Ferndale Pride Celebrates LGBTQ+ Community
(Crystal A. Proxmire, June 14, 2025)
Ferndale, MI – Downtown Ferndale was full of smiles and rainbows for the 15th annual Ferndale Pride festival on May 31. The event kicks off the Pride season for the LGBTQ+ community in Michigan with a day full of musical and drag performances, booths with vendors and community organizations, an array of food trucks and local restaurants, plus generations of people supporting each other in a world where it’s still hard to be out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.
Dennis Whittie is an attorney who has been supporting Ferndale Pride for years. “Having our own Pride celebration is important to recognize and celebrate our local LGBTQ community and also supporters as well. Ferndale Pride is important as it is accessible to all, unlike other Pride celebrations that cost tons of money just to get in,” he said.
Whittie Law has begun to represent LGBTQ persons in workplace discrimination claims.They also handle criminal defense and family law. “Having an LGBTQ attorney brings comfort with my criminal defense clients who are LGBTQ,” Whittie said. “I had a recent case where a person in transition was so comforted to hear that I was on her case, as she feared any random attorney would not understand, or take the abuse she suffered in a serious manner. Also, we are able to get her case dismissed based on our trust for each other and critical sharing of information that she would not have had with most attorneys.”
Ferndale Pride is a chance for sponsors like Whittie to meet thousands of people who might one day need legal help, as well as a day to connect with friends and allies. But it was one little girl who stood out to him the most that sunny Saturday afternoon.
“One touching part of the day was when a little girl came up to the table and I offered her stickers, buttons, beads, and a WLC pen,” he said. “She thanked me and then said I’d given her so much she wanted to give me a gift. She had only made a few for the day. It was a painted rock she made and that will be displayed in my office.”
Ferndale Councilperson Greg Pawlica was one of the original founders of Ferndale Pride 15 years ago. He remains active in organizing the event and attending as volunteer, an elected official, and a gay man.
“When I was growing up in the 1970s, there were few positive images of LGBTQ+ people in the media,” Pawlica said. “It was easy for young people to feel they were alone and different in a negative connotation. Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, and its important for those who may sill face discrimination or prejudice in their daily lives to say you’re not alone and to embrace your uniqueness.”
“For the better part of 30 years, Ferndale has been known as a ‘gay oasis’ where everyone in the LGBTQ+ community could be themselves. It only makes sense that we have a festival that not only celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, but the City of Ferndale as well. Events like Ferndale Pride are a testament to the resilience of the community and a source of hope for a more inclusive and equitable future.”
In addition to a day of community, Ferndale Pride raises money for community groups that serve the community, including Access HIV, Gender Identity Network Alliance, Affirmations, Ferndale Communtiy Foundation, TransGender Michigan, Matrix Human Services, and Transgender Detroit.
While the big event is passed for the year, there are still smaller fundraisers hosted by Ferndale Pride, including The Sorbetto Tea Dance at 215W, which is a tea dance without alcohol with go go dancers and drag performances sponsored by McMillan Behavioral Health and Addiction Services. The event takes place Sunday June 22.
On Sunday June 29 is the 2025 Ferndale Pride Golf Scramble at Maple Lane Golf Club.
Learn more about Ferndale Pride at https://ferndalepride.com.
