You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why: SantaCon is coming to NYC this Saturday.
While technically a charity that has donated over $400,000 to deserving charity in NYC and worldwide, SantaCon is perhaps better known as a gigantic pub-crawl where participants dress in red and white resembling jolly old St. Nick, elves, and other holiday-themed costumes.
The annual march of Santas will begin in New York City on Saturday at 10 a.m. and invade bars throughout the city. The official SantaCon 2018 route isn't revealed until 24 hours before the event.
The official event page advises participants to "be merry, be safe, be responsible for your own actions, respect the city, don't litter, don't scare children, and to listen to the cops."
No alcohol on public transit
If you're planning on some early holiday cheer in the form of alcohol prior to SantaCon while riding mass transit, you'll only find coal in your stocking as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has officially banned all alcoholic beverages on its trains, light rails, and buses.
“No alcoholic beverages of any kind, in any type of container, open or closed, will be permitted on board trains, buses or light rail vehicles during this time,” the MTA said in a statement. The policy “will be strictly enforced,” they added.
The ban was implemented five years ago due to rowdy incidents that took place in past SantaCons.
The 24-hour ban on alcohol will start at 12 noon Saturday, Dec. 8 in an effort "to maintain safe and orderly travel during this weekend's SantaCon event," the MTA said in a statement.
Police officers will be on duty at Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal and other stations in the area, as well as on trains, to enforce the ban, confiscate alcoholic beverages and issue summons.
Find Metro's guide to SantaCon in NYC here.
