Tuckahoe NY Pride

Michael Fesco grew up in the Seattle area and worked as a lumberjack, moved to New York to dance on Broadway, but rose in prominence when he took over management of a dance club in Fire Island’s Cherry Grove in 1970. He was inspired by a F. Scott Fitzgerald story and named the club the Ice Palace, which it is still called today. Inside he created a theatrical space for a predominately gay male clientele when same-sex dancing in public was illegal. To add to the experience he created the Tea Dance, in which drag queens served tea on silver tea service at 4:30pm. In 1974 he opened the Flamingo, where he created theme nights like the Black Party and the White Party. He continued to be a provide dance spaces for gay men at Studio 54 and later Sea Tea, until his death at 84.