Pines Historical Society

26/08/2026

There are people you remember. And then there are people whose absence you feel.

Gil Neary is one of those people. Two years ago he left us, far too early. Today, we remember him and celebrate his life.

For decades, Gil was a larger-than-life presence in Fire Island Pines. Funny, generous, outrageous, loving and completely unapologetic about who he was, Gil brought the ‘Hell Yes!” wherever he went.

Gil’s warmth and acceptance were legendary. When he saw you, he said hello. When he welcomed you into his home, you felt like family. And when Gil threw a party, you knew you were in for a night to remember.

Gil loved the Pines. He served on the FIPPOA Board, supported countless community organizations and causes, mentored newcomers, celebrated the Invasion in spectacular fashion, and for more than 25 years opened Reflections for a birthday party that became the unofficial beginning of summer. He was all about living out, loud and proud, making the Pines – and everyone around him – brighter and bolder.

When Gil died suddenly in 2024, it felt as though a light had gone out in the Pines. His Celebration of Life was a dance party, packed with people who loved him – just the way he would have wanted it.

Gil may be gone, but his presence can still be felt on every boardwalk, every pool party and every time a queen slips into a pair of high heels.

You can read Gil’s Pines Profile "A Builder of Community and Culture” at this link: https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/gil-neary-community-leader-philanthropist-and-cultural-bridge-builder-1957-2024

p.s. To the incredible members of our community, we welcome you to send us any of your favorite pictures of Gil to add to our archives.

19/08/2026

One of the most influential voices in fashion and style, Hal Rubenstein helped redefine magazine publishing and men’s fashion while leaving an indelible mark on American culture. Today, through his podcast The Happy Grown Up, he continues to inspire people to embrace life with authenticity, resilience, and purpose.

In the Pines, for more than fifty years Hal has influenced the way we entertain, celebrate, tell stories, and build community. He helped reimagine Pines Party, co-founded Ascension Party, hosted fashion shows and has generously given back to the place that has been a major source of inspiration. His story is what happens when you blend incredible talent with a simple, yet profound decision: choose life.

Read Hal’s full Pines Profile here: https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/hal-rubenstein-b-1950

Photos:
1) Hal Rubinstein
2) Hal with Todd Sears and David Nickle
3) Hal with Donatella Versace
4) Hal with Tim Gunn
5) Hal with Calvin Klein
6) Hal with David Nickle

12/08/2026

For more than 70 years, the Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association (FIPPOA) has helped transform the Pines from a rustic beach community with no electricity or running water into a Gay Mecca, with some of the most beautiful beach houses in the world, equipped with 21st century conveniences.

Led by a board of elected, unpaid volunteers from the homeowner community, FIPPOA has been at the forefront of this transformation that involved addressing the unglamorous, but necessary issues like garbage collection, fire protection, boardwalk maintenance and harbor access. It also helped the Pines deal with numerous challenges, including hurricanes, fires, homophobia, AIDS, economic downturns, and climate change. Through its work the Pines is today one of the leading communities on Fire Island and a driving force for inclusion, volunteerism, and civic leadership.

Perhaps the greatest lesson from FIPPOA’s history is that none of this happened by accident. For over seven decades generation after generation of community volunteers have stepped forward to solve the problems and improve the Pines. Working quietly, intelligently, often without recognition – and sometimes even the object of derision – FIPPOA has been steadfast in its mission of protecting and strengthening the Pines.

Read the full Pines Profile: The Story of FIPPOA (est. 1953) and discover how generations of volunteers helped build—and continue to safeguard—the community we all love.

https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/the-story-of-fippoa-est-1953

Listed here are the 5 more recent FIPPOA presidents who are pictured in this post and in our story. FIPPOA was founded in 1953.

Ron McKenna - 1982
Alan Brockman - 1984
Ron Martin - 2006
Jay Pagano - 2010
Henry Robin - 2020

Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association

10/08/2026

George Daniell was a pioneering artist who lived in a former Coast Goard shack in the 1940s when the Pines was still called “Lone Hill.”

Friends of Carrington is once again collaborating with Gina DeJoy and the George Daniell archive to bring more of his art to the Carrington estate the weekend of August 14-16.

The exhibit will feature some of the work previously curated by Bruce Weber of Daniell’s Hudson River series in addition to his early New York City work.

For more information see the link to the 2009 article in the Journal of the Leslie/Loman Gay Art Foundation.

All images copyright George Daniell Estate.

https://www.georgedaniell.org/_files/ugd/ed434f_e23fca2972a34090a90cc717baa64efe.pdf

05/08/2026

Chances are you’ve heard of GMHC, ACT UP, Lambda Legal, The Center, SAGE, the American LGBTQ+ Museum, or the Stonewall National Monument. But you may not have heard of Richard Burns, a man who for more than fifty years has profoundly shaped each of these institutions and, in turn, the LGBTQ+ movement in America.

A visionary leader who did much of his work off-camera, Richard has helped build the organizations, develop the leaders, and strengthen the systems that have driven LGBTQ+ progress for generations. Working through some of our community’s most challenging moments, his impact has been nothing short of transformational.

We are proud to share our latest Pines Profile: Richard Burns – Building the Institutions That Changed the World.

Some leaders command the spotlight. Others build the institutions that make lasting change possible. Richard Burns is one of those leaders. We think you’ll come away inspired by his remarkable story.

Read more here: https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/richard-burns-b-1955

29/07/2026

🎉 Ever wondered how the theme gets chosen?

In this exclusive preview, Executive Producer Allan Baum and Frank Liberto pull back the curtain on one of the Pines Party’s best-kept traditions.

This year’s Pines Party marks the end of Allan and Frank’s remarkable 12-year run leading one of Fire Island Pines’ most iconic annual events.

In a candid 18-minute conversation—with Fire Island Pines Historical Society’s Board Member Gianfranco Lentini (Gianfranco Lentini)—Allan and Frank reflect on their years at the helm, discuss the challenges and triumphs of producing the Pines Party, and share behind-the-scenes stories.

🎞️ Watch this one-minute excerpt here, then head to FIPHS’ YouTube channel to see the full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNzyxNBjsMU&t=2s

💛 Special thanks to Allan Baum, Frank Liberto, Jay Pagano, Randy Wilson, John Wood, Guy Smith, Robert Montenegro, Hal Rubenstein, and Vinnie Petrarca!

📝 This interview was created and produced by Gianfranco Lentini, Virun Rampersad, Ryan McLendon, and Fire Island Pines Historical Society

22/07/2026

Fire is one of the greatest risks facing Fire Island Pines. Surrounded by flammable vegetation, connected by wooden boardwalks, and home to closely spaced houses, a fire can start in any number of ways—from an electrical fault to an unattended grill to a carelessly discarded cigarette—and spread with devastating speed.

Since 1959, the Fire Island Pines Fire Department () has stood ready to protect our community. Made up entirely of dedicated volunteers, its members train year-round and respond at a moment’s notice, often placing themselves in harm’s way to protect our lives, homes, and the place we all cherish.

On Saturday, July 25, please join your friends and neighbors at the Fire Department BBQ—a beloved Pines tradition and a wonderful opportunity to support the volunteers who help keep our community safe.

Come for the great food and company. Stay to thank the men and women who make the Fire Island Pines a safer place for all of us.

🚒 Fire Department BBQ
📅 Saturday, July 25
https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/fire-island-pines-fire-department-est-1959

18/07/2026

As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Tea Dance, today we remember DJ Kevin Burke, who helped define the sound and atmosphere of the Tea Dance for over a decade beginning in 1977 earning him the nickname “Mr. Tea Dance.”

Read all about Kevin including his story in HIS OWN words - https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/dj-kevin-burke”

16/07/2026

Featuring Fire Island Dance Festival, Jerry Mitchell, Billy Porter, Guy Smith, Rob Levy, Hal Hayes, Jovan Dansberry & more

The sixth episode of Finding Fire Island Season 2, "Broadway on the Beach," has been released. Created, executive-produced, and narrated by Jess Rothschild, and co-produced with the Fire Island Pines Historical Society, the GLAAD-nominated documentary series traces how the HIV/AIDS crisis reshaped Fire Island Pines — and how the community's grief was channeled into some of the most enduring fundraising institutions in Broadway history.

The episode opens in the early 1980s, when news of the epidemic first broke on the front page of The New York Times. Activist Larry Kramer, who would go on to found Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), used the Pines as a staging ground for early activism, handing out pamphlets at the ferry dock to a community not yet ready to listen.

We all just assumed that we were gonna live to 35," recalls Guy Smith, who helped transform the Pines Party into the institution it is today, "because everybody who I worked for or with in the nightlife community were dead around 35."

Emmy and Tony winner Billy Porter, who is HIV-positive, reflects candidly on reaching an age he never expected to see: "I'm still gagged that I'm four years away from 60, and I'm proud of my age. I lived. I'm here. That was not a foregone conclusion."

A new episode of the GLAAD-nominated documentary series FINDING FIRE ISLAND examines how the HIV/AIDS crisis united Broadway and Fire Island Pines, with reflections from Jerry Mitchell, Billy Porter, and others. Check out the video here.

15/07/2026

Fire Island Pines is famous for its legendary nightlife, but there’s another side to the community that’s just as vibrant.

Every summer, artists, performers, designers, writers, and other creative minds transform the Pines into a hub of theater, visual art, music, and immersive experiences.

For 40 years, the Fire Island Pines Arts Project () has been at the heart of that creative energy, producing an extraordinary range of performances and cultural events that have enriched the community and become an essential part of life in the Pines.

In recent years, through its partnership with New York Theatre Barn, FIPAP has expanded its impact with the Barn on Fire residency, giving emerging musical theater writers the time, space, and inspiration to develop new works in the unique setting of Fire Island Pines.

As highlighted in Finding Fire Island Season 2 episode 7, the arts have flourished here in many forms. Alongside events like the Fire Island Dance Festival, returning the weekend of July 17, FIPAP’s productions have helped make the Pines a destination not only for celebration, but also for creativity and artistic expression.

As FIPAP celebrates its 40th anniversary, take a look at the story of an organization that has helped shape the cultural life of Fire Island Pines.

Read more at this link: https://www.pineshistory.org/the-archives/fire-island-pines-arts-project-est-1986