Fire Island Invasion 2025

Fire Island Invasion 2025

The Fire Island Invasion is a re-creation and celebration of the very first Fire Island Invasion that took place in the Summer of 1976. The event has spread out into an Invasion Weekend and dovetails into Pines Pride, lasting for over five days.

• Fire Island Villas and hotels fill up almost a year in advance. Search for one now and reserve!

The Event

• Next Edition: Friday July 4th 2025 – An All day event.
• On the afternoon of July 4 each year, drag queens from both Cherry Grove and the Pines gather at the Ice Palace Bar at the Cherry Grove Hotel in Cherry Grove.
• After parading through the street of Cherry Grove, they board a chartered ferry boat and sail to the Pines Harbor, where they are greeted by thousands of cheering residents and visitors.
• Stay in a Classic Fire Island home, 400ft, with direct beach access.

Fire Island Pines Invasion DJ Schedule 2025

• The pines hosts parties with famous guest DJs at the Pavilion Deck, Pool Deck, Sip-N-Twirl and The Blue Whale.
• Sessions run from noon until late.
• Awaiting lineup for the 2025 edition.

The Venues

• The Pavilion – The center of nightlife in the Pines, The Pavilion is a renowned dance club that has been through several incarnations. It’s a place where you can dance the night away to top-notch DJs.
• Sip-n-Twirl – A popular dance bar featuring a lively atmosphere with a diverse crowd, perfect for enjoying a drink and dancing. Often hosts themed parties and events.
• Blue Whale – Known for its low-key vibe during the day and its lively “Low Tea” dance parties in the afternoon. They also offer a restaurant serving up brunch and dinner.
• The Pines Bistro and Martini Bar – A charming bistro offering a fine dining experience with an Italian-inspired menu. It’s a great spot for a romantic dinner or a sophisticated night out.
• Location: 36 Fire Island Blvd, Fire Island Pines, NY 11782

Other Parties

• LOVE BOAT! @Cherry’s On the Bay CG
  The only place you will find Music Bingo on Fire Island is at Cherry’s on the Bay! Come spend a couple of hours every Friday afternoon at 4. It’s a mashup of Name That Tune and BINGO.
• DWorld Fire Island Underwear Party
  Fridays – 10:30pm to 02:00am @Ice Palace Resort Cherry Grove
• Wolfpup Presents Jockstrap Fridays
  Fridays – 10:30pm to 03:00am  @The Pavilion, Fire Island Pines

History of the event

• During the summer of 1976, a restaurant in Fire Island Pines, New York, denied entry to a visitor in drag named Terry Warren.
• Fire Island Pines is a beach community on Fire Island east of New York City with a gay majority population that was at the time more affluent and conservative than the population of nearby Cherry Grove.
• When Warren’s friends in Cherry Grove heard what had happened, they too dressed up in drag, and, on July 4, 1976, with Cherry Grove’s 1976 Homecoming Queen Thom Hansen (aka Panzi) in the lead, sailed to the Pines by water taxi.
• The boatload of drag queens that stormed into the Pines that day—to a surprised but exuberant welcome—was the first “invasion,” an event now repeated each year.
• Stay in The Pines at The Legendary Pyramid House, and Iconic architectural masterpiece (1961) with spectacular views offers unparalleled peace and privacy. 

Getting to & Getting around Gay Fire Island

• Fire Island is a place where time has stood still to a certain extent due to the fact there are no cars on the island. It retains a small town ambiance, where visitors walk or ride a bicycle and locals greet both each other and new arrivals.
• Ocean Beach is the island’s most populous village and is home to its biggest downtown, making it the unofficial capital of Fire Island that’s also among the area’s most popular destinations for visitors.
• About four miles east of Ocean Beach are these two LGBT-centric communities neighboring one another, locally known as The Pines and The Grove, which together form a gay mecca of sorts.
• While both communities only have boardwalks as sidewalks, The Grove (more Lesbian Friendly) is only about a ½-mile- long while The Pines stretches nearly a full mile. The Pines (Gay Guys) is also home to the majority of the private pools on the island.
• Besides its hopping nightlife at Cherry’s, The Ice Palace and elsewhere, The Grove is home to one of only two oceanfront restaurants on Fire Island—The Sandcastle at The Ocean. Revelers in The Pines bounce between Sip ‘N Twirl, the Blue Whale and the Pavilion.
• Discover the best places to stay and play with our insider guide to gay Fire Island.