When the New York ’mos head out to Fire Island, they’re looking to do three things: drink, cruise and party. There are plenty of places to do the first two (when the cops aren’t patrolling the Meat Rack, that is) but in the two small communities that make up the gay enclave of the island, there aren’t many options for partying.
 One of those venues, the historic Ice Palace in Cherry Grove, has seen a few dormant years but is coming back and trying to relive its glory days of the ’70s with a bunch of hip shindigs that basically bring all the things we love about New York to a spot with a pool right near the beach.
“I think visitors are looking for what they usually get in the city, but with a hint of suntan lotion,” says Tony Gambino, Marketing and Promotions manager for the Ice Palace. “They like the social scene here in a summer setting.”
While things have been cooking since Memorial Day, they really get off to a big start on Saturday, July 5 when Peter Rauhofer’s Work party brings its beefy beats and even beefier studs to the dance floor.
What the town really needs to prepare for is the return of Daniel Nardicio’s infamous underwear party on Friday, July 11, followed by two more parties on August 8 and September 5. He did the first one in the Grove back in 2003 called Scout Camp and he describes it as the “summer of [his] life.” He jokes, “My two favorite phrases are ‘underwear party’ and ‘open bar.’”
There are a few imitators on the island, but Nardicio says he’s still the first. “I’m coming back to set the record straight,” he promises. “People say they went to my underwear party on Fire Island, but it wasn’t mine. We’re going to have shows, go-go boys, Fleshjack jack-off booths, and the pool will be open until 4 am. It’s going to be like a giant pool party.”
For the event, everyone must be in their underwear, but it will be worth it to see some of the great performers and DJs he’ll be bringing over the summer, including Wendy Ho, Sweetie, Sherry Vine, Shealita Baby, Lady Gaga, the Dazzle Dancers and a host of regulars from his cast of characters.
The next night, on Saturday, July 12, the Ice Palace welcomes a bunch of Fire Island newcomers, the team behind the popular Krash parties.
Produced by the usual team of JR, Yamil, Cynthia Russo and Lisa Bonelli and hosted by Tyra Allure and Jessica Foxx, the party will also feature three DJs spinning Latin, reggae, R&B and hip-hop, a hot buns contest, sexy go-gos and plenty of drink specials.
“It’s going to bring something new to the community,” Krash founder JR says. “There’s a whole group of people who don’t go there, and who may not even know about it.”
And that’s not the end of it for the Ice Palace. On July 19 Michael Formika Jones and DJ Adam will be holding the Opaline reunion party and on July 25 and 26 underwear designer Andrew Christian will be throwing a pool party complete with model search and photo shoot.
And that doesn’t even take into account the Saturday and Sunday afternoon pool parties with DJ Mimi Imfurst, who does everything from playing tunes and acting out skits to jumping in the pool and causing a ruckus. Between that and regular performances by Fire Island mainstay Porsche and a host of other drag queens and events during the week, the Ice Palace is aiming to reign supreme this summer. N
Daniel Nardicio takes it off at Underwear Party Friday, July 11, at the Ice Palace (1 Ocean Walk, 631-597-6600). Visit IcePalaceNightclub.com for more info.
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