NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – SantaCon is back in Manhattan -- for better or for worse, depending on who you ask.
The bar crawl that brings crowds of Santa clones, drinking from early hours of the morning and plenty of interesting sites if you go out and about returned Saturday, with beers flowing at 10 a.m.
The MTA is banning alcohol on LIRR and Metro-North trains for much of the weekend as Santacon returned following a two-year hiatus. The alcohol ban begins at 4 a.m. Saturday and lasts through 12 p.m. on Sunday.
Alcohol consumption will also be prohibited at all LIRR and Metro-North station platforms during that time.
The annual bar crawl and charity fundraiser has gained notoriety for bringing throngs of drunken Santas to the streets of Manhattan. The event was canceled last year because of the coronavirus.
MTA police will have an increased presence at Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal to enforce the ban, with police confiscating alcoholic beverages and issuing summonses. Violators may also be removed from trains or stations by police, officials said.
“There may be riders coming back to the train for the first time since the start of the pandemic,” MTA police chief Joseph McGrann said in a statement Wednesday.
“It is important we do everything we can to maintain orderly travel so that everyone can enjoy their holiday plans by getting to their destinations smoothly and on time,” McGrann said.
If you're looking to join the fun (or where to avoid), SantaCon put together a map of participating venues. Midtown and the East Village have the highest concentration of participants.
To take part in Santacon, participants have to donate $13 to get a "Santa Badge," which allows them into all participating venues. Revelers will also be required to show proof of vaccination to enter all of the venues. More information can be found here.
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