OWOSSO, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A debate over drag performances at an upcoming Pride festival has spilled from city hall into the school board arena, turning a local event into the latest front in Michigan’s ongoing culture-war battles.
Concerns raised over public performances.
The controversy centers on Owosso Public Schools Board President Shelly Ochodnicky. She recently addressed the city council regarding drag performances scheduled as part of the “Owosso Pride in the Park 2026” festival on May 30. According to event organizers, the festival will feature drag performer Remington Rose along with other Boylesque drag entertainers. Boylesque entertainers are male performers who incorporate elements of burlesque-style entertainment, often combining comedy, dance, theatrical performance, costumes, and sometimes striptease.
MORE NEWS: MDOT Workers Killed After SUV Strikes Them on US-127
Ochodnicky emphasized that she’s not opposed to the Pride event itself, but questioned whether performances she considers adult-oriented should take place in a public setting where children may be present.
“I, along with many others here, do not wish to infringe on anyone’s First Amendment rights to host an event in our community,” Ochodnicky told city officials. “My concerns are specifically about the appropriateness of certain forms of adult entertainment, particularly drag performances in a public setting where young children are present.”
Adult Cabaret or family-friendly entertainment?
Ochodnicky argued that videos and photographs from last year’s event suggest the performances could fall under the city’s definition of adult cabaret, which is outlined in Chapter 4, Article 7 of the municipal code. She pointed to elements such as mature themes, provocative dancing, and performers accepting tips from audience members as reasons for concern.
Under the ordinance, adult cabaret includes establishments featuring dancers, strippers, exotic performers, or male and female impersonators engaged in specified adult entertainment activities.
“I want to emphasize that I am not asking the city to prevent any event from taking place,” Ochodnicky said. “I am simply asking that the adult-oriented entertainment, as highlighted, be held to the ordinance as adult cabaret and be limited to age-appropriate enclosed settings intended for adults only.”
Her remarks drew both criticism and support from residents in attendance at the meeting.
Community support and pushback.
MORE NEWS: Interlochen Arts Camp to Tear Down Epstein-Named Lodge
Former Owosso pastor Don Galardi, who served in ministry for roughly four decades, spoke in support of protecting children from sexualized content.
“They should not be sexualized in any way,” Galardi said, adding that his concerns would apply equally to LGBTQ or heterosexual-themed performances.
Many other speakers who have family and friends in the LGBTQ community defended the Pride festival and disputed claims that last year’s event exposed children to inappropriate content.
One resident, who said she attended the 2025 festival with her transgender wife and four children, told city officials that her family witnessed nothing harmful or inappropriate. She argued that families should be free to attend the event if they choose and others are equally free not to participate.
Politics.
Marcia Bird, chair of the Shiawassee County Democratic Party, described the festival as a community celebration featuring activities such as storytelling, bubble-blowing, and family-friendly programming. “Please let love be love,” Bird told officials while speaking about LGBTQ family members and friends. Nicole Fila, a school nurse, said many LGBTQ students struggle with bullying, isolation, and low self- esteem. She argued that events such as Pride festivals help young people feel accepted and supported.
Another speaker, who said they hope to become a drag performer, argued that drag shows are not inherently sexual and that performers tailor their acts to their audiences.
The legal question.
The debate intensified after the city’s attorney reportedly concluded that the planned performances do not violate local ordinances because they do not involve nudity or exposure of genitalia.
Meanwhile, the controversy has expanded beyond city hall. Pastor Eric Numerich of Life in Christ Church has reportedly encouraged church members to attend the Owosso school board meeting on May 27 in support of Ochodnicky, who some residents believe is facing efforts to remove her from her leadership position.
What began as a disagreement over a community festival has now become a broader argument over parental rights, free speech, public standards, and where communities should draw the line when children are part of the audience.
