Citing Boycott, Ascension Party Leaves Fire Island for Mykonos

The drama in Fire Island Pines inow officially spans two continents.

The Ascension Party, a staple of the circuit scene for nine years, is packing up and leaving Fire Island Pines and traveling to Mykonos this August, citing the recent boycott against OUTpost Fire Island Pines properties as the impetus for the move.

A post on the Ascension Facebook page in part reads:

On Wednesday evening, August 19, 2015, Ascension is going to RISE on the beach at Cavo Paradiso in Mykonos Greece!

Thanks to the invitation and enthusiastic support of its producers, Ascension is going to be this year's opening night event of XLsior Mykonos, the award-winning weekend long celebration that attracts tens of thousands of people from around (sic) all over the world to that other magical island in the Aegean Sea.

The announcement marks the second time the Ascension Party has changed dates and venues for its 2015 edition.

Prior to the move to Mykonos, Ascension's producers announced that the party, long held in the middle of August, would be moved to Labor Day weekend. The move angered fans of the party, many of whom arranged for their house share weekends to coincide with the original date.

Although there was immediate speculation surrounding the motivation behind the move to Mykonos, suspicions were put to rest Friday morning when Ascension's producer, Eric Von Kuersteiner announced his reasons for moving the party via post on the closed Facebook group "Free" Fire Island Pines. In the post, Von Kuersteiner cites the recent boycott of the OUTpost Fire Island Pines properties that arose when one of its partners, Ian Reisner, co-hosted an ersatz fund raising party for anti-gay GOP hopeful Ted Cruz at his Manhattan home in June.

"I thought that the Boycott would have convinced Ian (Reisner) to do the right thing and sell (he's had offers since I withdrew mine) unfortunately however he has not," Von Kuersteiner wrote, previously citing the economic boom the Ascension Party gives to the Fire Island Pines commercial district each year. "As I would not personally patronize any of his properties, I cannot in good conscience support his businesses with any additional revenue that Ascension brings to the Pines every year."

And while Reisner's inaugural season as the owner of the Pines' commercial district remains enveloped in drama, Von Kursteiner, a long-time Pines resident, is no stranger to controversy himself. Once an active member of the Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association (FIPPOA), Von Kuersteiner broke off with the community's governing body. He has reportedly jettisoned Fire Island for the Hamptons this summer and is rumored to be currently in the midst of a battle of sorts with FIPPOA.

Will Ian Reisner give in and sell his share of the commercial property? Will Eric Von Kuersteiner make up with FIPPOA and return to Fire Island Pines? Will anyone from the Pines actually make the trip to Mykonos for Ascension 2015? Stay tuned!