← Part of Asbury Park Beach Bear Invasion
Part of the Gay Asbury Park Guide — bars, events & things to do.
Friday, July 31, 2026
The Empress Hotel
The weekend opens with the Welcome Tea Dance at The Empress Hotel pool on Friday, July 31, 5-9 PM — the traditional poolside kickoff to Asbury Park Bear Invasion.
Have feedback on this description? Let us knowDrag brunches, circuit nights & every party worth knowing in Asbury Park — in your inbox every week.
Let people know you're going, see who else is attending, and share the event with friends.
Everything for Asbury Park Beach Bear Invasion 2026 — the tea dances, Furball, the Plunge pool party, RAM, bears on the beach, and where to stay on the Jersey Shore.
Robbie S.
The practical first-timer's guide to drag: what people actually wear, how much cash to bring, how to hand a tip to a queen without making it weird, and what the room expects of you.
Robbie S.
A gay bar is a bar. Here's what actually happens on a normal night, why walking in alone is easier than you think, and how to pick the right one for your first time.
Robbie S.
A calm, practical answer to every question first-timers actually have about gay bathhouses — how check-in works, the unwritten rules, what things cost, and why almost everyone there came alone.
Robbie S.
The rainbow flag has meant something specific since 1978 — one word per stripe, assigned by the man who dyed the first one. What every color means, why two stripes are gone, and all the other flags.
Robbie S.
Drag is an art form, not an identity, and what people assume about it is off. Here's what a drag queen actually is, where drag came from, what the job pays, and how the illusion gets built.
Robbie S.