Independence!!!
4th of July…Fire Island…sounds idyllic, no? Well, it is certainly a ‘trip.’ Every 4th the Pines (the gayest of the two gay towns on Fire Island) is literally invaded by a boatload of drag queens. Hundreds of (maybe even a couple thousand) people gather down by the harbor to witness this annual event.The invasion began in 1976 when a restaurant in the Pines (known for being a bit snobby) refused service to someone in drag…what followed was a full-fledge invasion…and thus it was born.
Now, of course it is all in good fun…and the ferry that brings everyone from the Grove to the Pines is like a circus caravan full of colorful characters.
As each queen disembarks, she is announced…a couple of my favorites were Uma Asshurts and Wilma Wholehurt.
It is a riotous party that is unlike any other (gay) event I have ever been to. And because the weather was kind of cloudy…we were able to stay and watch the entire thing.
Afterwards, we went to a party that Out Magazine was giving. It was packed with people…boys overflowing in the hot tub, dancing on the roof and carrying on in celebration of our nation’s B-Day.
One of my favorite moments of the party was when Editor-in-Chief of Out, Aaron Hickland, had to jump back behind the bar and help out. How awesome, right? When the host of the party is willing to roll up his sleeves and get down and dirty to ensure a successful party.
It was a veritable who’s who of gays: Matthew Bank of HX Media, Jesse Archer, NYC impresario Earl Dax, writer Michael Gross, Itay Hod of Logo, Michael Lucas and a whole bunch of adorable boys.
It was a fun-filled fourth on Fire Island!
xo
Josh
