AUTISTIC PRIDE DAY EVENT

JUNE 27, 2026, 3:30-6:30 PM

Planet Gymnastics, 7 Strathmore Rd, Natick, MA 01760

RSVP TO THE EVENT!

Autistic Pride Day is an Autistic-led, community-rooted celebration of neurodivergent identity, joy, and resilience. It's more than a day—it’s a movement toward visibility, dignity, and collective liberation for Autistic people. Autistic pride day recognizes and validates the dynamic, heterogeneous and multifaceted ways Autism shows up for different people at different times in their lives. This embracing of diversity within the Autistic community happens through an intentional commitment to understanding how Autism intersects with other identity categories (such as race, class, gender, sexuality, age, co-occuring disabilities, and more) and impacts the supports, stereotypes, oppressions and life experiences of Autistic people. We hope to have Autistic Pride Day formally recognized by local schools, the city and the state.

On this day (as we ought to be able to do on all days), we will rock—joyfully, unapologetically, and proudly!

Event highlights:

  • 🍦Food and drink

  • 🔇Sensory-friendly eating / picnic / social spaces with quiet zones, loud-noise-friendly and medium-noise areas, and cozy seating

  • 🚥 Color-coded traffic-light pins to communicate social interaction preferences

  • 🎨 Community art - art project and/or art show, and/or performances featuring Autistic artists

  • 📚 Cozy reading area with books to read by Autistic authors / highlighting Autistic people; maybe books for sale too

  • 🎧 Fidget toys / Sensory Tools - available to borrow for sensory regulation and joy

  • 🤸🏽Physical play space - for expression and joy

  • ♾️Infinity symbol (rainbow and gold) merchandise - as tokens of pride and solidarity, giveaways and/or sales depending on funding

  • 🎭 Affirming community booths offering info, activities, and allyship

  • 💬 Optional name tags with “Ask me about _____” to celebrate passionate interests

  • 👣 Optional pride march, a way for people to be visibly and authentically themselves

  • 📲 AACs available, including low-/high-tech options (QR codes, handouts, posters)

  • 📋 Stakeholder survey to gather input and ideas from the community for future similar events

This is a human rights celebration, not one-size-fits-all. Pride isn’t only about celebrating our strengths, it’s also about reminding ourselves that we are deserving of having all of our support needs met. Not every Autistic person feels proud every day, and not everyone identifies as disabled. For many, this day represents the right to exist without hiding. No matter who you are, nobody will have to share their neurotype, but today you don’t have to hide Autistic traits either. The day will celebrate neurodiversity and also acknowledge past and ongoing oppression and the impact of forced masking —while offering a joyful, collective reimagining of what acceptance can truly mean.