Beach party in Long Beach? Bingo!

Robert Altmann and his buddies are gathered at the "Oasis" on a late Sunday afternoon in Long Beach, singing along to "Sweet Home, Alabama."

For the past hour, they've been catching rays and otherwise kicking back at their usual stretch of sand, hanging out amid a forest of umbrellas and fake potted palm trees -- a makeshift party zone that tends to attract lots of attention. The band sets up around 4 p.m. and soon starts playing the crowd-pleasing tune.

"You couldn't ask for a better day," says Altmann, 46, of Long Beach.

"I come out here just to hang out with these guys," says Richie St. Angelo, 50, a mechanic from Massapequa, peering out from under a floppy beach hat.

Some of these guys have been friends for decades, all sharing a laid-back '70s kind of attitude.

"It's totally relaxed," adds St. Angelo's longtime buddy and fellow Massapequa High School alum Andrew Madden, 45, of Massapequa.

Bumming on the beachAltmann, a professional voice-over artist -- he's the one in the straw cowboy hat and dark sunglasses -- started making a ritual of the Oasis a few years back, lugging wagon loads of beach gear and decorations from his apartment to the sand most weekend afternoons. At first, it was just Altmann and a few friends, some of whom have moved away. Then people started to notice the friendly guys hanging out on the beach, and began stopping by.

"It just grew," Altmann says.

Now the Oasis is a Long Beach tradition. "We'll do it whether it's just me here or 50 people," Altmann says. When the crowd swells, say on a holiday weekend, Altmann has to apply to the City of Long Beach for a group party permit to avoid being ticketed.

For the past few seasons, the Oasis has been setting up just southeast of the concession stand at Pacific Boulevard and Shore Road. A kite tied to a chair flies high over Long Beach, marking the spot, both for regulars as well as inquisitive newcomers.

On a recent afternoon, 15 friends showed up to play Frisbee and soak up sun.

"This is a great way of hanging out with friends," says Peter Kasindorf of Long Beach -- known among his Oasis pals as Peter "Keys."

Kasindorf is one of a number of local musicians who frequents the party. Another is singer-guitarist Ralph Palladino, also of Long Beach. (Kasindorf and Palladino declined to give their ages.)

"There's always someone jamming here," adds Palladino, who, like Kasindorf, is a member of Mile Stone, a Long Beach-based jam band.

Keeping it socialWhile men predominated on a recent Sunday, women also come. Altmann's girlfriend, Monisha Baca, is in the crowd. So is star-spangled bikini-clad Alisa Bracksmayer, 40, of Long Beach. "I am the Oasis goddess -- that's what they call me," she quips, sipping a drink resting on a mini table by her side. Pink flamingo clips secure her beach towel to the back of her chair.

As the sun creeps west, chairs are moved clockwise for maximum exposure. Other than tanning and tradition, it's a special kind of generosity that keeps bringing them back, year after year, Altmann says. His buddy Barry Grama, 48, an investment banker from Long Beach, brings drinks for everyone -- including strangers who might wander over, wondering what this gathering's all about.

"I bring bags of frozen fruit," says Grama, looking laid back, sporting a red Billabong shirt and a 5 o'clock shadow.

Says Altmann, "All my friends are very giving."