to be involved through complementary programming we offer throughout the week. Sign up for our Family Week updates to learn more about parent and family activities.

The COLAGE Family Week schedule is out! This schedule is a draft and is subject to change but can give an idea of proposed programming and structure for the week. Check it out here.

COLAGEr space is very important because you get to express your inner self…One thing I learned this week that I will take back home with me is to not be ashamed!
—10 year-old participant

I think it’s important to educate kids about their families and show them that they aren’t alone as kids with queer parents. I learned that it’s important to take pride in your family and to stand up for what you believe in.
—12 year-old participant

COLAGE is my family. I couldn’t imagine my life without it.
—16 year-old participant

Congratulations! COLAGE Family Week was a huge success! I also wanted to say thank you for your encouragement around bringing my daughter to Family Week. I did pull off her being there for the whole week and I am very grateful for your encouragement. She even participated in the panel-something I never dreamed she would do!
—Parent of a first time youth participant

COLAGE affirms all people and celebrates our different and intersecting identities including but not limited to age, culture, ability, ethnic origin, gender, gender identity, marital status, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, and citizenship status. We are continually taking steps to become a supportive organizations to all and work to incorporate anti-oppression frameworks into all of our actions. We know that such an effort takes intentionality and feedback and is an ongoing process.

At Family Week we work to make sure all participant needs are met to the best of our ability. That includes making Family Week more economically accessible by providing scholarships to families and youth, describing event and programming spaces in advertising, and providing ASL interpreters at all events where they are needed.

Here is a description of COLAGE Family Week event spaces: In Provincetown, many buildings are one story and there are few to no elevators in the few buildings that are more than one story, there are usually steps to enter buildings and little to no parking. COLAGE programming happens mainly on the ground floor of the Provincetown Inn. The ground floor is on predominantly level ground, the building has drop off parking and a large free outdoor parking area with at least three handicap parking spaces directly in front of the building. We also have programming outside in at Herring Cove Beach (beach with accessible ramp halfway down the sand), the field by the pool at the Ptown Inn (concrete walkway to field from the lobby of the Ptown Inn) and Bas Relief Park (A small park in the middle of Provincetown with a concrete walkway surrounding an oval area of green grass and a small amphitheater type of elevated platform with three large steps at the base of relief sculpture in the back of the park).

COLAGE will have chairs at all or our events for both youth and parents to be able to sit down in. COLAGE staff are always willing to work with participants in any way to make all spaces more supportive of everyone. Please let us know if you have any concerns or would like to share how we can make Family Week or COLAGE events more accessible for you or your family. Email Kaley Fry at kaley@colage.org.

All people requesting ASL interpretation will be connected directly with ASL interpreters and will be able to share with the interpreters which events they would like to go to. The ASL interpreters will then be present at all requested events and follow up with any additional requests at Family Week if needed. If you will need ASL interpretation at Family Week please email kaley@colage.org or emcgranachan@familyequality.org. Thank you!