Arts & Entertainment
SantaCon 2018: These 'Hoods Will Be A Drunken Mess This Weekend
Here's what to know about SantaCon, whether you're trying to avoid the army of Kris Kringles or embrace them.

EAST VILLAGE, NY — Kris Kringle lookalikes will flock to the East Village and Midtown Saturday for the annual SantaCon bar crawl.
The equally loved and despised event will flood Manhattan's streets and bars with Father Christmas imitators beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8. The costumed-characters will make a booze-fueled trek through the city — sometimes with antics that land them on the naughty list.
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In typical SantaCon fashion, the organizers have yet to announce the bar crawl's starting point and will post the location the night before Saturday's event.
Check out SantaCon's website or the map below for this year's lineup of participating bars:
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Whether you're looking to avoid or join the horde of red and white bar-goers, you can follow @SantaCon on Twitter or sign up for text message alerts on where the mass of Santas are heading throughout their day of drunken revelry. Text "follow @santacon" to 40404 to stay in the loop.
Visit SantaCon.nyc for more information on this year's crawl. Most of the event's venues are free to enter with no cover charge, but Santas are only able to access 17 special venues after making a $12 donation — these spots are larger and host extra perks such as DJs.
After donating online, patrons will receive a confirmation from PayPal and an email explaining where and when you can pick up your stylish SantaCon pendant. Elves will also be on hand during the event to collect same-day donations.
If you're trekking into Midtown from Long Island, the northern 'burbs or New Jersey don't get caught pre-gaming for SantaCon on your way into the city. The MTA and New Jersey Transit are both banning alcohol on Saturday, the transit agencies announced earlier this week.
Here's a breakdown of this year's participating bars by neighborhood:
East Village
- Phoenix Bar at 447 E. 13th St.
- Nowhere Bar at 322 E 14th St.
- Doc Holliday's at 141 Ave. A
- Pink's at 242 E. 10th St.
- Professor Thom's at 219 Second Ave.
- Plug Uglies at 256 Third Ave.
- Crocodile Lounge at 325 E. 14th St.
- Coyote Ugly at 153 First Ave.
- Vazac Horseshoe Bar at 108 Ave. B
- Juke Bar at 196 Second Ave.
- Central Bar at 109 E. Ninth St.
- The Continental at 25 Third Ave.
- Finnerty's at 221 Second Ave.
- Machos NYC at 118A E. 15th St.
Midtown
- Blarney Stone at 410 8th Ave.
- Rattle 'n Hum West at 309 W. 39th St
- Feile at 131 W. 33rd St.
- Stout NYC-Flagship at 133 W. 33rd St.
- Bounce Sporting Club at 55 W. 21st St.
- Brother Jimmy's BBQ at 416 Eighth Ave.
- Pennsylvania 6 at 132 W. 31st St.
- Brother Jimmy's at 181 Lexington Ave.
- Blarney Rock at 137 W. 33rd St.
- The Australian Bar at 20 W. 38th St.
- American Whiskey at 247 W. 30th St.
- Tempest at 407 Eight Ave.
- Foleys NY at 18 W. 33rd St.
- The Storehouse at 69 W. 23rd St.
- Jack Doyle's at 240 W. 35th St
- John Sullivan's at 210 W. 35th St.
- Rick's Cabaret at 48 W. 33rd St.
- Hoops Cabaret at 50 W. 33rd St.
- Slattery's Midtown at 8 E. 36th St.
- American Hall at 29 W. 36th St.
- The Hog Pit at 37 W. 26th St.
- Public House NYC at 140 E. 41st St.
- Peter Dillon's Pub at 2 E. 36th St.
- Beer Authority at 300 W. 30th St.
- Dewey's Pub at 135 W. 30th St.
- Reichenbach Beer Hall at 5 W. 37th St.
- The Keg Room NYC at 53 W. 36th St.
- Playwright Irish Pub at 27 W. 35th St.
- Karaoke City at 22 W. 32nd St.
- Mustang Harry's at 352 Seventh Ave.
- Stone Creek Lounge at 140 E. 27th St.
- Legends at 6 W. 33rd St.
Special Venues
- Sony Hall Santa Spectacular at 235 W. 46th St.
- The Ainsworth East at 45 E. 33rd St.
- SOLAS at 232 E. 9th St.
- 230 Fifth Ave at 230 Fifth Ave.
- Clinton Hall 36 at 16 W. 36th St.
- TAJ II at 48 W. 21st St.
- SideBAR at 118 E. 15th St.
- Slate NY at 54 W. 21st St.
- Local NYC at W. 33St & Eighth Ave.
- The Ainsworth Chelsea at 122 W. 26th St.
- Lucy's Cantina Royal at 34th St. and Eighth Ave.
- The Tailor at 505 Eighth Ave.
- Doux at 59 W. 21st St.
- The VNYL at 100 Third Ave.
- The Liberty at 29 W. 35th St.
- The Pennsy at 2 Penn Plaza
- 5th and Mad at 7 E. 36th St
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
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