On May 28, the eve of Memorial Day, Ginger Snap, Cherry’s, Cherry Grove, and Lips, New York City, entertainer extraordinaire, was overwhelmingly acclaimed Grove Homecoming Queen 2017 by Arts Project of Cherry Grove members at the APCG’s annual membership party. Ginger’s tour-de-force performance of “Xanadu,” which she nimbly danced on roller skates, clinched her victory. Perhaps she and new Mr. Fire Island Leather 2017 Sir Joseph, chosen by a panel of judges eight days earlier, can collaborate on something special for the Fourth of July Grove Invasion of the Pines.
Ginger was crowned by Homecoming Queen 2016 Logan Hardcore, who stepped down with an emotional account of Beyoncé’s “I Was Here (I want to leave my footprint on the sands of time)” and said, “I’m so appreciative of the love that people I didn’t know gave me” and “I turned the fucking town out!” Mistresses of Ceremonies for the contest were Bella and Homecoming Queen 1976 and 1977 (the first—and second) Panzi. Matt Baney and Alison Brackman were responsible for lights and sound.
Others vying against Ginger for this year’s title and the privilege of leading the Independence Day Invasion were Anita Morehead, also known as Mother, channeling Carol Channing in “(Wave your little hand and whisper) So Long Dearie,” from “Hello, Dolly!;” Lady Long Legs, dancing exuberantly to a pairing of “I’m Every Woman” and “(It’s a) Woman’s World” and stripping to reveal one of the “Nasty Woman” tops that become popular during the 2016 Presidential Campaign, after Hillary Clinton was dubbed that by Donald Trump; Mica, singing “The Rose” with feeling, her song and her blue and black feathers inspired by Bette Midler; and Asian beauty-in-red Saki Tome, wielding a red feather fan and offering her own bit of “The Rose” in her native tongue.
Past Homecoming Queens present, aside from Panzi and Logan, were Philomena (1990), Ariel Sinclair (2002), Donna Piranha (2004), Ivanna Cocktail (2005), Lola (2007), Urban Sprawl (2009), Beach DeBree (2010), YaNeeda Dunes (2011), Whore D’Oeuvre (2014), and Demi-Tasse (2015). A raffle of items donated by Grove businesses helped raised funds for APCG.