STRIKE UP THE BANDS! YOUNG MUSICIANS MARCHING TO SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK OCTOBER 15

BOARDWALK TO HOST 8th ANNUAL CLASSIC, MUSCLE, AND CUSTOM CAR SHOW

Laffing Sal Rides Again at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk!

A Special Report by Rick West

Some folks come out of retirement because they are bored.  Others come out because their skills and know-how are suddenly vital to the growth and expansion of a company.  And then there are those who simply go for a second round because the opportunity is there - for the right price.

The latter fairly explains the addition of a San Francisco icon, Laffing Sal, which resided at the old Playland at the Beach boardwalk area - along Ocean Beach just below the world-famous Cliff House restaurant.

Laffing Sal greeted visitors to the Crazy House, the park's fun house for many years before her laughter fell into silence and like much of our American boardwalk history, became a memory.

Flash forward several decades and $50,000 later to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, one of California's true gems of yesteryear.  In fact, the Boardwalk is one of the greatest still in existence anywhere in the world thanks to its dedicated staff and countless fans - from all corners of the world.

At the end of May, as part of the kick-off of the Boardwalk's 98th Season, company officials very proudly unveiled Sal in her new home, near the entrance of the Boardwalk (specifically,  in the entrance to Neptune's).  Laffing Sal has been given a clean change of clothes, some physical therapy and a new digital voice; the old gal's good to go for a few more decades now in Santa Cruz!

Some may wonder why the Boardwalk would sink $50,000 into a laughing mechanical figure from San Francisco's past.  I think that with all of the options the company had, this is a chunk of change well-spent.

Look at it this way - not that anyone is asking the Boardwalk to defend themselves - the company could have spent $50,000 on a couple new Dippin' Dots carts, one or two new midway game installations or something else immediately forgettable.

However, people within the organization saw that there was an opportunity to restore and return one of the industry's most high-profile icons to the public's eyes and ears.  Will Laffing Sal bring in $50,000-worth of business to the Boardwalk to justify the expense?  Probably not; I don't think that is or ever was a factor.  Will most of the visitors to the Boardwalk stop by, marvel at and enjoy Laffing Sal?  Probably not, if we're being honest.  The majority of the Boardwalk's visitors have two things in mind - thrills on rides and scamming on other guys and gals.  That's the way it is, and there isn't anything wrong with it!  We've all been there and done that; hell, most of our readers still do that!  It's all good!

Honestly, I don't think the Boardwalk staff expects masses to come swarming to Santa Cruz just to see Laffing Sal in the window of Neptune's.  That was never the point, which makes me so happy about this whole thing.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is not only a contemporary, thriving business that doubles as a tourist attraction as well as hang-out for tons of locals each year; it's an echo of the past that we owe so much to in this industry - for without our great (and not-so-great) boardwalks, we most certainly would not have the theme parks, attractions or industry as we know it today.

The fact that the Boardwalk management would go out of their way to preserve a piece of the past - that just rocks, and everyone involved in this needs to be given major props; not every company in the same position would have done the same thing.

There was a sprinkling of media on-hand to witness the unveiling of Laffing Sal; the majority of people hanging around were executives and staff of the Boardwalk.  Everyone was in high spirits - the mood was great as well as exciting.  I loved the fact that Theme Park Adventure was asked to share in this awesome moment with them.

Just after 11:00 a.m., Paul Hammond, the Boardwalk's Director of Promotions, welcomed the crowd and talked about the Boardwalk's new season, the new rides/attractions and of course, the addition of the famous Sal to the property.

Several people were acknowledged, including Bonnie Minford, Boardwalk Archivist, Crecia Munson, Maintenance Development Assistant (who gave Sal her brand new clothes) and Carl Henn, Maintenance Development Director.  Another key player in the Sal project was Donaven Staab, who used digital technology to bring her contagious laughter to Santa Cruz for years to come.

After the brief-but-heartfelt ceremony, Laffing Sal was unveiled and the media was allowed their first glimpse of the good ol' gal.

Santa Cruz City Councilman Ryan Coonerty read a special proclamation from the Mayor's office, making May 27, 2005, Laffing Sal Day in Santa Cruz.  With the cheers and applause from the gathered crowd, Sal began her laughing right on cue - what a pro!

Paul Hammond, the Boardwalk's Director of Promotions, was the MC for the Laffing Sal event. ©TPA

Along with Laffing Sal, there was a table set up with old Playland memorabilia as well as some of her old clothes from San Francisco.  It was a great little display that really added to the depth of the media event.

Once the crowd thinned, we snapped our pictures and went on to enjoy the rest of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk for the rest of the day.  It was a great trip - not too crowded, not too hot and everyone was enjoying the beach to its fullest!

In addition to Laffing Sal, visitors to the Boardwalk this year should especially check out their newest attractions - Double Shot and a haunted walk-through maze called Fright Walk.  I'm not big on heights, so Double Shot was out of the question.  My little girl was having nothing to do with dark rides, so Fright Walk was out of the question this time around, although TPA does anticipate doing a piece on the maze sooner than later!

We'd like to thank our friends at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for having Theme Park Adventure out and again, we'd like to extend our utmost congratulations to them.  A great piece of industry history now has a perfect home - major kudos to the Boardwalk team!

Now, with that said, enjoy the rest of the images and get yourself to Santa Cruz for some Boardwalk fun in the sun - the thrills are waiting and the laughter.. well, the laughter has never been more awesome!

Two of the guys from Technical Services.  Donaven Staab, left, was responsible for Sal's new digital soundtrack and Mark Hersey, who overhauled Sal's mechanics and oversaw her installation. ©TPA

 

Laffing Sal unveiled in her new home - outside of Neptune's at the Boardwalk! ©TPA

Santa Cruz City Councilman Ryan Coonerty proclaims May 27, 2005, Laffing Sal Day in Santa Cruz, by order of the Mayor! ©TPA

Outside of Neptune's was a table with old Laffing Sal clothes and memorabilia. ©TPA

Here's Sal in all her new-found glory at the Boardwalk! ©TPA

TPA's youngest staff member, Emily West, on hand to check out Sal. ©TPA

This is Sal's very cool necklace; look carefully at the tags! ©TPA

Our next target of interest - Fright Walk at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk!  Are you brave enough to enter its darkened halls? ©TPA

Be sure to catch a ride on the Boardwalk's newest attraction this summer, the Double Shot! ©TPA

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