A new podcast from the Cherry Grove Archives Collection is shining a light on nearly a century of queer history in one of America’s most iconic LGBTQ+ communities.
Queer Grove, hosted by documentary filmmaker Parker Sargent, explores Cherry Grove on Fire Island, New York – a beachside haven that has welcomed queer people for generations. The series brings together interviews, memories, and personal experiences to document the area’s past and present.
The podcast draws on Sargent’s decade of work celebrating queer communities and uses oral history as its foundation. Guests include long-time residents and cultural figures who share stories that help paint a rich and complex picture of Cherry Grove’s role as a safe space.
Episodes feature voices such as comedian Joel Kim Booster, drag performers Jimbo the Drag Clown and Bianca Del Rio, historian Esther Newton, and activist Edie Windsor, among others. The series highlights the community’s ongoing significance, even as LGBTQ+ rights have progressed more broadly.
“Even in a world where LGBTQ+ people have more civil rights than ever before, Cherry Grove is still a much-needed queer space,” says Sargent.
The Cherry Grove Archives Collection promotes global appreciation of the rich and creative history of the earliest known haven for LGBTQ+ people and their allies in the United States. It is dedicated to the preservation of the social, political and cultural history of Cherry Grove, Fire Island, New York.
New episodes of Queer Grove are released every Friday. The show is available on all major podcast platforms and at queergrove.com.
