The 38th annual Cherry Grove Invasion of Fire Island Pines—commemorating the time in 1976 that John Whyte refused to serve Teri Warren, in drag, at his restaurant in the Pines, and a larger group, in drag, successfully ‘invaded’ and was served—took place, as is traditional, on the Fourth of July. The Invasion was coordinated by its founder, Panzi, Cherry Grove’s 1976 and 1977 Homecoming Queen, and was led by Homecoming Queen 2013 Shirley Shapiro, whose entourage came dressed for a Bar Mitzvah. Gussied up for the festive occasion, in addition to Queen Shirley, who distributed business cards declaring, “I am NOT ‘A Queen’/I am ‘The Queen’/and that’s ‘Your Majesty’/to you!,” were escorts Mr. Fire Island Leather 2013 Candido Soares, sporting sash and black leather yarmulke, and Jake Roberts, who was dressed in white, as were the Queen and many of the others; the Queen’s consort Sylvia Shapiro who, like Queen Shirley, was elegance personified; the no-less-stylish Charity, Angela Mercy, and Donna Piranha; and Doreen Rallo, Bobbi Green, Joann Tavis, and Eddie Galante, all in white.
Porsche, Logan Hardcore, Renée Flaming, and company came as the Kardashians, while Ariel Sinclair, protesting “I need a job, y’all!,” was the benighted Paula Deen. Sue Panzer, Angela Smith, and friends were bearded bears and a sheriff carrying a “Do not touch the bears” sign and were recognized by Judge Mental and a panel of other Pines judges as Best Group. Gina Garan and company impersonated Ice Palace stars Ariel Sinclair, Logan Hardcore, and Dallas Dubois. There were a ‘Best Little Whorehouse in Cherry Grove’ contingent in bustiers; a colorfully Fellini-esque group of burlesque performers; representatives of the Imperial Court of New York, led by Emperor Wen-D Bouvier Pinkhouse, escorting Vanessa Diamond; and, of course, the hunks of Drag Repair. An angelic Empress Farrah Moans was there with the Wigsticks girls, who’ll be putting on a show for the Arts Project of Cherry Grove on August 17.

photo by Bruce-Michael Gelbert

the Queen's entourage (left to right) Jake Roberts, Doreen Rallo, Joann Tavis, Charity, Candido Soares, Shirley & Sylvia Shapiro, Donna Piranha, Bobbi Green, Eddie Galante & Angela Mercy [insets - Panzi in the Pines, La Tormenta, Beach DeBree, Paula & YaNeeda Dunes, Sybil Bruncheon (right) interviews 'the Kardashians', Demi-Tasse, Bella & Aida Herring]

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

La Tormenta, Alex, and friends came in elaborate feathery creations in sunny hues. Hedda Lettuce came, as is her wont, as the Queen of Green. Gusty Winds came as a Pan Am flight attendant. Veteran invaders China, Bella, Empresses Demi-Tasse, Robin Kradles, and Anne Tique—who was Lily Tomlin as telephone operator Ernestine, Mermaidia, Frau Mathilde, La Diva, Mother, and Juicy and Chicklet were there. Beach DeBree and YaNeeda Dunes brought along Beach’s cousin Paula. Miss Fire Island Yuhua Hamasaki and Miss Grove Hotel Stash Storm were there, a symphony of sashes, crown, and tiara. There was a trio in saris and a trio in burqas. A “Swan Lake” quartet sported filmy black tutus, but little else that could be characterized as drag, and the judges deemed them Most Tragic. Everyone from Charlie Chaplin to a Syrian terrorist to a Superman flying around the globe, plagued by Kryptonite, to ‘Storming the Bastille’ to a John Waters and Divine duo came to invade.
Also seen, in the Grove or the Pines or both, were Sybil Bruncheon, Rose Levine, Robin Byrd, Ruth and Susan Freedner, Bobbie Scherffius and Victor Alfieri, Rosemary Palladino, Anita Auricchio and Sharon Weinberg, Aida Herring, some members of the Broadway company of “Pippin,” Petra Brehl and friends, Carl Luss as Little Orphan Annie, Joyce Rodgers as Wonder Woman, Sarah Belle Palsey, photographers Lorraine Michels and Koitz and filmmaker James Belzer, journalists Dan Evans and Jeannie Lieberman, and Mr. Fire Island Leather 2002 Peter B with Andy E.