2015 Homecoming Queen DemiTasse    photos by Just Lorraine

                                                           by Jeannie Lieberman

On a cold and blustery May24th the 40th annual Cherry Grove Homecoming Queen contest, hosted by CG perennials Bella and Panzi, ushered in the new season.

This coronation is important as the Homecoming Queen is required to be at all community events from blessing the sidewalks to opening the versatile and carefully planned entertainment and charity events which cannot begin without her. Her appearances also extend beyond the season on the mainland.

Panzi, DemiTasse & Bella

Former Homecoming Queens attended to witness the addition to their illustrious succession: Urban Sprawl, Coco Love and Margo,  Beach DeBree and YaNeeda Dunes, Donna Piranha, Cobra, Luisa Verde, Lola Galore and  Scarlett O!, the only RG (Real Girl) Queen. Ivana Cocktail performed “Get This Party Started,” to celebrate the tenth anniversary of her reign.

The Queen is usually chosen for her community spirit as well as her beauty and this year’s contestants, only four, met the requirements handily:
 ever popular Mother, (again – give her credit for trying), a remarkably thinner Gusty Winds, Jo Jo Gerard “”Grove historian” and Demi Tasse.

Surviving first round were Gusty Winds and Demi Tasse who were each given a question and required to sing a song (troublesome to those who lip-synch).

Dusty was asked:  “How would you get the Pines and Grove closer?” This triggered a politically motivated response to the Pines’ hosting homophobic Republican candidate Ted Cruz for a Pavilion benefit:  “The Pines is not the businesses: it’s the community. We don’t have to go to the businesses [when we invade] if we don’t want to.” Her chosen song was “Tequila.” 

Demi, who debuted as director of last Labor Day’s Las Vegas themed APCG show “Déjà Vu,” was asked “Would you like Cherry Grove to join the European Union?” More to the point she reminisced about her first visit to Cherry Grove’s Palace in l965. “I was, like, shocked! It was all packed! It was so me!” then segued into a Bye Bye Birdie paraphrase: “We love you, Bella, oh, yes, we do” and “We love you, Panzi, oh yes, we do” in her own unaccompanied voice.

This resulted in overwhelming vocal approval from the crowd which put her into the winner’s spot.

2014 Homecoming Queen Whore D'Oeuvre surrenders the crown
Whore D’Oeuvre bade her subjects fond farewell with Celine Dion’s song “Thank You.”

Queen DemiTasse and Mr. Fire island Leather 2015 Edd Clark
who may join together on this year’s Invasion, July 4^th.

Note: Bella announced she will host a benefit for the Grove Emergency Medical Service fund at the Community House on July 18. Panzi also asked members of the Cherry Grove Fire Department to rise and receive richly-deserved accolades for their yeoman duty on March 27; Bella will host a benefit for the Grove Emergency Medical Service fund at the Community House on July 18. Panzi also asked members of the Cherry Grove Fire Department to rise and receive richly-deserved accolades for their yeoman duty on March 27, which destroyed parts of the Grove Hotel, Holly House, Anima (formerly Carousel Guest House), and Kokomo.