Just days before his Christmas Eve globetrotting, Santa Claus, in his many, many forms, will be out for a night of debauchery in Vancouver.
Santacon is back in Vancouver for 2022, and it's happening Dec. 17 when folks in red and white cloaks take to the streets. The annual event is essentially a pub crawl for those who want to dress up like Kris Kringle.
This year it'll start with photos and "X-mas Debauchery" at the art gallery downtown at noon, according to the event's organizers.
That'll be the most public portion of the day, as the many St. Nicks will gather to sing Christmas carols, though they won't be the classics. Instead, the songbook is the 2012 New York City Santacon Carol Book, with songs like Wheezy the Snowman and Rudy the Red-Nosed Raver, so get ready to year some more adult lyrics.
The group of rambunctious Father Christmases will then head out for some drinks, making their way through Chinatown and Gastown in the afternoon and evening.
The event is open for anyone to join in, so long as they follow a couple ground rules. The first, and most essential, is to dress like Santa. Aside from that, there are four basic rules: don't mess with kids, don't mess with cops, don't mess with security and don't mess with Santa.
Santacon Vancouver 2022
When: Dec. 17, 2022. Noon to late
Where: Various locations in downtown Vancouver, starting with the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Cost: Free
