LA Santacon

And the 2024 Start Location is...

Stick with me Santa, we are announcing the start location THIS WEEK! 

For now, keep your calendars marked for THIS Saturday, December 14th, 2024. See you at Noon!

Coming from Out of Town? Where to Stay

Have you polished your jingle bells and dusted off your Santa suit yet? I’m seriously considering an upgrade this year. But let’s be honest—there’s something timeless (and delightfully anonymous) about rocking the classic Santa suit and pants, don’t you think?

Now, I know LA is a sprawling wonderland, and when we say “It’s a Metro year,” you might think Santa could start just about anywhere. You’re not wrong. But don’t worry, I’m not here to spill the tea about our never-before-visited starting location just yet. Stick with me for another week, and all will be revealed.

That said, I can share an insider tip about where to end your night in Santa style. It’s one of the coolest indie hotels in Koreatown: The LINE | LA! And it’s convenient to a Metro stop!

Now before you say, “Is Santa shilling hotel rooms now?” let me assure you, this isn’t some capitalist tie-in. However I did find out they’re offering a jolly good 35% discount through tomorrow (Dec 4)*. Rooms are <$200, even with all the taxes and fees! And since that’s where I, Santa Vescent, will be resting my merry head, I figured I’d let you in on the deal.

Whether you’re staying at The LINE, pitching a tent in the North Pole (or, uh, North Hollywood), or heading back to your cozy sleigh with your polar bear hookup (true story!), we’ll see you in all your jolly glory on Saturday, December 14th at Noon.

Until then, HO!

Santacon 2024 FAQ

Ho Ho Ho! Santa’s Got a Story for You!

There’s a bit of confusion around this year’s Santacon! But no worries – Santa has whipped up a handy FAQ to help you navigate the festivities and maybe dodge a Grinch or two.

What is Santacon?

Santacon is a jolly holiday event. It is part pub crawl, part culture jamming, part costume parade and part surprise adventure. Since 1998, Santacon and all who attended over the years have brought delightful chaos and merriment to Los Angeles. This year two routes are in the works.

Wait… There are TWO Routes for Santacon?

 

Great question, and it’s not just because Santa had too much eggnog. Even Santa didn’t see it coming! In a turn of events, there will be two route options this year on the same date: one route organized by the OG Santacon and the other organized by the Bureau of Kringle Regulation.

What is the Bureau of Kringle Regulation?

The Bureau is a newly formed group that is run by several past Santacon organizers. Santa was told by the members of the Bureau that they were “taking a break” this year from organizing the event. But they seem to have had a change of heart without letting Santa know, which is very naughty. 

So…Why Am I Getting Emails from “Bureau of Kringle Regulation” Santacon?

 

One of the Bureau members, who had been a prior admin for the email list, helped himself to Santa’s expansive Santacon list. Again, that’s very, very naughty. 

Who’s in Charge Here?

Good question! It’s Santa. It’s always Santa. With that in mind, the merry band of past and new organizers are dedicated to keeping the spirit of the OG Santacon alive and well, which is very nice. 

What’s the Difference Between These Two Routes?

In short? The spirit. OG Santa is planning a Santacon true to our roots, with Reindeer Games, classic LA stops, and a commitment to jolliness, kindness, and festivity. We avoid the cookie-cutter sports bars and chain spots, to focus on a route that reflects the magic and quirk of Los Angeles. The rumor amongst the elves in Santa’s Workshop is that the Bureau of Kringle Regulation’s route might be starting in Downtown LA. But Santa knows better than to repeat last year’s starting location. After all, Christmas cheer should be spread out throughout Los Angeles. 

Also, there’s no “License to Kringle” required or any other payment with the OG Santacon.

 

Which One Should I Go To?

You should choose the route best for you. Santa is here to celebrate the season, and you’re welcome to choose your flavor of festivity. If you have enjoyed Santacons of year’s past, then you already know which route is for you. Whichever route you choose, Santa just asks that you are respectful of others and generously tip the bartenders/staff. 

 

Sooo…When is the Real Deal OG Santacon Happening?

Saturday, December 14th, at Noon 

It’s a Metro year! Grab your METRO TAP card (or activate one on your smartphone).  Our starting location will be announced closer to the date here or on one of the official socials below.

Where Can I Find OG Santa’s Official Info?

• Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/1698185297687868 

• Substack: santacon.substack.com 

• X (fka Twitter) https://x.com/lasanta 

• Website https://www.heathervescent.com/santacon/ 

• Email [email protected]

And just so you know, Santa’s OG Santacon info will not appear in the LA Santacon FB Group because – fun fact – the Bureau of Kringle Regulation has seized control of the group and restricted who can post within it, which is naughty.

Got more questions? Pop them in the comments and Santa will get back to you. Keep Calm and Ho Ho Ho on December 14th.

Ho!

The Santas of the OG Santacon*

* still with Clowns!

Save the Date: Santacon 2024 is December 14

Santacon 2024 is Saturday, December 14, 2024. 

Dust off your Santa suits and reindeer games and if you are interested in volunteering get in touch with [email protected].

Start time and location will be announced momentarily.

All details will be posted here, on this website, on our substack, SANTACON.SUBSTACK.COM (please take notice the substack URL and be aware of your phishing security training) and on our Twitter, which is still @LASanta. 

You can also RSVP on Facebook, our event has a new/old home with the Cacophony Society! 

Additional communication channels will be added and updated on this page. 

Ho ho ho! See you on the 14th!

Save the Date: Santacon is December 9, 2023

We interrupt your Halloween festivities to announce that Los Angeles Santacon will happen on Saturday, December 9, 2023. (The second Saturday of December.)

It’s a metro year, so get your TAP card and start thinking about comfy shoes.

RSVP on Facebook, if that’s your thing.

Also, I don’t know about you, but as an OG Santa, I normally throw my Santa outfit together a day or two before Santacon. This year, I’m thinking maybe it’s time for a new Santa suit. (I can barely fit into my almost 20 year old Santa jacket - and those pants - they are long long gone.)

How’s the state of your Santa suit?

Anyway, get to thinking about what Holiday attire you’re gonna wear come December 9. Classic Santa suit is as OG Cacophony as it gets - especially if you order it from the Oriental Trading Company. (The original cheapsuit Santa was $19.99.) Which back in the day, was something you had to plan for months in advance (unless you had a friend who bulk ordered them.) I’ve heard the quality has gone down and the price has gone up, so buyer beware.)

“Anyone can be a Santa. All it takes is a red suit and a white beard and strangers will treat you like a rich uncle. Ever notice how Santa’s got a lot of aliases? Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, Saint Nick…if anyone else had that many aka’s, what would you think?” (source)

Whether you plan your Holiday attire or throw it together at the last minute (Target has come through for me in the past) we will see you and your comfy footwear on Saturday, December 9th, starting probably around Noon, near a Metro station.

Ho ho ho!

2022 Santacon is a Sleigh Year

Santa is sleighing on Saturday, December 10, 2022. Start time is our regular Noon!

Some of my very best Santacons have been sleigh years. There was the year I had pizza’s delivered to the sleighs. Who delivers hot pizza to a school bus full of Santas? Then there was the year we stashed cases of adult beverages under the seats (at the start of the route). Then the year we drove down Hollywood and Sunset Blvds singing Jolly songs. There was the year our sleighs arrived at just the perfect time to disappear from the police Helicopters flying over the Grove! 

Santa overwhelmingly wants to sleigh! That means, you'll need a sleigh pass. We’ve tried to keep costs down, but as previously mentioned, sleigh fees more than doubled over the past year. We're also using a new payment/ticketing system to keep transaction fees down.

• We have a limited number of early bird sleigh passes available for $25. (Sorry, early bird sold out via the list this am)

• Regular sleigh passes are $30.

• Sleigh pass packages with the sleigh pass, a Santa ID and Sticker are $40.

• Sleigh pass package + $10 donation to low income fund are $50.

To request a low income sleigh pass, contact the [email protected].

Stay tuned for more details, but get your ticket soon!

Santacon 2022 is

Santacon 2022 is on December 10, 2022. Save the date, more details soon.

Start Location, Route Details for Los Angeles Santacon 2021

Cross posted from the substack email.

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Seasons Greetings Santa,

Here are the details for tomorrow - December 18. The red tide begins at Noon! Due to Covid and the new variant, we are going to be 100% transparent with the route in this email.

• If you don’t feel well, stay home.

• Please attend any stop that you feel comfortable doing so. We can be safe by staying in the outdoor spaces, wearing a mask and socially distancing (and get your booster - I did!).

• Wear a mask, bring your vax card, be cool.

• Tip the bartenders. Be kind, it’s been a hard couple years for us all.

• The route is set up to take the Metro, but take whatever transportation you feel most comfortable with.

• Wear warm clothes and comfortable walking shoes.

• Bring cash and small bills to tip/pay your bills.

• Remember, the answer is SANTA!

• The other classic rules.

• We’ll be updating the route via LA Santa on Twitter.

Start location: Bonaventure Brewing Company, 4th floor (Noon-2:30pm)
404 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Metro stop: Pershing Square or Civic Center/Grand Park (red and purple lines)
The Bonaventure Brewing Company is on the 4th floor outdoor patio of the Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. It can be tricky to get to it. There is an exterior entrance off Flower street. Otherwise enter the hotel at any entrance, and take the stairs to the 4th floor. There will be hot appetizers available on the patio, but if you want to eat a meal, it is suggested to arrive between Noon and 1pm as there is limited kitchen staff. There is plenty of outdoor space and room for social distancing. And of course several bars for Santa and I have also personally requested Santa’s favorite La Croix.

Second Stop: Barnsdall Park, 3-4:45pm (we leave after Sunset!)
4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Metro stop: Vermont and Sunset (red line)
We know several of you will only come to this stop. We will have reindeer games and other activities. Santa will be at the top of the park. Look for Santa. If you’re the first there, Santa will be there soon.
- There are several venues in the Los Feliz area if you need to refresh yourself. But we suggest waiting to the next stop.

Third stop: St. Felix in Hollywood (5:30pm - you can’t ho no mo)
1602 N Cahuenga Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
Metro stop: Hollywood & Vine (red line)
John at St. Felix has been a Santacon fan for years and is opening up his awesome venue for Santas exclusively. There is an outdoor patio, we’ll have a parklet, a photo op location and food and drink specials. He’s really done Santa a solid this year and his venue is gorgeous.

Later stops: We consciously kept this a short and sweet Santacon, but figure that Hollywood has plenty of things to do and places to go if you’re ready to move on. Be safe, have fun, and see you tomorrow at Noon at the Bonaventure! I am so excited to bring Santa back there.

Ho!

-Santa Vescent

ps. I know it’s scary with the new variant and it’s ok if you decide to stay home. The Santacon team takes covid seriously and has made every effort to keep the event happening this year AND be as safe as we can. Get your boosters, wear a mask, socially distance, and feel free to only come to the park stop, St. Felix or take your own transportation.

pps. You can still donate if you haven’t (Santa also takes cash on the day of and drinks of appreciation.)

$25 level donation
$10 level donation
$100 level donation

Santa on Substack - Announcing LA Santacon 2021

Santa has set up a substack. Go read all about Santa there and join the list! Read on for the first details!

• Metro year
• Saturday, December 18th, Noon start time, downtown
• Please donate for SNOW! (Donation links below)
• Subscribe to the list

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Greetings and Salutations,

This is SantaVescent and I want to thank you for your interest and support of Santacon of years past. There has been overwhelming desire for us to hold a Santacon in Los Angeles this year, and we are doing it!

It’s a metro year, so we aren’t selling official tickets, but you can donate below. Santa is planning to bring snow for the snowball fight, get reindeer games supplies, pay our DJs (and maybe even a live band), and gogo dancers, and well we need to replenish our petty cash for all the other unplanned expenses.

Saturday, December 18th
Starts at Noon, at an iconic downtown location
RSVP on (hated) facebook

PS. In an effort to keep costs down, Santa is migrating off MailChimp, who wanted to charge us $60 a month to send you emails a few times a year. We’re gonna try this newsletter thing. You can become a paid subscriber if you want. Or you can make a donation. Or you can BYOHoliday Cheer. We like to keep Santacon accessible regardless of your financial situation, and we also ask that you support our entirely volunteer team if you are in a position to do so.

Donation links
$25 donation
$10 donation
$100 donation (a few of you said you’d donate at this level)

If you want to donate a different amount, get in touch with Santa Vescent or just hit reply. If you donate, I’m hoping to have something special for you, as we’ve done in years past.

See you on December 18th, 2021! More details unveiled soon.

Ho Ho Ho... Santacon 2020 Details are here

It’s a Choose Your Own Adventure, DIY Santacon. This means, it's up to you to get your Santa on - whether at home, safely outside wearing a mask (& following state orders) or however you choose. There is an optional Scavenger Hunt and an interactive way to updated your Santa ID with Santa Cheese. And I've been told you can even go live in the facebook group.

• When: Saturday 12/12/2020, 12 Noon to 5pm
• Where: your home!, 2020 Event group on Facebook, LA Santa on Twitter, Santacon on Instagram, your safe outdoor adventures
• Call Santa on the Bureau of Kringle Regulation Hotline: 1-833-4-KRINGLE
• Participate in the Scavenger Hunt
• Hashtag: #LASantacon2020

Read on for details on the Scavenger Hunt and the Bureau of Kringle Regulation!

 

Santa’s Scavenger Hunt

Find items to fit the categories above on your own or with a small group. Santa even has the following prizes! See more details on this post!

1. 1st to Finish all 20 items
2. Best of "Creative Santa"
3. Best of "Misc. Santa"
4. Best of "Out & About Santa"
5. Best of "Santa, Find a ____"
6. Best of "Stay at Home Santa."

If you are playing via email, submissions are sent to [email protected]. If you are playing via the Facebook group you *must* add a Post Topic to your submissions to make it easier for Admin Santa to find (see pinned Announcement post for how to do that). 

“Best Of” winners will be decided by the post with the most reactions by 5pm on 12/12.

The Bureau of Kringle Regulation is Back!

Santa Cheese and the Bureau of Kringle Regulation have something special for you this year! They will be available ALL DAY to renew your Santa License or issue one for the first time!

Visit www.kringleregulation.com during the event for the link to connect with them. The Bureau has finagled access to the big jolly fucker himself and setup a SANTA HOTLINE where you can talk to Santa directly! Call 1-833-4-KRINGLE anytime on Saturday and let him know how naughty you’ve been this year.