SantaCon
santacon annual pub crawl people dressed santa claus costume christmas character parade hundred city around world event sometimes characterized drunken behavior sparking community resistance santacon began san francisco inspired mother jones article danish activist theatre group solvognen solvognen gathered dozen santa copenhagen hand item shelf department store customer present arrested staged street theater local prankster group cacophony society — grown earlier suicide club — aim make fun christmas rampant consumerism associated holiday originally called santarchy influenced surrealist movement discordianism subversive art current intended recurrent event however event occurred san francisco cacophony society event participant least two arrest santacon came portland seattle los angeles new york young san franciscan strapped fake white beard donned red suit led santa went caroling fifth avenue manhattan delight passersby since evolved spread country around world varying version interpretation event scheduled city including new york city london vancouver belfast moscow new york santacon largest estimated people participating event much smaller subdued participating spokane washington event also variously known santarchy santa rampage red menace santapalooza december article vox described santacon roving loosely organized event people dress like santa claus elf holiday figure parade around city varying state sobriety comparable adult party day like st patrick day halloween organized one particular group though occasionally dominant organization city varying degree cooperation local business new york city far largest santacon venue event criticized widespread drunkenness sporadic violence community board meeting lower manhattan resident complained neighborhood terrorized santacon participant december cover story village voice recounted santacon evolved joyful performance art originated san francisco reviled bar crawl drunken brawling vandalism public urination disorder new york city elsewhere resulting fierce community resistance disavowal originator event emergency room physician tweeted day dreaded er physician another tweeted nyc folk understand horror learning im working er santacon weekend article santacon gothamist called santacon annual drunken shitshow steadily devolved cleverly subversive barely tolerable time lock apartment day new york daily news reported event endures annual backlash new yorkers repulsed sight santa vomiting urinating street year past new york city santacon participant left trail trouble hell kitchen midtown manhattan east village williamsburg resident complained reveler vomited urinated street fought one source tension resident reveler come event outside city official organizer described nonsensical santa claus convention happens year absolutely reason saying website raised year new york charity participant donated pound kg canned food city harvest year new york time described event daylong bar crawl begin good cheer many inevitably end blurry boozesoaked haze drunken behavior disrupted part manhattan brooklyn led call event ended participant misbehavior curbed event monitored supported new york city police department community opposition increased santacon evolved village voice described daylong spectacle public inebriation somewhere lowrent mardi gras drunken fraternity partyan oped new york time eve santacon criticized sexism drunkenness xenophobia homophobia enough incident public vomiting urination fill infinite dunk tank said contributes absolutely zero value – cultural artistic aesthetic diversionary culinary political – host neighborhood quite simply santacon parasite business insider called event dreaded annual event frat house expat wreak havoc city dressed jolly holiday icon nypd lieutenant hell kitchen sent open letter local tavern said thousand intoxicated partygoer roam street urinating littering vomiting vandalizing tolerated neighborhood lower east side manhattan resident posted notice telling santacon participant stay away saying alcohol soaked father christmasthemed flash mob welcome take body fluid public intoxication elsewhere los angeles time reported see santacon way people live suburb come city ruin weekend prior santacon city authority demanded advance notice route pub crawl event diverted lower east side midtown manhattan complaint resident went east village part brooklyn originally planned santacon new york city long island rail road metronorth railroad new jersey transit banned alcohol consumption train hour santacon subdued previous one due alcohol ban train also increased police presence poor weather advance coordination authority santacon organizer said group aware backlash sought curb participant misconduct use helper elf along santacon route arrest santacon new york city far fewer summons issued visible police presence poor weather credited decrease complaint crowd public drunkenness continued santa would less take east village – visiting bar affiliation santacon whatsoever angering patron establishment interest caught debauchery community leader bushwick brooklyn banded together block santacon organizer announced intent move event neighborhood rafael espinal jr city councilman representing bushwick urged bar refrain participating event boycott santacon website launched opponent bar said would refuse entry santacon participant new york city park department refused issue permit use local park leading organizer cancel plan santacon bushwick withdrawal bushwick opposition community board representing lower east side hell kitchen event rescheduled december bar midtown manhattan event organizer hired norman siegel civil right attorney defend right express within parameter first amendment santacon coincided demonstration manhattan police brutality sparked michael brown eric garner case police arrested participant handed summons santacon took place december summons offense included carrying open container disorderly conduct public urination one participant arrested assault one possession weapon three drug possession anticipation santacon scheduled december metronorth railroad banned alcohol train station event scheduled take place midtown manhattan east village flatiron district hundred summons handed police arrest new york daily news reported pub crawl left trail vomit destruction throughout east village one bar robbed vandalized santacon participant new york city santacon took place december steppedup police presence hour liquor ban long island rail road train curbed disorder police reported one arrest two arrest summons reported santacon dec bar time square midtown chelsea east village long island railroad metronorth new jersey transit banned alcohol train day citizen campaign launched ban future santacons city plan santa party boat disapproved three new york legislator raised concern marina operator new york city santacon website stated would officially sanctioned new york santacon event due covid pandemic event returned th annual santacon took place december santacon hoboken new jersey people arrested taken hospital arrested including two aggravated assault police officer one sexual offense hobokens mayor ravi bhalla said santacon remains detriment city hoboken would continue explore way mitigate impact future ‘con’ events” hoboken santacon eight person arrested summons issued call assistance twenty person hospitalized alcoholrelated issue police chief ken ferrante said event sanctioned city cost extra police manpower said purported charitable purpose sham saint paul lowertown santacon first held lowertown historic district saint paul minnesota organized local artist featuring roving brass band playing christmas carol first several year pub crawl selfdescribed half spectacle half pub crawl half flash mob—that’s one half things—in historic former art district lowertown saint paul mn unlike infamous new york santacon smaller event avoided negative press welcomed local community even included family friendly first stop route child meet costumed krampus portland oregon santacon organized cacophony society originated santacon city sought recapture event root oregonian commented massively popular new york santacon made bold statement first amendment right saturday portland santacons statement went back charmingly subversive attitude started santacon organizer said city san francisco sanction event event went despite city objection concerned safety crowd control permit issued crowd thinner past event held subsequent year pub crawl santacon information