And he’s bringing a whole sleigh full of Santas, elves, reindeer, Grinches, Christmas trees, and probably a few questionable decisions (the fun kind, hopefully).

But first…

WHAT THE HECK IS SANTACON?
SantaCon is an annual worldwide celebration where people dress up as Santa Claus and other Christmas characters and gather for a festive, slightly ridiculous, holiday-themed pub crawl.

Its roots go back to 1974 in Denmark, where it began as a protest against holiday consumerism. The first American SantaCon took place in San Francisco in 1994, organized by the Cacophony Society. Since then, this quirky counterculture tradition has grown into an international phenomenon, with events in more than 300 cities around the world!

And guess what?

JOHNSON CITY IS ON THE LIST!

That’s right, folks. We’re bringing a little international Christmas mischief right here to the Tri-Cities!

This is your opportunity to let your silly side out, embrace the ridiculous, spread some Christmas cheer, meet new people, and make some memories.

Have you ever wanted to walk down the street surrounded by 50 Santas singing Christmas carols? Now’s your chance.

But here’s the thing…

SANTA ISN’T JUST ABOUT RECEIVING. SANTA IS ABOUT GIVING!

We’re going to have a charitable component to this event, too. More on that in a minute.

HOW DO YOU PARTICIPATE?
Put on a Christmas costume and SHOW UP SILLY!

Okay, actually, there are a few things you need to know to make this a fantastic SantaCon for everyone.

You can be Santa, Mrs. Claus, an elf, a reindeer, a Christmas tree, the Grinch, Krampus, a gingerbread person, or even a Festivus pole. (Honestly, I want to see that.)

GET CREATIVE!

Just remember: Be respectful, dress for the weather, and PLEASE wear comfortable shoes. Santa has places to go and people to see!

THE OFFICIAL SANTACON CODE
Listen up, Santas. These are the rules of the North Pole. Follow them, and everyone gets to have a merry little Christmas.

1. SANTA WEARS A COSTUME.

FULL. HEAD-TO-TOE. HOLIDAY THEMED.

None of that “I put on a Santa hat, so I’m participating” nonsense. Commit to the Christmas spirit!

2. SANTA IS AWESOME TO BAR STAFF!

Be patient, be kind, and TIP WELL! Things can get chaotic when Santa comes to town. Bring cash, pay as you go, and have your ID ready. The people working hard to serve us deserve some extra Christmas cheer, too.

3. SANTA IS OF LEGAL DRINKING AGE.

Participants under 21 are welcome to join the group photo and enjoy the family-friendly festivities afterward, but the pub crawl is strictly 21+.

4. SANTA GIVES GIFTS!

That’s right! Bring little goodies to share with your fellow Santas and spread some holiday magic to people along the way. Candy, stickers, beads, little trinkets… get creative!

BUT WAIT… THERE’S MORE!

We’re also collecting TOYS for local schools in need!

Have you ever seen a child cry because they knew Santa wasn’t coming to their house? It’s heartbreaking. No child should feel forgotten during the holidays.

So please, bring a NEW, UNWRAPPED TOY to donate at one of our designated collection locations.

Let’s make sure some local kids have a little Christmas magic waiting for them, too.

5. SANTA SPREADS JOY.

Not terror. Not vomit. Not trash.

Would you want that under YOUR Christmas tree?

Be mindful of yourself and your surroundings. We’re here to make people smile!

6. SANTA LEAVES NO TRACE.

Put your trash and recyclables in the appropriate bins. Clean up after your reindeer. Leave downtown looking as good as we found it!

7. SANTA IS ABOUT PEACE. NOT FIGHTING.

If you find yourself in a disagreement with a drunken Santa, WALK AWAY.

Just let it go. Seriously. Elsa would be proud.

8. SANTA IS NICE TO CHILDREN.

Santa makes kids laugh, not cry.

BECAUSE HE’S SANTA CLAUS. DUH.

9. SANTA RESPECTS THE CITY.

Santa doesn’t pee in the streets, start fights, block traffic, climb on cars, or damage property.

Let’s show Johnson City what a fun, welcoming, festive downtown community looks like!

10. SANTA RESPECTS THE JCPD.

Police will be present downtown. Be respectful, follow the law, and don’t do anything that could put yourself or someone else in danger.

No public urination, fighting, illegal open containers, jaywalking, or other shenanigans that could get us into trouble.

There’s been enough negative publicity surrounding downtown Johnson City. Let’s give people something GREAT to talk about!

11. SANTA CALLS THE SHOTS!

I’ll be announcing when it’s time to pay up and when we’re moving to the next destination.

PLEASE listen for announcements and be ready to move!

Bring CASH and pay for your drinks as you go. We all know what happens when 50 Santas try to close out their tabs at the same time. Nobody wants to spend Christmas Eve waiting for a receipt.

Don’t linger, don’t litter, and keep the reindeer moving!

12. SANTA COMES PREPARED.

Comfortable shoes? CHECK.

Cash? CHECK.

Warm layers? CHECK.

Phone charged? CHECK.

Holiday spirit? CHECK CHECK CHECK!

13. SANTA KNOWS HIS LIMITS.

Santa does NOT drink more than Santa can handle.

Look after yourself and your fellow Santas. Don’t put yourself or anyone else in danger. We want everyone to make it home safely and be able to participate next year!

14. SANTA IS SANTA!

You are Santa. I am Santa. WE ARE ALL SANTA!

And every Santa addresses every other Santa as…

SANTA!

No names. No titles. Just Santa.

HO HO HO!

And don’t forget to follow the Facebook event, invite your friends, and share your pictures!

Let’s make this something people look forward to every year!

MEETUP: 5:00 PM

We’ll gather in front of the BIG BLACK JOHNSON CITY SIGN downtown.

You have a 10-minute grace period in case your reindeer are running late.

5:10 PM – THE BIG SANTA PHOTO!

Everybody get together! We’re taking a giant group photo of all our fabulous Santas and Santa kin!

A NOTE FOR OUR UNDER-21 SANTAS:

You are absolutely welcome to dress up, join the group photo, and enjoy the festivities around King Commons, including the Christmas trees, playground, and holiday atmosphere.

The Atlantic Ale House is not an official SantaCon stop, but may be a good option for parents looking for somewhere to hang out with their kids.

The pub crawl itself is strictly 21+.
THE OFFICIAL SANTACON PUB CRAWL

Here’s our merry little route through downtown:

5:30 PM Little Magic
Let the magic begin! First stop, first drinks, and plenty of holiday mischief.

6:30 PM — Spring Street Sandwich Company

Spread Cheer keep those bells jingling!

7:30 PM — Capone’s

Time to spread some more Christmas cheer!

8:30 PM — Mulligan’s Gaming Pub

Keep the holiday spirit alive. Santa’s not done yet!

9:30 PM — Tipton Street Pub

Stay for the final toast and official closing of SantaCon!

Please remember that times are approximate. Listen for announcements and be ready to move with the group.

ONE LAST THING…
SantaCon is about more than costumes, pub crawls, and ridiculous amounts of Christmas cheer.

It’s about COMMUNITY.

It’s about bringing people together, supporting our local businesses, making strangers smile, and remembering that the holidays are a little brighter when we do something kind for someone else.

Let’s show Johnson City that we know how to have FUN, how to be GOOD to one another, and how to GIVE BACK.

Let’s fill downtown with red suits, green elves, jingling bells, Christmas carols, laughter, and a whole lot of LOVE.

BRING YOUR FRIENDS. BRING YOUR COSTUMES. BRING YOUR CHRISTMAS SPIRIT. AND PLEASE, BRING A TOY!
HO HO HO, JOHNSON CITY!
LET’S MAKE SOME CHRISTMAS MAGIC!