Santas to swarm downtown
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The Spa City will be swarming with Santas this weekend for the annual Saratoga SantaCon.
One of the Capital District’s largest pub crawls, Saratoga SantaCon is nowin its sixth year of bringing holiday cheer. The 2017 event is scheduled for this Saturday, beginning at noon in downtown Saratoga Springs.
Each December, participants dress up as Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, elves, reindeer and in other holiday outfits, then make their way through several downtown stops, all for a good cause. “It’s pretty festive,” said coorganizer Brian Miller, who hopes to grow the event this year along with co-organizer Danyel Mevissen.
Once again, Saratoga SantaCon will benefit local nonprofit organization Franklin Community Cen- ter, which helps provide basic necessities and services to less fortunate individuals and families in the area.
Event-goers are asked to bring five or more nonperishable food items to Saratoga SantaCon as their registration fee. No advance registration is required.
The Saratoga SantaCon kick- off party will start at noon at Putnam Den, followed by seven more stops at The Ice House, Clancy’s Tavern, Gaffneys, The Saratoga City Tavern, Spa City Tap & Barrell, Caroline St. Pub and The Reserve Night Club.
Throughout the pub crawl, attendees can take advantage of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Pick Six Vodka drink specials and have a chance to win prizes, including a Saratoga Courage Distillery tour, a snowboard getaway and a vacation to the Bahamas.
The first 500 people to check in will receive a free Pabst Blue Ribbon coozie as a souvenir.
In years past, Saratoga SantaCon has raised thousands of pounds of food, creating much-need meals for community members.
This year, the organizers are aiming to raise another 3,000 to 5,000 pounds of food to help feed the hungry this holiday season and beyond.
Saratoga SantaCon is now affiliated with St. Patrick’s Day celebration Saratoga LepraCON, another charity fundraiser that Miller started earlier this year.
On why people should come out and be a part of Saratoga SantaCon 2017, Miller said, “First off, it’s a great cause. We’re not charging people any money to enter it, we just ask people to bring five or more nonperishable food items.”
Additionally, Miller continued, “We’re going six years strong, it’s become a Saratoga tradition.”
More information about Saratoga SantaCon is available online at www.facebook.com/SantaconSaratoga.