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With the significant beach erosion we have experienced since last December, it has been extremely challenging to determine a location for this year's Pines Party event. Our two main objectives in selecting a location are the safety of our guests and maintaining the health and integrity of the beach, dune, and wildlife. Approximately two weeks ago, we made the painful conclusion that there simply was no space on the beach facing the Pines that would accommodate a party with those objectives in mind.
While the beach was widest on the far West end, it was not wide enough without extending the footprint of the party into the area between the Pines and the Grove, commonly referred to as the Carrington tract. We approached the leadership of the Fire Island National Seashore (FINS), and much to our delight and appreciation, they immediately began to work in collaboration with the Pines Party team to determine if we could use a portion of the Carrington tract beach which, unlike Pines beachfront, is subject to additional specific requirements of both Federal law and the National Park Service (NPS).
To obtain the required Special Event Permit, significant collaboration with the FINS professional team and accommodation on our part were required. Just as we were hoping to receive approval for our application today, this weekend’s violent weather rendered the proposed beach location suddenly (and shockingly) inadequate for the party.
Rather than throwing in the towel and cancelling this year’s party, our collaboration with FINS continued all morning long culminating in a decision just before 1PM today that enables us to hold the party on the far East end. That decision involved the partial opening of the cut (dirt road passageway) at Sail Walk leading to the beach. The cut had been closed based on the migration of the Piping Plovers. Using their ability to monitor those migratory patterns on – literally – a day-to-day, morning to afternoon basis, FINS was able and agreed to allow use of the cut such that set-up and break-down of the party will now be feasible. We are eternally grateful to our friends at FINS for their collaboration with the Pines and for their professionalism in honoring both community and preservation of the nature and wildlife of this national park, our home.
We hope to see you this weekend at Toon Island 2023! And we want you to know that more effort by more people has made the party possible this year than ever before due to the extenuating circumstances of nature.
With great appreciation to the leadership and staff at the Fire Island National Seashore,
Henry Robin, FIPPOA President
Allan Baum, FIPPOA Vice President & Pines Party Executive Producer
P.S. A decision regarding the ticket wait list will be made shortly and communicated out using the Pines Party mailing list. If you are not on that list and are interested in tickets, please go to the Ticket tab at pinesparty.com to be added to the wait list.
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