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.

Quote: “The nightclub world was where people wanted to go because that was where all the boys could take off their shirts and sweat and dance.”

Michael Fesco at the Ice Palace in Cherry Grove, 1970