Why is Fire Island so gay, and how do we get there?
As soon as temperatures rise above 60 degrees, Fire Island suddenly becomes the place to be for the new yorker LGBTQ+ community. Drag queens will pack their tightest bodysuits, DJs will work on a setlist flooded with pop hits, and large groups of gay guys will be crossing the sea to get to this thin island off the southern shore of Long Island. Then, it’s time to party.
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How did Fire Island become such a gay paradise? To explain this we need to travel back in time. In 1882, celebrated writer Oscar Wilde became the first gay icon to have stayed in Cherry Grove - a part of Fire Island that a few decades later evolved to "America's First Gay and Lesbian Town". Although it wasn’t until 1927 that the LGBTQ+ community started to take over Fire Island, Wilde is still mentioned as one of its “queer saints”.
In 1927, theater director Frank Carrington opened a beach resort called Carrington House where he would host artists, performers, authors, and other prominent New York City socialites to the isolated island. Thanks to his guests, Cherry Grove's reputation as an artistic community was established. And where there is art, you will find LGBTQ+ excellence around.
In 1948, the local residents opened the Cherry Grove Community House and Theater. In the 50s, Truman Capote rented the Carrington House, where he started writing Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Poet Frank O’Hara was another fan of the island, where he wrote a series of poems for James Dean.
As a community that grew thanks to art and artists, Fire Island was one of the only friendliest destinations for queer people to spend the Summer in New York. Its perfect localization, far but still close enough from civilization, also helped Fire Island to be chosen as a gay paradise, where people could be themselves without worrying too much with straight conservative families or cops around.
A lot has changed over the decades. Fire Island may not be the place for artists looking to relax and develop new projects nowadays. But their LGBTQ+ community remains stronger than ever.
How to get to Fire Island?
You can take a train at Penn Station to Sayville, where you will find the Sayville Ferry Service provides passage to the Fire Island communities - Sailors Haven, Cherry Grove, and Fire Island Pines.
Where to stay in Fire Island?
You really need to plan this trip months in advance. The more you wait, the more expensive hotels and housing will be. The most popular places are the Grove Hotel and the Fire Island Hotel Resort.
Where to party in Fire Island?
The most popular bars are Pavillon, Ice Palace Nightclub, and Spi-n-Twirl. However, you shouldn’t have trouble finding public or private parties happening around the Island.
If you are not feeling like going to Fire Island this Summer, we suggest another beach paradise with much easier access from New York City and just as gay. Of course we are talking about the Jacob Riis Park Beach located in the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens.
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