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Red wave! Thousands of St. Nick fans flock to New York City for SantaCon as the NYPD prepares for the event’s notorious flurry of drunken and lewd behavior.
- An estimated 30,000 revelers in festive costumes took to the streets of New York to celebrate SantaCon on Saturday.
- The annual event kicks off at 10 am in Times Square (39th and Broadway) and runs until late afternoon.
- He is known for his drunken and debauched behavior, but an NYPD spokesman said no arrests had been made yet.
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Tens of thousands of festively costumed St. Nick fans have invaded the streets of New York to celebrate SantaCon 2022, as the NYPD braces for debauched and drunken behavior at the notorious annual event.
Hordes of revelers dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Christmas trees, reindeer, elves and even the Grinch flooded Times Square at 10 a.m. Saturday to kick off the festivities.
The crowd is there to take part in an epic pub crawl that includes sixty-five bars, clubs and venues from Midtown to the East Village, with proceeds from the $15 tickets donated to charity.
‘Looking for a place with no line?! There are FOUR great clubs on the West Side where you can spend time dancing instead of standing outside. You can go anywhere all day with your bracelet,” wrote a promoter.
The partygoers were in good spirits, if a little cold, as they paraded through the streets, dancing, jumping, singing, playing games like limbo, and listening to live music while taking photos of the fun scenes around them.
Thousands of Santa impersonators flood the streets of New York dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Christmas trees, reindeer, elves and even the Grinch.
A group of twentysomethings and younger having fun taking photos and getting in the Christmas spirit.
An estimated 30,000 revelers in festive costumes took to the streets of New York to celebrate SantaCon on Saturday.
The annual event begins at 10 am in Times Square and ends in the East Village.
A partygoer tries to ‘say cheese’ on his Grinch-Santa by standing up during a photo shoot alongside a friend
Some of the Santa Clauses were seen running amok on the streets of New York undeterred by the thousands of revelers surrounding them.
A group of Grinch-loving partygoers at SantaCon NYC dressed in lime-colored onsies appear to be enjoying themselves
However, the event is known to get out of hand and has become wildly unpopular with New Yorkers who have had to endure years of alcohol-induced incidents including public urination, littering and drunken brawls.
Just a few hours before the event was about to start, the NYPD issued a strong message on Twitter: ‘It’s that time again! #Santacon participants: keep off the NYPD naughty list. We’ll be out there making sure you’re behaving. Please be safe and respectful to all New Yorkers.’
An NYPD spokesperson told DailyMail.com that no arrests have been made so far and an adequate number of police officers have been deployed to handle the crowds.
In 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joked that a GrinchCon could be staged against the polarizing event. She suggested that a ‘tea and coffee tour’ could be set up, spreading ‘peace and quiet’.
The annual celebration began in San Francisco in 1994 and has since spread to nearly 300 locations. The event in New York has become the biggest and last year was blamed for causing a spike in COVID-19.
Event organizers say SantaCon is a “nonsensical, apolitical, charitable Santa convention held once a year to spread absurd joy.” He claims to have raised $900,000 for charities in the last decade.
SantaCon brings people together. The event began in San Francisco in 1994 and has since spread to nearly 300 venues. The photo shows a costumed Santa Claus with a bit of snow on his cheeks and nose, for added effect, and a string of Christmas lights around his neck alongside a red-haired elf.
The event in New York has become the biggest and last year was blamed for causing a spike in COVID-19.
A good time for all is happening at SantaCon with many young children taking part in the day’s festivities.
A partygoer wears an outfit to match the inflatable Santa doll which is sky high with the words ‘NY SantaCon’ written on it
Three glamorous looking friends smile as they celebrate Santacon 2022 in New York City on Saturday, December 10.
People dressed as Santa Claus and holiday-related costumes attend the SantaCon NYC event on Saturday, December 10, 2022 in New York City. This couple is decked out in their flashy costumes.
A partially nude Santa shows off almost everything in his hat that says “Naughty” at SantaCon NYC posing next to a female friend dressed in a white fur-trimmed velor suit and matching hat while another Santa look-alike stands nearby amused