Doll Invasion: From Trans House Party to Fire Island Institution

Doll Invasion, an annual trans-focused takeover of Fire Island Pines, has evolved from intimate house parties into a major event. The initiative, founded by an unnamed writer, began as personal gatherings with friends and grew into a structured program featuring 58 hours of music and performances across iconic 'tea' venues. The 2026 edition included a 'total tea takeover' with events at Blue Whale, Pool Club, and Pavilion, free transportation for hundreds, and an auction with Queer|Art featuring items from Chappell Roan, Sasha Colby, Cole Escola, Ryan McGinley, and Angela Davis. The event honors the legacy of the 1976 Drag Invasion, sparked by Teri Warren's exclusion from a restaurant, and now includes an opening ceremony with an H2O Limo arrival. Notable attendees included Justin Vivian Bond, Adam Lambert, Chelsea Manning, Dylan Mulvaney, and Geena Rocero. The event also featured a Doll Shop by designer Willie Norris, and performances by Jynx 007, Amarji King, Cherry Jaymes, Mthr Trsa, and Colette March. The initiative aims to make Fire Island more inclusive for trans people, countering its reputation as a cisgender gay male destination, and has been documented as part of the island's queer history.