Tens of thousands of St. Nick fans in festive costumes have taken to the streets of New York to celebrate SantaCon 2022 – as the NYPD braces for riotous and drunken behavior at the infamous annual event.
Hordes of revelers who like Mr. and Mrs. Klaus dressed up, Christmas trees, reindeer, elves and even the Grinch abounded Times Square on Saturday at 10am to kick off the festivities.
The public is there to take part in an epic bar crawl that will include 65 bars, clubs and venues from Midtown to the East Village – with proceeds from $15 tickets going to charity.
‘Looking for a seat without the queue?! There are FOUR great clubs on the West Side where you can spend your time dancing instead of standing outside. You can go to any venue all day with your wristband on,” wrote one promoter.
Revelers were in good spirits – if a little chilly – as they wandered the streets dancing, jumping, singing, playing games like limbo and listening to live music while snapping photos of the fun scenes around them.
Thousands of Santa lookalikes flood the streets of New York, dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Christmas trees, reindeer, elves and even the Grinch
A group of twenty-somethings and younger who enjoy taking pictures and are in the holiday spirit
An estimated 30,000 festive festive costumes took to the streets of NYC on Saturday to celebrate SantaCon
The annual event begins at 10 a.m. in Times Square and ends in the East Village
A partygoer tries to “say cheese” next to a friend during a photo shoot in his Grinch Santa way.
Some of the Santas were seen wandering the streets of New York madly, unaffected by the thousands of revelers around them
A group of Grinch-loving friends appear to be posing for a photo at SantaCon NYC dressed in a lime onesie
However, the event is notorious for getting out of hand and did game unpopular with New Yorkers, who have experienced alcohol-related incidents for years, including public urination, littering and drunken fights.
Just hours before event would begin, the NYPD issued a firm message on Twitter: “It’s that time again! #Santacon attendees – please stay off the NYPD naughty list. We’ll be there to make sure you behave. Be safe and respect all New Yorkers.”
A spokesperson for the NYPD told DailyMail.com that no arrests had been made so far and that sufficient police officers had been deployed to deal with the crowd.
In 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joked that a GrinchCon might be set against the polarizing event. She suggested setting up a “tea and coffee tour” to spread “peace and tranquility”.
SantaCon began in San Francisco in 1994 and has since expanded to nearly 300 locations. The NYC event has become the largest and has been blamed for sparking a surge in COVID-19 over the past year.
Event organizers say SantaCon is a “charitable, non-political, no-nonsense Santa convention held once a year to spread absurd cheer.” It claims to have raised $900,000 for charity in the past decade.
The SantaCon brings people together. The event began in San Francisco in 1994 and has since expanded to nearly 300 locations. The photo shows a costumed Santa with some snow on his cheeks and nose, a string of lights around his neck, standing next to a red-haired elf
The NYC event has become the largest and has been blamed for sparking a surge in COVID-19 over the past year
A good time for all occurs at SantaCon when many young children join in the day’s celebrations
A partygoer wears a matching outfit, with an inflatable Santa doll towering high with the words “NY SantaCon” written on it
Three glamorous friends smile warmly as they celebrate SantaCon 2022 in New York City on Saturday, December 10
People in Santa and Christmas costumes at SantaCon NYC on Saturday, December 10, 2022 in New York. This couple went all out in their eye-catching costumes
Wearing everything but a hat that reads “Naughty” at SantaCon NYC, a half-naked Santa poses next to a friend wearing a white fur-trimmed velvet number and matching hat, while another Santa lookalike stands amused nearby
A young girl plays a game of limbo in the street as the public cheers her on at SantaCon 2022
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
