OUR HISTORY

To know is to understand and to know Miss Gay New Jersey is to understand that it is a position of hard work, determination, some talent, and a lot of balls! Miss Gay New Jersey is very much like a phoenix rising from the ashes, much like Asbury Park itself. What the Miss America Pageant was to Atlantic City, the Miss Gay New Jersey Pageant is to Asbury Park, which is our home.
 
Early in the 1970’s, Asbury Park became known as “the Gay Riviera on the Eastern Seaboard” mostly because of the pristine ocean front and beautiful boardwalk, but also because of all the “beautiful” men and women who would be vacationing with their friends and families. Asbury Park suddenly became a mecca for Gay life. The town is the direct meeting point for the two metropolitan cities of New York and Philadelphia on the Atlantic Ocean shoreline. A gay population bloomed with all kinds of artists and socialites. The area hosted many gay bars and, most notably, on renowned Cookman Avenue was a legendary spot known as The Odyssey, owned by the colorful Ray Palazzo.
 
Miss Gay New Jersey was Mr. Palazzo’s brainchild and the four years he ran the pageant to the years afterward when Jaye Chambers and JASPO Productions were the promoters, the pageant grew and flourished. Into the 1990’s, the title continued to gain popularity and with the entry into the new millennium, the concept of what a high-profile event such as this took on new meaning. MGNJA, Inc. was established in 1999 by John Bertrand, Tyler Evertsen, Andrea Cancro, and Scott Doherty. The Beacon Light Fund was created to help PWA’s and those affected by HIV/AIDS in hard financial times. The titles of Miss Gay NJ @ Large and Mr. Gay NJ were added to further promote the opportunity to help those in need. Furthermore, the title of Mr. Gay New Jersey MI was added for one year, and will always be a part of the Gay NJ Titleholder Family. Later in the second decade of the 2000s, the titles of Miss Gay New Jersey Latina and Miss Gay New Jersey Newcomer were added for a few years as well. All the winners of these titles will forever be a part of New Jersey history and will always have a home at MGNJA, Inc. in perpetuity.
 
These past few years have seen many changes in the organization, which strives to help those in need in our community. We continue to endeavor to make our organization a model to the public and help those who seek our help. With renewed vigor after being shut down for two years during the COVID Pandemic, we resurrected the titles of Miss and Mr. Gay New Jersey in 2022. That was followed by another competition in 2023, both were held at The House of Independents on infamous Cookman Avenue, where the title of Miss Gay New Jersey began over forty years ago. We know that those who have departed this life are with us in spirit and will always guide us ethereally.
 
This year, we went back to one of our more illustrious settings at The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel. It proved to be one of the most successful and enjoyable events we have held in a long time! The only way our history can continue is by your help and input. Please volunteer in any way you can! Become a volunteer or member of our ever-growing Board.

BEACON LIGHT FUND (administered by MGNJA, Inc.)
Michael Vamvas- email michael@mgnja.org