SantaCon 2017 To Take Over Midtown, E. Village: Organizers

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — For the second straight year, the SantaCon bar crawl will take place in Midtown Manhattan and the East Village, organizers announced Thursday night.

Santas will begin assembling at the James A. Farley Post Office Building around 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, SantaCon organizer said Thursday. At 10:45 a.m. the Santas will take a large group photo, as in past years, and then head out on a Manhattan bar crawl.

The bar crawl route will mainly take place in Midtown with a few participating businesses in neighborhoods such as Gramercy and the East Village. Six clubs and about 50 bars will participate in this year's bar crawl.

For a full list of participating businesses, check out SantaCon's website or the map below:

SantaCon's main venues will require a "Santa Stamp" to enter. The stamp can be bought at SantaCon's website and picked up Saturday at the starting location.

When SantaCon first arrived in NYC, it earned a bad reputation among some locals for the havoc wrought by belligerent Santas. In recent years, organizers have made efforts to curb bad behavior such as vomiting, littering and fighting. Organizers said they're working closely with the NYPD to keep the 2017 event safe and enjoyable for both Santas and New Yorkers alike.

Participating Santas will need to make a $10 donation to local charities for access to the seven official bar crawl venues. Since 2012, SantaCon has raised more than $200,000 for local charities, organizers wrote on the event's website.

If you're trekking into Midtown from Long Island, the northern 'burbs or New Jersey don't get caught pre-gaming for SantaCon on your way into the city. The MTA and New Jersey Transit are both banning alcohol on Saturday, the transit agencies announced earlier this week.

Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images News/Getty Images