August 12, 2011
The Ascension 2011 :: Fire Island's Rise
JC Alvarez READ TIME: 7 MIN.
Now in its sixth consecutively successful year Ascension has become the beach party event to compare to all events of its kind. It's without a doubt the most anticipated party of the Fire Island season. "After July 4th Weekend it's the busiest weekend on the island," Eric von Kuersteiner, Founder of the Fund in the Sun Foundation, and one of the events producers shared about the Ascension party's rise to fame. "It the largest, most attended series of events on the island - or in the Northeast for that matter," enthusiastically claims Hal Rubenstein. The celebrity personality and Fashion Director of InStyle Magazine and red carpet style commentator on "E! Entertainment" is also on the board of members and creators of the Fire Island Ascension Weekend.
"We were seeing that people were no longer interested in 'all-night parties anymore," says von Kuersteiner. "They wanted something in the day time. We're trying to give our audience a wide variety of different events they can have fun at." Ascension weekend is systematically coordinated with non-stop parties all over the Pines area. "Every party gets a very different kind of crowd," Rubenstein insists, "but Tea Dance on Saturday is my favorite. And then there are the fireworks," Hal reminds me - one of the largest displays in the Northeast. "I'm a fireworks junkie!"
100% Pure Love and Jazz...
2011 has proven itself an unforgettable year marked by events of near biblical proportions. We survived The Rapture - that came and went - Marriage Equality was passed in the state of New York, and as the sun prepares to set on another summer season Fire Island is bracing itself for the rise and the return of one of its most anticipated parties in Pines - brace yourself for The Ascension.
The rise begins on Friday, August 19 when the Ascension Presents: Kristine W. Live at Whyte Hall! The dance diva is prepared to give fans one more night and pulls out all the stops (as usual) for a straight up with a twist performance of some of her most popular tunes including tracks from her critically hailed jazz album. Kristine W. and her band will take to the stage at 8pm for this must-not-miss opening night event.
And temperatures will continue to peak when Saturday, August 20 rolls around and the 100% pure love of the divine Crystal Waters bathes sun worshippers in all too good spirits. These two dance goddesses revolutionized the dance music scene of the last two decades - it's only appropriate that they continue to prove the rhythm is going to get you on the greatest beach party weekend of the season.
With Rubenstein's more than able legendary design aesthetic involved, how the beach was going to be transformed for the season's ultimate event certainly came up in conversation. "It's about movement and the sensuality of the ocean," Hal offers, with Eric having to add: "There's still the blue and white motif, but you'll just have to come out to the beach and be surprised." They both are eager to once again shock-and-awe their audience with what will be one of the most lavish...yet still sensibly simple set-ups for the Pines event. "It really is about the beach - it's so beautiful," says Eric. "We just add some accents."
You can't beat the true-life backdrop of the Fire Island beach and ocean, and the thousands of gyrating hard-bodies expected to pounce to the sound of today's most popular DJs and producers who will be headlining all the various events across the weekend. The list of turntable talent reads like a wish list for a DJ Celebrity Death Match.
Even Britney Spears is getting in on the act. Check out Brit's special message to everyone who is getting ready to rise!
Everybody Dance Into the Sunset...
Expect DJ Lina and Corey Craig to muster the sails for the Ascension Pool Party on Saturday beginning at 12pm. The Saturday Tea begins at 6pm and is at the mercy of the perfectly paired Perry Twins - returning to Ascension by popular demand. They'll be joined by Ultra Records own Mia Martina performing her smash hit "Stereo Love".
And get ready to kick up some sand on Sunday for the Ascension Beach Party headlined by none other than DJ beefcake Brett Henrichsen opening for Lee Dagger of Bimbo Jones fame. Stick around and say "Hello" to Dragonette who will perform their pop-tastically titular tune of the summer. If you still have the stamina keep it pumping for Drew G and the legendary Tony Moran providing the mix magic music for the Closing Tea. "Good Girl" Alexis Jordan will be swinging on by to spread the joy performing "Happiness".
All For the Cause
If you still need a reason to feel good about sweating it out all weekend long, let us remind you that Ascension is a 100% charitable event benefiting various charities. The Fund in the Sun Foundation was organized to promote and produce the effort that supports community causes in need. "Ascension really is a charitable weekend," Rubenstein elaborates. "We focus on small organizations that very often don't have extensive infrastructure to hold large fund-raising events of their own."
The organizations the Fund in the Sun Foundation help support include Camp Heartland which directly affords services to children who are living in poverty and/or are directly affected by HIV/AIDS. Live Out Loud is another which also provides LGBT youth with scholarship help and skills for coping with understanding their roles in the community. 'We've kept the overall event affordable," the current economy certainly played into von Kuersteiner's decision-making, "at the same time make enough money so that the charities benefit as well."
Rubenstein is confident that Ascension will only get stronger and better. "We build it from year to year and every year our charity journal gets larger -�we're not thinking of Ascension as a 'one-off' type event. We've really become a destination and a tradition. People know you're going to have an amazing time at Ascension."
Through the combined efforts of Eric von Kuersteiner, Hal Rubenstein and the rest of the members and organizers involved with the Fund in the Sun Foundation and the Ascension Weekend on Fire Island, this truly is an example of community coming together and give rise to a party with a purpose. There is no more appropriate way to end your summer on Fire Island.
Watch This...
� At Ascension catch Dragonette performing their hit track "Hello".
Native New Yorker JC Alvarez is a pop-culture enthusiast and the nightlife chronicler of the club scene and its celebrity denizens from coast-to-coast. He is the on-air host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Out Loud & Live!" and is also on the panel of the local-access talk show "Talking About".
