While white parties are nothing new for the Fourth of July, only one stands alone when it comes to glamourous celebs, and that's Michael Rubin's annual bash at his $50 million mansion in the Hamptons.
Michael Rubin, the 51-year-old former co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and founder of sports merchandise and apparel store Fanatics, has the golden ticket every Hollywood A-lister wants to get their hands on - an invite at the party of the summer.
'We make a joke that it's 400 of our closest friends coming over to catch up,' Rubin's fiancé model Camille Fishel told New York Times.
Nearly 400 of Hollywood's most notable made the cut for the fourth installment of the business mogul's Independence Day party, and he spared no expense to dazzle his famous guests - Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian, Megan Fox, Drake, Emily Ratajkowski, Megan Thee Stallion, and Alix Earle to name a few.
Paparazzi lined the hedges surrounding the 2-acre, 8,000 square foot oceanfront mansion in Water Mill, New York, which Rubin bought in 2021.
The tennis court on the property was turned into a night club for the evening, where some top-tier artists performed for the crowd.
Fishel compared the transformed tennis court to Liv Miami, one of the most famous nightclubs in the world.
'You don't even know you're on a tennis court,' Fishel told the New York Times.
This year's guest list was a coveted 400 names strong. While 300 received invitations featuring lithographs by the acclaimed visual artist George Condo (a connection Fishel made while waitressing at a West Village haunt Condo frequented in 2013), a select few received a truly exclusive invite: a personally painted and addressed artwork by Condo himself.
For those who confirmed their attendance, a special perk awaited: a crisp, personalized pair of white Air Jordan 1 Low sneakers.
This limited-edition collaboration between Nike and rapper Travis Scott was produced specifically for the party's guests.
A note inside the shoes' box read: 'Don't puke on these. Not for resale … I know who you are.'
Representatives for Rubin and Fishel told the New York Times that those desperate enough to be seen at his party offered millions of dollars just to be let inside, with the highest offer being $5 million.
But no amount of money could get a desperate wannabe party goer a golden ticket inside - to Rubin, that's priceless.
The exclusivity of the guest list fuels intrigue for this private party. It attracts celebrities from diverse backgrounds – fine arts, sports, business, film, fashion, and music – and enforces a 'no entourage' policy.
The festivities kicked off on Wednesday evening with a beach football game pitting Tom Brady's team against C.J. Stroud's Houston Texans. Later, guests enjoyed live performances from Shaboozey, Mary J. Blige, and Lil Wayne.
The party shifted into high gear on Thursday with 5 p.m. cocktails on the deck. Surprisingly, there wasn't a signature cocktail
'This isn't a wedding,' Fishel said.
Guests mingled and snapped photos, chowing down on the exclusive gourmet spread from some of New York's most coveted and exclusive restaurants: king salmon, fatty tuna, and blue crab courtesy of Nobu, alongside slices of Lucali's legendary margherita pizza, and Rao's signature meatballs.
Lil Wayne capped off an electrifying rooftop performance with a dazzling fireworks display launched from a nearby ocean barge.
The energy shifted as the tennis court transformed into a pulsating club, with surprise sets from GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion, Machine Gun Kelly, ASAP Ferg, Alesso, and Travis Scott, keeping the crowd hyped until the break of dawn.
'It's messy and fun, and these artists are there and they don't really ever get this environment where they can kind of like, let loose,' said Fishel.
As the last partiers trickled out, they were sent off with a classic Hamptons touch: a warm bag of bagels from Goldberg's, the legendary breakfast spot.
