Now that SantaCon is apparently a free agent, one block association is doing its best to ensure that the annual pub crawl/sign of the apocalypse won't be welcome on the Lower East Side.
According to an article by Lisha Arino at DNAinfo, the L.E.S. Dwellers wrote letters asking bar owners in Hell Square to decline from participating in SantaCon. (The group also sent out the SantaCon Free Zone flyers.)
The group is worried that since Bushwick is out of the picture, the SantaConners will be calling on the East Village/LES this Dec. 13.
But! Per the article:
SantaCon organizers responded Monday afternoon that the event would not be held in Community Board 3 area, which includes the East Village, Lower East Side and Chinatown, according to board chairwoman Gigi Li and Assemblyman Sheldon Silver.
"I am glad that the organizers of Santacon have listened to the legitimate concerns of our local residents and have agreed not to hold their event on the Lower East Side," Silver said in a statement. "I expect them to honor that commitment."
Santa con good for business bad for satan.
ReplyDeleteAnd it continues on, and on, and on, and on...
ReplyDeleteOf course it's unpleasant but it's highly transient, too... for something that is TYPICALLY (with maybe an exception or two) substantially present for maybe 2-3 hours on one day a year, people sure do get bent out-of-shape about it for an entire month ahead of time.
I hope people with such fervor are able to similarly channel that energy into feeding the less-fortunate on Thanksgiving this year.
Brian, its more like every day around here, except one day they play dress up in santa clothes. its like halloween can never end for these big children.
ReplyDeleteThere is no way to stop the horror of Santa con unless bars and pubs ban anyone in a santa costume. The organizers use social media to rally the alcoholics in training to santa friendly dives. Santa Con is cherry on top of the year long binge drinking assault brought to us from current and former frat bro's and slut-orities. This event poses a threat to it participants are well. Every year I see stray Santa's staggering around falling down after being separated from their pack. One last year was lying the road outside my house in the snow. He managed to get up before he was run over.
ReplyDeleteSantacon does NOT last 2-3 hours a day. Last year it started at 10AM in the morning , went well into early Sunday morning and attracted more than 35,000 drunks. It's gotten so bad the LIRR had to ban booze because of it, the NYPD had to come out in full force, midtown bars have banned it, and neighborhoods are telling them to stay away. Don't downplay it.
ReplyDeleteSantacon and its patron Satan continues on, and on, and on, and on...
ReplyDeleteThe weak do not like realizing they are so.
Re: Brian. It's not 2 or 3 hours. I've see people completely wasted at noon walk right into oncoming trafic on busy avenues such as 1st & 2nd Ave and stagger to stand up while his bros come & hold him up.
ReplyDeleteI'm really just baffled that we live in a world where people are taking a stand for those who want to get blackout drunk by noon. We used to call them bums, now we call them bros.
ReplyDeleteDefending alcoholism is their way of denying their own addiction.
ReplyDelete@Brian, I don't know what bubble you're living in, but out here in the REAL WORLD, Santacon is a drunk-fest that lasts about 18 hours: from 10am until 4am the following morning, when the last boozers have to leave the bars.
ReplyDeleteLast year I was almost knocked over in front of my home by a sidewalk-wide Santacon group making their way "merrily" down my block - they were already drunk (could smell the booze on their breath with no effort!) at 11am on that Saturday.
Dear EV Grieve: Please work Santa con into the title of every article that references ways EV residents can do something positive. Community garden events- volunteering at the Bowery Mission etc. Everyone reads Santa con stories and all the comments too!
ReplyDeleteBrian, They won't. They live to complain.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the patron Saint of SatanCon, it's only about 2-3 hours:
ReplyDelete2-3 hours pre-gaming on the LIRR and MTA Trains or on their dorms, condos, shaed apartments. Then
2-3 hours of quaffing during the "official" charity event, wherever they ever decide on that'll be. Then
off to the 2-3+ bars and spend 2-3 hours at each of those bars during the post meet-up charity giving. Then
2-3 hours of celebrating on the streets and sidewalks with the obligatory jolly ol' WOOOOOOOOING because they feel soooo great about themselves after being charitable. Then
2-3 hours of fighting on the streets, over cabs, in cabs, to decide who's the best altruistic of them all. Then
2-3 hours of post celebration imbibing back on the LIRR, MTA Trains, and their dorms, condos, and shared apartments.
So you whiners better spend your time feeding the less fortunate and being benevolent like this humanitarian event and emulate the magnanimity of St. BV.