Golden Gate [X]press : Soggy Santacon

On a rainy December day, with two weeks until Christmas, Santa Claus spent his day visiting bars all over San Francisco. In fact, an estimated 5000 Bay Area Santas took the city by storm, for the 15th annual Santacon - started by the Cacophony Society in 1994, and has now spread all over the world.

Similar to a flash mob, the mass congregation of Santas practice street theater and pranksterism, and the organizers emphasize that the event is nonviolent and criminal behavior is not endorsed. After meeting at Civic Center at 12:12 pm on Dec. 12, the Santas split up all over the city visiting bars, parading along the sidewalks and amusing tourists and residents alike.

The Santas communicated via Twitter, keeping each group updated on the location and activities as the pub-crawl roamed the city. The final destination was the DNA Lounge in Soma, a dance party where all Santas got in for free.

T'was the day of Santacon, when all through the streets,
The Santas were drinking, til they were three sheets.

When out in the square there arose such a clatter,
Police sprang from their cars to see what was the matter.

When, what to their lawful eyes should appear,
But thousands of Santas, each holding a beer.

They were dressed all in fur, and were acting insane,
With mischief and laughter, despite all the rain.

From the Pier to the Mission, no bar was safe,
But the wet polyester was starting to chafe.

With one final Tweet to his team gave a whistle,
To the next bar they stumbled like the down of a thistle.

I heard them exclaim as they danced out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"