Ferndale Pride Organizers Expecting Thousands to Attend

Ferndale Pride is nearly here.

The events are scheduled, the marches are planned and, as Ferndale Pride organizer and Oakland County Commissioner Craig Covey said jokingly, those at Ferndale Pride headquarters are running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

"Truthfully, this is a grassroots organization all organized by volunteers, and we're getting a lot of help," he said. "The buttons are in, the fliers are here, we have rainbow beads ready to go. It's all coming together nicely."

Ferndale Pride started to come together almost immediately after Motor City Pride, the state's largest gay pride festival, relocated to Detroit's Hart Plaza after holding the festival in Ferndale for the last 10 years. Covey and a group of volunteers were disappointed to see the festival leave but quickly started working to fill the void of that weekend, June 3-5. Motor City Pride takes place June 4 and 5.

But, Covey explains, Ferndale Pride is a complement to Motor City Pride, not a competitor.

"We got together about 30 individuals, all volunteers, plus four co-chairs, and in 90 days pulled off a number of pretty neat and entertaining events all across Ferndale," Covey said at a recent Ferndale City Council meeting.

Ferndale Pride has pulled in about 40 volunteers to help out during the festival, but more are welcome, Covey said.

About 30 events are planned across the city, including marches, rallies, bar and club nights and fundraising car washes.

"There is a ton of neat stuff happening," Covey said. "But I'm looking forward to the night march. I think it's going to be touching, extra cool, and I think (the night march will) become an annual event."

The "Illuminating Diversity" Night March is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. Friday in front of City Hall. Marchers are asked to bring lights or things that glow to the gathering. Covey said Ferndale Pride organizers will sell little blinking lights for those who need them. The march will leave City Hall at 9:30 p.m. and go through Ferndale, with stops at various downtown businesses.

"I think this is the first type of event like this in the region," Covey said. "I think this could become a regional attraction."

The idea, Covey said, is to shed light on "our diversity" in Ferndale and in the region.

Covey said he expects thousands of people to show up over the three days of the festival. "Because of the variety of things, I think thousands of people will come down to Ferndale," he said. "I don't think 1,000 people will be at one single event" — although, he said, that would be great — "but if you add it all together, it'll be a well-attended weekend."

For a full list of events, click .