Community members, students and city leaders gathered this past Saturday for Whitewater’s fifth-annual Pride Rally, a family-friendly event designed to highlight inclusivity, belonging and unity across the city and campus.
The event featured activities for all ages, including music, live performances, vendors and food trucks. A children’s corner offered story time with children’s books, a bounce house and face painting, while pets were allowed to join the celebration through a Pride Pet Costume Contest. Registration for the contest ran from 11 to 11:30 a.m., with organizers reminding participants to keep pets leashed and comfortable in the crowd.
For many, the Pride Rally is about more than entertainment. Dwight Watson, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and member of the Whitewater Pride board, said the festival creates a space where all community members can feel welcome.
Rally on October 4th, 2025. (Fleuretta Phipps)
“I think it’s an event that’s all inclusive and affirming,” Watson said. “We have vendors, political organizations, and when people come together for testimonies, it’s about inclusivity. I want our students to know Whitewater is a place where all their needs are met.”
Watson added that the event also builds connections between the university, local schools and city leadership, noting how the Whitewater High School superintendent, UW-Whitewater chancellor and Whitewater city council members were all present at the rally. These community leaders came with a goal to show their support and togetherness in making sure everyone feels included and supported.
City Manager John Weidl echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the rally as an extension of Whitewater’s mission to create a welcoming and supporting environment.
“The Pride Rally is an affirmation of our city’s mission to provide opportunities to live, learn, work and play in an exceptional community,” Weidl said. “This reminds us that Whitewater is a community where every person can belong and where opportunity and belonging are safeguarded for all.”
Weidl noted that events like the Pride Rally also highlight the city’s values.
“It showcases our version of a welcoming, and safe dynamic community,” Weidl said. “It reflects our commitment to trust, fairness and openness and demonstrates why Whitewater is strongest when every resident can participate and prosper.”
Both Watson and Weidl said they hope the festival leaves a lasting impact. Watson said that he hopes students and families walk away knowing they are supported, while Weidl said he hopes people see Whitewater as more than just a small town after the rally.
“I hope people leave with the understanding that Whitewater is not just a place on the map but a place of inclusivity, opportunity and civic pride,” Weidl said. “Pride reminds us that compassion can triumph over division, and diversity can strengthen unity.”
With speakers addressing the state of the LGBTQ+ movement locally and nationally, as well as families and pets enjoying the day’s activities, Whitewater Pride organizers said the turnout reflects the broader spirit of Whitewater, a community built on togetherness, inclusivity and trust.
