Mooning Of The Amtrak Date, Details History & Mug’s Away Saloon Party

The Annual Party Continues At Mug’s Away Saloon And Why The Mooning Of The Amtrak Is So Famous?

Part Orange County tradition, part roadside spectacle and part giant party, the Mooning of the Amtrak has attracted train-watchers, pranksters and curious spectators for decades. Here’s the history behind one of California’s strangest annual events.

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Events Blogger

Beers and rears returned to the Mug’s Away Saloon in Laguna Niguel on Saturday, July 14, 2025 as the Mooning of the Amtrak – Southern California’s unique bar-inspired event – waves to train passengers with a different kind of greeting.

People line up against the fence next to the tracks, drop their shorts and turn their behinds to the train, thus mooning the Amtrak and the people on board it.

This is the 47th anniversary of the mooning – it started in 1979 – which was started by two guys who were drinking beers in the Mug’s Away bar. For some reason, they thought it would be a good idea to go out and moon the passing train and a tradition was born. It is held the second Saturday of July, which would make it July 11 in 2026 – and that is the date that remains to this day.

In the subsequent years more and more people joined in and eventually several hundred people took part in it, some even arriving and spending the night in motorhomes.

An attempt by the Orange County sheriff – he even brought in helicopters and unnecessarily spent tons of taxpayer’s money – to shut it down in 2008 caused it to drop in popularity but as proof that you can’t keep a good event down (unlike the pants on the participants) it is still happening today.

The Mug’s Away serves as the host bar and even posts the Amtrak schedule on the wall. When the train approaches, people rush out of the bar and drop their shorts. The actual name of the train is the Pacific Surfliner and the conductor actually slows down as he approaches the area. A few people see it from all angles – they get on the train and then moon it from in front of the Mug’s Away.

It’s a cool and crazy scene, with sponsor tents taking up space in the parking lot. It goes on all day and even into the nigh, until the last train has passed by this location. It is important to note that this is not a family-friendly event!

Of course when you’re in the bar it’s not the “moons” you are looking at but the boobs on the bodacious bartenders.

Links
• Mooning Of The Amtrak First-Person Review
• Mooning Of Amtrak Website
• Mug’s Away Saloon Facebook Page
• Mooning Of The Amtrak Instagram

Kevin Wilkerson is the founder of PubClub.com, an award-winning journalist and nightlife expert who has covered destinations, events and entertainment for more than two decades. While working as a newspaper reporter, he received an Associated Press award for investigative journalism.