The Boom -- It Is a Wild and Crazy Closing Weekend

Here are some pictures from Friday and Saturday night at the Landmark Boom Boom Room which was packed. Very fun times at the old Boom. Look for the opening of the New Boom -- a new and vastly improved Boom Boom Room coming soon!

SAVE the BOOM!!! Storms the National Lesbian and Gay Journalist's Association (NLGJA) Annual Conference

Founder Fred Karger, Treasurer, Shane Miller and leading Calendar Contest Model Ryan Whitacre made a road trip to San Diego last Thursday for the opening night trio of receptions and to meet the 650 attendees from all over North America who were kicking off their annual gathering at the Westin Hotel. We met hundreds of reporters, producers, directors, and executives from all over. Most were very familiar with our campaign to SAVE the BOOM!!! having covered the story, but those who had not heard of us, can't say that anymore. Thank you Ryan for attending to give the media an in person look at a Men of Laguna Beach Calendar Contest Finalist. If you want to see Ryan and the other 19 Finalists, go to: www.queersighted.com/laguna to view and vote for your favorites.

Calendar Contest Judges Set to Pick Final 12

Calendar Contest Judges Set to Pick the Final 12

Photo Gallery to be Showcased on AOL’s QueerSighted.com Indefinitely

LAGUNA BEACH, CA -- The panel of judges in the first Men of Laguna Beach Calendar Contest will be announcing the 12 winners of its contest next week following the Labor Day Holiday. The current field of 20 finalists will be narrowed down to the Final 12.

The calendar will go on sale in September. Proceeds from the sales will go to benefit the ongoing efforts of SAVE the BOOM!!! www.savetheboom.com as it continues its campaign to save the legendary gay bar and keep it as it has been for the last 60 years as well as several Laguna Beach charities.

Meanwhile, an online photo gallery of the calendar models has been running on AOL’s QueerSighted.com for the last two weeks. The gallery has logged over 750,000 page views, and visitors have cast 200,000 votes! “That exceeded all expectations by about 190,000 votes,” said calendar producer and SAVE the BOOM!!! founder, Fred Karger. “Everyone involved with this effort is shocked and awed by this overwhelming response. We just heard that there have been over 750,000 page views on the gallery site over the first 2 weeks that it has been up – just incredible numbers. And all these visitors are reading about our campaign to SAVE the BOOM – Forever!!!.”

In addition to AOL, the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot has been featuring the calendar contest in a full page color newspaper spread and on its web site.

Contestants may be viewed at:

www.queersighted.com/laguna and

http://www.coastlinepilot.com/laguna_beach_calendar/


Now as the Boom Boom Room and Coast Inn in which it is housed are set to close their doors on September 4th, we will reach out to the building owner, Steven Udvar-Hazy to help us reopen the New Boom ASAP. This will be a brand new redone bar and hotel that we can all be proud of.

Be sure and come back to the blog for all the latest news and lots of photos from the Boom, Labor Day Parties, the Beach and around Laguna.

Behind the Scenes - Calendar Contest

Here are a few behind the scenes photos from SAVE the BOOM!!!'S famous Men of Laguna Beach Calendar Contest. You can see our incredible photographer, Cristopher Lapp (www.cristopherlapp.com) go to work on finalists Gustavo, Todd, Michael, Ryan K., Sean, Russell M. and Darko caught here emailing some photos back to his friends in Croatia.

To look at the 2 Galleries posting photos of the 20 finalist go to:

www.queersighted.com/laguna

http://www.coastlinepilot.com/laguna_beach_calendar/

Boom Pictures Make Recent Memories

Second to Last Weekend at the Old Boom Boom Room

If you were there, you know how much fun Friday and Saturday were this weekend. If you missed it, be sure and come to the Boom over Labor Day Weekend -- 2007. The current Boom's last night is Monday, September 3rd, so be sure and come by to say goodbye.

But we are confident that there will be a New Boom opening soon. A nice new, fresh, fixed up Boom to continue on for another 60 years. Stay tuned and watch for our updates.

See you at the Boom!!!

Share Your Memory of the Boom

Would you take a minute to help in a very important story (see below) that will be running in the Orange County Register next Sunday, September 2nd? The reporters have asked me to ask you to jot down a couple of sentences on what the Boom Boom Room has meant to you. Either a fond memory, or how it may have helped you in coming out or helped you in any way -- see below. And if you have any pictures, send them along, too.

You can send them directly (please keep them g-rated) to the reporters:

christa woodall -- cwoodall@ocregister.com

heather ignatin -- hignatin@ocregister.com

thanks very much!

fred karger
www.savetheboom.com

Send us your memories of the bar, due to close Labor Day.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
After decades of operation, the Boom Boom Room – a landmark gay bar in Laguna Beach – will close its doors Sept. 3. Please send us your favorite memories and pictures at cwoodall@ocregister.com and hignatin@ocregister.com.
Contact the writer: cwoodall@ocregister.com or hignatin@ocregister.com