The City of Whiting’s annual Paint the Town Pink campaign is back and bigger than ever this May! The annual cancer awareness campaign supporting the Pink Ribbon Society gives everyone an opportunity to get together for a variety of fun gatherings while supporting breast cancer survivors in their community and beyond.
Paint the Town Pink started as a community initiative in 2011 led by a group of volunteers wanting to support breast cancer survivors in Whiting. Since its inception, the City has supported Paint the Town Pink, but that support went a step further once the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“When COVID hit, we weren’t really able to do Paint the Town Pink,” Whiting Director of Special Events Sarah Creel said. “After that, the City of Whiting brought it back. It’s a month-long event run by us with all of the proceeds going to the Pink Ribbon Society.”
Last year, Paint the Town Pink raised over $9,000, but Creel and her team are hoping to make everything bigger and better this year.
That starts by turning Whiting as pink as possible with the help of large, corrugated pink ribbons decorating 119th Street. These ribbons, purchased primarily by businesses looking to support their community or by families and individuals, can feature inspiring messages, the names of loved ones who have battled or are still battling breast cancer, and similar sentiments. In addition to ribbons, businesses also compete in a window decorating contest to see who can make their display the pinkest through May.
The main draw of Paint the Town Pink, however, is the line up of family friendly events that the City and local businesses have planned for the community.
The fun begins on Saturday, May 3, with the Derby Day Pink Hat Party at Center Lounge & Restaurant at 1 p.m.
“That’s our kickoff,” Creel said. “There will be games, raffles, door prizes, the derby, and, of course, a pink derby hat contest.”
Following Derby Day, Whiting residents can attend a variety of smaller events supporting the Pink Ribbon Society, including a string of Fill a Boot days with the Whiting Fire Department, a bra decorating event with Arts Alive, and a ceramic glazing workshop with Gratefully Painted.
On May 21, the City of Whiting will kick off its summer cruise nights with a special Pink Night in Sheridan Plaza. The cruise nights always draw a crowd ready for a ton of fun.
“We’ll have music, a bake sale, raffles, pink lemonade, and a lot of fun things to do while hanging out,” Creel said. “We’ll also have the ladies from Pink Ribbon Society out with a table set up. They’ll have educational pamphlets and other resources for people to check out while they’re there.”
The campaign will conclude on May 30 with a Pink Party at the Elks Lodge. The party will include live music from local band Jessi & the Fizz as well as giveaways, raffles, and fun contests. It’s the perfect wrap up for all of the work the entire city puts into making this campaign a success.
“People really look forward to Pain the Town Pink every May,” Creel said. “Everyone really gets involved, from decorating their houses to putting ribbons in their yards. The people of Whiting are very giving, and whenever we have the chance to support a good cause, we all get together to do so. It’s a great honor to get to work on something like this.”
Check out the full list of events planned for Paint the Town Pink 2025, and make sure to check Facebook and Whiting Events for updates:
- Derby Day Pink Hat Party at Center Lounge and Restaurant, May 3, 1 - 6 p.m.
- Fireman Fill a Boot for Breast Cancer in downtown Whiting, May 16 - 18
- Ceramic Glazing Class at Studio 659, May 18, 1 p.m.
- Pink Cruise Night at Sheridan Plaza, May 21, 5 - 9 p.m.
- Pink Party at the Elks Lodge, May 30, 6 - 10 p.m.
Learn more about the City of Whiting at its website. Stay connected with everything pink-related in Whiting by following the Paint the Town Pink Facebook page or by visiting Whiting Events.
