Laguna Niguel aims to tame mooning ritual
The full moon has become the “Full Monty” -- and now Laguna Niguel is trying to cover up the thousands who bare all during an annual summer ritual.
Year after year on the second Saturday of July, a growing stream of customers from as far as France have swarmed the Mugs Away Saloon and -- full of beer and bravado -- mooned the passing trains. But last year the annual moon-fest grew too exuberant, drawing 8,000 beer-swilling, clothes-dropping patrons who bared more than their behinds when the Amtrak came rolling down the tracks.
Now, officials in the south Orange County city are planning to crack down on the 30-year-old event, which has grown from a small barroom bet among friends to a full-scale festival with reports of people passing out, having sex and freely sprinkling their clothes every which way as passenger trains chug past. Last year’s event had to be shut down, with more than 50 deputies deployed to keep order.
The City Council on Tuesday voted 5 to 0 to adopt laws to bring a little modesty and order to this year’s “Moon Amtrak” event by cordoning off the mooning grounds, restricting parking, and banning drinking and urinating in public.
“What was originally just a fun, family-type of event of showing your rear end to the train has just gotten out of control,” said city Police Chief Linda Solorza. “There were people that were drunk, unable to care for themselves and in various stages of undress. There were sex acts.”
But why mess with success? Especially in the midst of a recession, wondered one bartender at the saloon, located across from the tracks and filled with mooning memorabilia and photos of exhibitionists in action.
“When the mooning happens, all these businesses up and down here, they make money,” said bartender Karen Aleman, who has served drinks at the event for five years. “It’s something that keeps people happy with what’s going on with the economy.”
The event is being promoted at moonamtrak.org, with frequently asked questions about mooning (Q: Must I “moon,” or can I just watch? A: No, You can watch) and a schedule of passing trains (about every 20 minutes).
According to local lore, it all began when a patron offered to buy drinks for anyone who would run out to the tracks and moon the next passing train. Many did, and the tradition was born.
“We’re not out to squash the event entirely,” Solorza said. “The intent is to manage it.”
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