At the turn on the 20th Century, restaurateur Gustav Mann purchased the Jewel City Cafe at “Seal Beach by the Sea.”
The new resort opened its second season on Memorial Day 1917 weekend by hosting an Allies Day Celebration. Seal Beach and the Joy Zone became a hangout for stars like Fatty Arbuckle and Theda Bara.
When Buster Keaton, who got his start in Arbuckle’s unit, was drafted into the military, Arbuckle and others threw him a lavish going away party at the Jewel City Cafe.
During that time, Mack Sennett shot a “Seal Beach Bathing Beauties two-reeler.”
It all began with the annual Seal Beach Bathing Beauties parades that were held in cooperation with the Mack Sennett Studio, which recorded the events for posterity.
Those early days events were the forerunner of what became The Miss Seal Beach Pageant. The event has been running mostly full time for decades.
For many years, Seal Beach resident Barbie Meyer ran the Miss Seal Beach Pageant and enrolled hundreds of young women into the program. However, Meyer retired a few years ago.
Rosie Ritchie, a former Miss Seal Beach whose daughter is also a former Jr. Miss Seal Beach, ressurrected the event after it had a short hiatus. This will be the second year that Ritchie has presented the pageant.
Registration has begun for the Miss Seal Beach Pageant 2013.
Ritchie explained the process: There are four categories for young women and girls to participate in the pageant: Miss Seal Beach, ages 17 to 21; Miss Teen Seal Beach, ages 13 to 16; Jr. Miss Seal Beach, must be in grades 4 to 6, and the Little Miss Seal Beach whose contestants must be in grades 1 to 3.
The Little Miss Seal Beach is a natural pageant. Therefore, enhancements such as lashes, hair extensions, spray tans or false teeth are prohibited.
Do you know someone eager to promote your business and represent the city?
Submit your contestant today for the 2013 Miss Seal Beach Pageant.
Each winner will spend the next year spreading good will as they appear on behalf of your business and the city of Seal Beach. The pageant is are an organization that consistently brings amazing young women to the forefront and supports them as they work to achieve their academic and personal goals.
For an application, go to rosieritchie.com and click on Miss Seal Beach.
