The Pines Invasion of Cherry Grove Est. 1987.
1991
The Pines Invasion of the Grove was a benefit created in 1987 for FAIRPAC -friends and advocates of individual rights political action committee. Organized in 1985 specifically to ensure the election of a New York city council that would pass the gay rights bill. The goal being to let politicians know there is a reward for supporting gay rights, and a penalty for opposing them. The theme and conception of the party was based on the original Invasion of the Pines done by the Drag Queens of Cherry Grove established in 1976. A ferry was hired to take participants at midnight from the Pines to the Grove. The theme was white attire done in a regal manor including torchlight procession. The original brainchild of Mike Walzer, it was then willed into existence by Mark D’Allesio (Fairpac board member) and Candida Scott Piel.
1992
1988
DJ Warren Gluck:
The decor was done by Candida Scott Piel with some assist from Matt Foreman. A run of free water Taxis all evening and silver whistles used to show ticket purchase were all part of the event. I played 5 of them in a row and they were a great success for FAIRPAC which became the Empire Pride Agenda.The use of The Ice Palace was donated in exchange for the bar receipts. The tickets were the whistles. During every mix the sound was deafening!!!
Candida Scott Piel:
Credit for the party must also go to Mark D’Alessio, FairPAC board member and my "partner in crime". FYI, the staff at the Ice Palace KNEW they had one of the greatest dance floors, and made sure to keep it that way: It was regularly waxed and buffed -- never mopped with harsh detergents!
Mark D’Alessio: The White Party was FAIRPAC's major annual fundraising benefit; its first year nearly quadrupled our previous year's income and eventually allowed FAIRPAC to expand its mission into what is today known as the Empire State Pride Agenda. An amazing event in so many ways. Mike Walzer had the original idea for the event (a return to the Grove) and Candida and I willed the rest into existence — from the opening ferry ride and torchlit procession, to the free water taxis all evening and whistles, inviting Warren.
Similiar to the Invasion of the Pines, you boarded the ferry in the Pines for your trip to the Grove…
Robin Byrd
1991. DJ Warren Gluck (with DJ Michael Fierman)
DJ Warren Gluck remembers below:
Originally started by Candida Scott Piel, Mark D’Alessio, and myself, this Party became the one time per Summer that the boys from the Pines came back to the Grove to dance, at the Ice Palace. Each year we had a performer; Carol Douglas, Sharon Redd, and Claudja Barry were among the Divas. The tickets were whistles. During every mix the sound was deafening!!!
I played 5 of them in a row and they were a great success for FAIRPAC which became the Empire Pride Agenda.
1993
1994
After the official arrival then it’s onto the Ice Palace. Performers at these events included Donna DeLorean (Madonna’ s backup singer pictured below), Claudja Barry, and Sharon Redd.
1995
Upon arrival in 1996 invaders from the Pines were greeted by Bella, Empress Randee, and others.
There was much pagentry to the Invasion…
FAIRPAC eventually became Empire Pride Agenda which is a New York’s statewide lesbian, gay, sexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy group. The Party/Benefit was ressurected one more time in 2000 with DJ Morabito.
