This is the cutest Pride celebration you’ll see this year

The coronavirus pandemic may have put a stop to Pride parades and festivals this year, but it can’t stop the spirit of celebration. Seattle dads Ricky Shankar and Nic Marcheso proved that with an absolutely adorable family parade starring their two young kids and, of course, an explosion of rainbow colors.

The family are regulars at annual Pride celebations, but so many have either gone online-only or been canceled altogether this year. “We didn’t want this year to go by without celebrating something,” Shankar told GMA, so the family got to work on putting together their own little event.

Shankar shared an adorable video of the preparations and the parade itself. 4-year-old London and 1-year-old Roman steal the show in their rainbow-striped outfits and accessories, from a colorful beach ball and umbrella to their wagon that fills in as a parade float.

Some neighbors turned out to cheer on the family as their mini-celebration rolled by, and that togetherness is really what it’s all about. “We got to explain to our kids what allies were based on that moment,” Shankur told GMA. “It really made such a difference to us.”

The parents also took the opportunity to teach their kids about what Pride represents, and how it’s linked to the protests currently happening across the country. Whether it’s LGBTQ+ Pride or Black Lives Matters, activists fighting for equality and civil rights is a battle that’s still going on today—and it’s up to parents to start tackling those topics early and often, to raise a generation of kids who can love and embrace anyone, regardless of their race or gender. “If we all do our own part, then we’ll all get somewhere together,” Shankur said. “Equal rights for all.”