Yesterday, SantaCon organizers unveiled the 2021 route, which starts at 10 a.m. at 40th and Broadway. Per the SantaCon website: "We will be dancing in the streets and will unleash a holiday celebration NYC has never imagined possible!"
A $13 donation gets your Santa Badge and access to participating bars, mainly in Midtown West and East. Six of the bars are in the East Village: The Grayson, 16 First Ave., Amsterdam Billiards & Bar, 110 E. 11th St., Doc Holliday's, 141 Avenue A, Horseshoe Bar/7B, 108 Avenue B, the Phoenix, 447 E. 13th St., and Solas, 232 E. Ninth St.
However, as we've seen in previous Cons, bars not on the official list are often all too happy to participate, including the 13th Step. (The SantaCon website states that participants must have proof of COVID vaccination.)
Meanwhile, ahead of the 2021 bar list, someone launched a Cancel SantaCon petition...
Per the petition:
SantaCon is the worst day of the year in New York City. Each year thousands of belligerent drunk people in Santa costumes flood New York City streets, leaving behind a trail of fistfights, vomit, urine and garbage. John Oliver did a segment on the event which highlighted the faux-charitable nature of the pub crawl. He stated that each SantaCon participant only raises $1.66 for charity, which is hardly enough to excuse the violent and inappropriate behavior. The evidence is crystal clear: Santacon does more bad than good.This year New York City residents have had enough! We are calling for Mayor Bill de Blasio to show leadership and order the cancelation of Santacon. We believe that this is an issue that unites New Yorkers of all races, religions, and political beliefs.Please sign this petition so we can end SantaCon in New York City once and for all.
You can find the petition here.
And the petition garnered some support via Twitter...
Oh, and here's the John Oliver segment from December 2019 mentioned in the petition ...Dare I say that I’m aligned? https://t.co/u7cybp4GDL pic.twitter.com/x9Twdjp67x
— Gossip Girl (@gossipgirl) December 5, 2021
64 comments:
I understand the annoyance and foolishness this day-drinking event brings.
BUT
After nearly 2 years of slow business, the money this will bring to our neighborhood restaurants and bars is a GOOD thing.
Maybe we should save the "Let's Cancel SantaCon" chants for a year when our local businesses are thriving.
Agree with 5:49am. This will be a shot in the arm to businesses. Sure there are done annoyances but it's also a big source of business and foot traffic when the city is still recovering.
I'd add that like most things these days people should really focus on addressing problems as opposed to immediately jumping to blanket cancellation. Yes there are problems but focus on the problems and maybe the cops should actually enforce laws.
@5:49: No.Being subject to extra belligerence, vomit and fights shouldn't be the price neighbors pay for a night of bar owners' good receipts, slow economy or otherwise
SANTA FIGHT!
This isn't the massive windfall either of you think it is. It's an above average night when most of these businesses are already recovering and doing well enough not to need a bunch of bridge and tunnel fratbros that'll spend the night playing grabass, throwing up everywhere, and bringing their specific flavor of douchebag to our neighborhood.
If it was such a matter of life and death for these businesses as you seem to think they are, perhaps more than 6 bars in the neighborhood would have participated, but there are a lot more "No santas welcome" than there are santa inviting bars.
100% 7:06....Do we need loud RAUNCHY VULGARIANS for a full day of THEIR Pleasure while we cant walk our own streets?
"BUT After nearly 2 years of slow business, the money this will bring to our neighborhood restaurants and bars is a GOOD thing."
Just another shitty excuse to justify anti-social behavior and show the word it's all about their needs the rest of us and go fuck ourselves.
https://nypost.com/2021/07/03/new-proposal-would-bring-24-hour-nightlife-to-new-york-city/
Times Square is a more appropriate location for this event.
@7:06AM & @8:04AM: 1,000% correct. Let these fratjerks stay home & vomit in their own 'burban neighborhoods.
SantaCon this year is not only the usual shitshow, it's also going to bring a nice Covid super-spreader event to our area. Don't know why the city didn't stop it, but that's de Blah-shio for you; he's already checked out.
And vomit is bad enough, but spreading Covid in our neighborhood just so they can say "hey, I threw up in the East Village!" is totally immoral. I hope all the Santacon participants get the karma they deserve, and very quickly - maybe in time to ruin the rest of their holiday season.
Defending SantaCon is defending the indefensible. And as I have pointed out many times, if this was a POC event, the National Guard would be called out. White Privilege say what?
BTW, the bartenders hate it. They come in as a drunken herd, buy one round, puke and piss up the bathrooms, leave shit for tips and off they go to the next bar.
BTW, the Penny Farthing is a no SantaCon bar again this year. Good for them. Patronize them.
Yea this will help businesses, no the bars did not really suffer during the pandemic.
Stop normalizing the the belligerent and abusive behavior of these drunken idiots who terrorize our neighborhoods under the guise that it will be good for businesses. The upside is if they wish to enter the bars, they will have to present their ID's and vaccination cards. However, yes, with COVID and the new variant, highly packed bars with intoxicated bros and sorority sisters is not a pretty sight. I work as a bartender at a small restaurant in the west village on MacDougal. Luckily, we are not participating in Santa Con, but I have a feeling many will try to gain access to our entrance. It is a stressful time for those of us in the industry pertaining to safety and working conditions when things can become intolerable. I've worked a few years where Santa Con participants came crashing through the door and it was horrific. It felt like a tsunami of drunken Santas wanting to attack us. I don't even care about the money. I just want all of these individuals to leave us alone. Many are rude, disrespectful. classless, and they don't tip. Who wants to deal with that? I just wish this entire event would cease to exist.
A SUPERSPREADER we don't need in our neighborhood. Do any of you realize how many of these kids wind up in the emergency room.
Fuck Docs. I don't know why they do this every year. I go there way less. now cause it always bothers me that they cater to that. Obnoxious.
I sheltered in Grassroots one year, which was a No Santa location. Despite the bouncer's best efforts, hordes of them kept trying to get in. They beat on the door screaming. It was unreal. Eventually, there were too many of them and they forced their way in, so those of us inside had to leave. Staff had to then deal with the destruction. Good for business? No.
Will the bars be checking vaccination cards?
I'm amused that the writer of this petition called on Mayor DeBlahsio to show "leadership" for the people he was elected to represent; he's had eight years to do so and whiffed, so what makes them think he hd any plans to do so in the final three weeks (thank GOD) of his do-nothing mayoralty?
Are you sure this isn’t the script for Shaun of the dead?
Hi. It's me again, the angriest person in the world, as you may have noticed every time there is any article on any subject that might even remotely involve a car or street parking or streets or bikes or a car or a bike or a road in an article I read I can't help but to post angry comments about how angry I am about car or street parking or streets or bikes or a car or a bike and a car on a road.
Needless to say I am beside myself with anguish even thinking about what if one or more of these Santaconartists might use public streets for anything other than my riding my bike. Gosh I am so angry. It's not easy to be this angry all the time. Whew!
It is local business owners who allow SantaCon to happen in our neighborhood. They Mayor (hah!) can't do a thing about it. I believe it falls under freedom of expression. Every year there is a santa con its easy to identify the local bars who participate and equally easy to decline to patronize them during the rest of the year. Though to be honest how many of us would set foot in 13 Steps or the others so not sure how effective this would be. As for our family we will lock the doors, hide the women and children and hope for the best. Just like New Years. St Patricks, Halloween, Pride, etc. Happy holidays everyone, xo, JG
Santicron
On Saturday, a new Covid variant will be invading the East Village. They call it Brovid.
Covid Con. Good luck to these kids.
Giovanni, you killed me with Brovid, hahahaha!
I've never seen a bigger group of crybabies than in this comment section who have clearly never participated. I've participated twice, have literally never once seen anyone puke. Not once.
Also adults in nyc are 90% vaccinated and you need vaccination to get into the bars. How much longer are you going to live in fear over "super spreader events" when that isn't even going to be the case.
Good god you people are pathetic.
You can come clean up the pee and vomit.
Hopefully the bars will charge triple for all Santa themed people that day.
Man i'm sick of this give businesses a shot in the arm BS etc... many of these businesses could give a shit about the neighborhood as a community many of the owners do not live here we've given up a lot some more than others to give businesses a shot in the arm it's time for them to stop asking, expecting the neighborhood to bend over so they can earn it's a joke please we the people of this community who live here deserve a shot in the arm of quiet nights and vomit free hassle free sidewalks
less transient housing more affordable forever homes for working people in the neighborhood
Might want to read a story about this new variant that's spreading everywhere, might change your perspective.
Then again, you probably dont get much service in whatever boondock ass part of new jersey or long Island you posted this from. Go try to relive your high school glory days in your dumpy ass town and stay out of our neighborhood.
" I've participated twice, have literally never once seen anyone puke. Not once. Also adults in nyc are 90% vaccinated and you need vaccination to get into the bars. How much longer are you going to live in fear over "super spreader events" when that isn't even going to be the case."
You were obviously too drunk to see the vomit you sat, stepped or wore down the front of your xmas rags. Your next clueless comment that 90% of NYC is vaccinate is some excuse-fantasy and omits the hoards of suburbanites who will participate who fit into the "free thinker" "anti-tax" category.
Final note, real adults don't binge drink in $10 costumes and make complete asses of themselves, just children who are barely 21 year of age do that.
Yes the bars will do good business on that day no doubt. A bunch of 20 somethings wearing Santa and Elve costumes spending hundreds of dollars for booze and having a good time while doing it. Drunken debauchery at its finest.
@2:05pm: NO, it's all those who participate who are pathetic. And if you claim to have participated twice and NEVER seen anyone puke, I don't believe you ... or maybe you're just legally blind.
It's disgusting (and offensive to all those who genuinely celebrate Christmas as a religious occasion) to have this Christmas-themed drunk-a-thon that *purports* to 'raise money for charity'.
I personally am unaware of any charity that gets money from this, much less a large amount of money from this. It's all shrouded in smoke and mirrors.
And really, $13 is all it costs as a "donation"? THAT is really pathetic. So the "organizer" (or, as I like to think of him, the Con-man in chief) gets all you bozos to pay $13 to this unspecified entity and then the Con-man in Chief gives you free reign (as if it's in his power to do so) to defile OUR neighborhood. I'd like to see this whole thing audited by the government: where does the money really go?
And you jerks just pile on every fucking year, which shows precisely how gullible and bereft of decency, respect & common sense you are. IMO, you're a bunch of sad people whose best idea for "having fun" is to get drunk, and THAT truly is pathetic.
Do I look down on you? Yes I do, b/c I see you as a bunch of mindless sheep. And your blithe dismissal of Covid cases that WILL result from this event just reinforces to me how mindless, heedless & reckless you all really are: uncaring of your own health or the health of others.
Cute map!
Here comes Omicron, here comes Santacon
Right past Cooper Square
Look there's an elf at an outdoor restaurant
Puking on her hair
Locals crying, yuppies dining, cops are nowhere in sight
Bros are stinking from day drinking as Santacon comes tonight
Fyi Bar None has closed on 3rd ave.
"Good god you people are pathetic."
I feel like this statement would be more impactful if you recorded yourself saying it while wearing your Santa suit.
I used to dislike SantaCon, and then Casey Neistat's take on it changed my mind: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5-RZauG5cEw
It's a party. Kids are having a good time once a year. They don't get to enjoy the big city like we do all the time. Be a little more generous. People are such grumps!
Hey I live in the East Village and happily read news suggesting that the new variant you're scaremongering about is actually less deadly and perhaps less dangerous despite being more virulent, which is the natural progression of viruses. Maybe try not spreading misinformation?
As ludicrous as it sounds, it can't really be stopped due to prior restraint issues and the fact they are in costume AND gathering in public (both 1st Amendment rights) while doing it. Norm Siegal (ACLU) was their lawyer for years. Not to mention the cops are on their side (primarily because they understand the above reality).
@9:21pm: Oh, please: "It's just kids having a good time once a year" - once a year? Do we all look that stupid to you? We LIVE here!! We know the East Village is party central EVERY EFFING WEEEKEND all year long. Then this Santa-Crap event comes along to intensify the bacchanal even more. Why? B/c they *can*, apparently, and certainly *not* for any "charitable" reason. If they wanted to be charitable, they'd stay home & get piss-drunk in their parents' basements and vomit on their own lawns.
Don't EVER try to pretend that this is some special case of "once a year" - b/c Halloween is once a year, and St. Paddy's Day is once a year, and 4th of July is once a year, and Pride Fest is once a year, and tons of other things are once a year; and it all adds up a hell of a lot more than "the kids" partying "once a year"!
Most of us would agree SantaCON is far & away the most offensive and egregious and unnecessary event, and that it insults the entire neighborhood & pretends we don't live here. Most of the other events don't involve people going out of their way to be visibly drunk starting before noon.
A couple of years ago, at 11 AM a bunch of very drunk guys wearing santa suits, walking 4 abreast down my block, almost knocked over 2 residents of my block who were standing on the sidewalk talking ... you know how actual neighbors run into each other and talk? Those jerks were already skunked at 11 AM and they forced everyone on the sidewalk out of their way. If you're drunk at 11 AM, you're not a "kid partying", you're someone with a drinking problem.
@9:29m: Maybe YOU should remember that the far more lethal Delta variant hasn't gone away, except in your imagination. And lots of out-of-NYC people either haven't been vaccinated, and some may be lying about their vaccination status.
Fellow neighbor, many of us would rather not have sloppy-drunk yobs using our neighborhood as a playpen / toilet in the first place. Sloppy drunk yobs + lots of cops isn’t an improvement.
I doubt they’re great tippers even when sober, too.
It’s odd how consistently bros & broettes can’t distinguish “crying” or “crybabies” from straightforward disdain. Someone needs to turn this event into a fundraiser for emotional illiteracy in your community.
People who can’t work because of disability or whatnot deserve housing too, but how are you connecting the dots between “Santacon isn’t a problem” and “more affordable housing”? The bars hosting this aren’t using the proceeds to build housing.
This was very witty and well worded.
The participants are not "kids". They are grown-ass adults who don't give a crap about destroying a neighborhood because they don't live here and don't have to face the consequences.
To the person who claims to have never seen any vomiting, come check out my stoop a couple of hours in to this stupid event and count the puddles of puke. We have to clean up this sh*t not just once a year, but every freaking weekend.
LOL seem to have struck a nerve here. I'm sure 95% of everyone complaining here is... old/ grumpy/ stick up their ass/ etc..
I no longer participate b-c it's too cold to wait in lines and yes... i know the bars can get pretty crazy and packed. I can appreciate anyone who actually WORKS in these bars do not look forward to maintaining the crowds. Fair.
To anyone who just lives in the city and gets THIS upset about a once a year bar crawl, get help.
And idc if you don't believe me, in the two years i participated, i saw no one puking, fighting, doing anything other than drinking and having a good time. There's fights and people puking probably every single weekend in NYC. You get so offended because they are in santa costumes.
Other than that... I have just no clue what people are crying over. Go take the subway or LIRR out of manhattan for the day if it bothers you that much.
@11:06AM: GFY, b/c all of us who legitimately hate this event are people of ALL ages (including those who have children, and children happen to be people too!).
Your nonsense about "never" having seen anyone puking OR fighting at Santacon is not believed by me, that's for sure.
If you went twice but you now don't go b/c "it's too cold to wait in line" ("Mom, it's too coooold!", LOL) that means YOU are among the "95%" of old people you so disdain.
I ask you: Why do all our very legitimate objections bother YOU so much? Maybe you don't live anywhere nearby? Anyone who defends this obnoxious event repeatedly on here is the one who should go get help - and you sound ripe for it.
As to your suggestion "take the subway or LIRR out of Manhattan": NEVER, b/c we LIVE HERE! (You don't seem to comprehend that concept.)
The solution is the opposite: The bridge-and-tunnel people should NOT take the subway or LIRR to get here; let them stay in their own charming 'burbs, and wear their stupid Santa costumes [that get worn once & thrown out, very environmentally unfriendly], and vomit on THEIR very own pristine front steps & lawns. I'm sure their neighbors will be very pleased & completely understanding when they see them "having fun".
That's exactly what I'm doing 11:06am except it's NJ Transit.
HAHA The posts saying they have never seen anyone puking or fighting are hilarious. You have either never been or are lying. On Saturday I will take my camera and, as I do every year, get videos of the dozens of people wasted by 2pm vomiting in the streets, punching each other, and also getting ticketed by cops occasionally. Santacon is a nightmare but the pics and videos are pretty funny to post on twitter. It is kinda a contest who can capture the most puke, most wasted screaming in the streets, most girls crying and freezing etc. ALL they do is puke and fight with the cops being called every hour for someone who has alcohol poisoning. If they were chill no one would care about this event. I am kinda looking forward to how much vomit will flow and who will have the biggest black eye by 3pm. Will stay safely more than 6 feet away from the puke of course unlike other years where I would try and interview them as they threw up for fun.
@1:38pm: "11:06 New Jersey Transit"?! That's too late, as the streets here will already be flooded with these people (as all the transportation hubs like Penn Station).
You need to get out on an 8 AM train.
Your nonsense about "never" having seen anyone puking OR fighting at Santacon is not believed by me, that's for sure.
Not lying but i don't care if you believe me.
"If you went twice but you now don't go b/c "it's too cold to wait in line" ("Mom, it's too coooold!", LOL) that means YOU are among the "95%" of old people you so disdain."
lol wut? Just b-c i don't participate doesn't mean I want it banned or cry on a blog that it is happening. I think it's fun just not for me anymore. I disdain grumps like yourself
"I ask you: Why do all our very legitimate objections bother YOU so much? Maybe you don't live anywhere nearby? Anyone who defends this obnoxious event repeatedly on here is the one who should go get help - and you sound ripe for it."
Wrong again. Used to live in east village, then Greenwich, now LES. Have never had any issues with it even in the years i didnt fully dress up and participate.
And i live here too. I see the same people crying over outdoor dining and what not. You are all the same miserable people. My suggestion was to leave for your mental well being if kids dressing up in santa costumes causes you this much stress.
And your last suggestion is to not accept others from commuting in to have a good time. Very open minded and welcoming of you. You're a disease to the city.
The annual Santacon posts and ensuing comments are now among my favorite holiday traditions!
Santa con should be banned from the East Village. We have enough nonsense to deal with. Santa con should be re-located to the upper east side. It would be comical to see how the rich snooty residents there deal with this in their special quiet hood.
Ironically Santa Con was originally a protest against consumerism and capitalism.
But it has been transformed into a toxic celebration of consumerism and capitalization...
Hope no Santa Con participants are complaining that they don't have enough money to pay off their student loans
@:245pm: You say you live on "LES" and admit you 'used to' live in "East Village". So in fact you DON'T live where most of this action will be (which is on 3rd and 2nd Aves.). Therefore the comment that perhaps you don't live in the area is pretty much correct.
You say: "I think it's fun just not for me anymore. I disdain grumps like yourself". Yeah, it's not fun for you b/c it's too cold for you to wait outside; you already admitted that! Your uncaring attitude toward others who do live here says a lot about you.
You loved this when you were part of it, & now that you're living outside the 'blast zone' you disdain all of us who might want to be able to do normal activities in our OWN NEIGHBORHOOD on Saturday, Dec. 11th. We have errands to run & holiday shopping to do, but many can't do it that day b/c of this event.
The real 'disease' in this case is basically the glorification of alcoholism: the glorification of deliberately coming from outside Manhattan *specifically* for the purpose of getting drunk, starting early in the morning IN Manhattan ... and all for the so-called idea of 'charity' but honestly just b/c they don't have anything better to do (and b/c well, you know, their Insta has to show something).
A number of these people, IMO, are probably AA members in-the-making, b/c the idea of "I will get up extra early and 'celebrate' Christmas by going into Manhattan & drinking from morning to night at multiple bars" is a very unhealthy way to live.
You know what? Normal people don't need to be drunk to have fun. Drinking in moderation is enjoyable, but starting your Saturday by deliberately drinking to the point of puking and passing out and starting fights is a completely different thing. IMO, SantaCON promotes problem drinking.
@11:06AM: Hey, you can come participate this year! It's supposed to be 64 degrees on Saturday - you won't be "too cold"!
Come on out & get drunk in the balmy weather with all those friendly folks you so admire and enjoy. And be sure not to notice anyone puking or fighting, so your record of not seeing things can stay intact.
What if I were to take the LIRR out to the burbs and inform the residents there that they should "just leave" for the day so I can trash their yard and puke on their porch, all in the name of fun because I'm entitled to do as I please without being held accountable?
Pathetic, indeed.
And, BTW, beyond Covid, it's also flu season - raise your hand if you think these people who'll be drinking here on Saturday have gotten their flu shots.
So there should be some interesting health fall-out from this event in the next week or two. If the bars would maintain the info from vaccination proofs or ID's presented, the city or state could do its own stats on how much sickness will result DIRECTLY from this gathering.
I wonder if these attendees care that they might make their families sick as a result of their participation? I'm guessing they don't even think about it, b/c being responsible does not align with participating in mindless drinking events.
a big, institutional party. soon, it will be sponsored by the likes of cheetos and monster energy drink.
Never even suggest that Cheetos could be used for evil!
idk, i've lived here for 20+ years and don't drink at all because I can't. I used to love seeing all the santas grouped together (funny and visually cool) and it would get me in the spirit of things, though I was usually in line for the cookie walk, which is cancelled this year (sadly!). Sure, the puke is unwelcomed as is the outlandish behavior, but this is the Easy Village and I get it. I say, rejoice if this is your thing, revile it if not. To each his or her own, though I do enjoy seeing the sexy Santa elves. Have fun guys/gals. You cannot change it...might as well go with the flow (and keep a hose handy). BTW, I smoke pot, a lot of it if it's really good. Let it be. Everyone needs to chill and take responsibility for their own selves.
Dec. 9th @ 1:19PM: "Everyone needs to chill and take responsibility for their own selves." That's a fine sentiment, except that people who are drunk are not known for "taking responsibility for their own selves" (nor to feel much responsibility for anyone else, for that matter).
And since Covid *is* still very much an issue, I would argue that, by participating in this event, the participants are inherently being irresponsible to themselves AND to all others they can spread Covid to - which could be people in our community, employees of MTA/LIRR, etc. people within their own communities, and certainly people within their own families.
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