Gay bars in ferndale

Ferndale is mainly a residential area, but it does feature several different bars, dance clubs, and other stores. In fact, in , the first openly gay mayor in the state of Michigan was elected in Ferndale. For so many reasons, Ferndale would make a wonderful place to call home! Around the time of World War I, Ferndale was developed as a bedroom community for the workers in Detroit.

But it presented them with an unglamorous history to push back against as well. Less tony than Royal Oak, less intellectual than Ann Arbor — and cheaper than them both — the Ferndale that queer people have made a home of since the s became a kind of safe space from fears both real and imagined, building its identity — whether successfully or not — on notions of inclusion. At the same time, its story intersects with histories of white flight and segregation which affected and divided the queer community then — and in so many instances, still do. And bars and clubs were — as has often been historically the case — its most visible, best-documented institutions, even during times when they had to operate quietly.

Since the s, the gay community in Detroit has shifted from convening in mostly underground spaces to out and proud ones welcoming all genders and sexual orientations. Cultivating spaces to let off steam and connect with the community has been an essential facet of progress. These bars and nightclubs are filled with people who want to dance and let loose. Or just have a drink of their choice at the bar and chat.

Named for the French word for "rainbow," the new nightlife destination will have a soft opening this weekend that includes a fundraising event for Ferndale community center Affirmations on Friday night. The official opening is Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. The vision that co-owners David Grossman and Julie Adelson and general manager Joey Ewick have for Arcenciel is that people will find that their new club is a place to spend the entire evening from dinner to drinks to dancing. In each element, hospitality will be key, from front door staff to the DJs.