SantaCon 2025: Starting point, time for Saturday in New York City

SantaCon alcohol restrictions on LIRR and Metro-North

The MTA is taking steps to make sure SantaCon will not become a rowdy affair on its trains this weekend.

NEW YORK CITY - Ho ho ho! SantaCon is coming to town!

When is SantaCon 2025?

What we know:

This year's SantaCon will hit the town at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Hundreds of Santa Clauses, reindeer and elves will descend upon the city for the holiday tradition, a charity event that organizers said has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes.

Some of the unofficial rules posted on the SantaCon website include:

• Attendees are encouraged to arrive in festive costume.
• Attendees are encouraged to pay bar staff in cash, as well as bring personal identification.
• Attendees are encouraged to properly clean after themselves.
• Physical and verbal altercations are prohibited.

Like previous years, the MTA will ban alcohol on Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road trains from 4 a.m. Saturday until noon on Sunday. There will also be an increased police presence at Penn Station, Grand Central Madison and Grand Central Terminal to enforce the weekend alcohol restriction.

It's also noted that police officers will be at "every one" of the stops on the pub crawl's route.

Route, street closures

SantaCon isn't a traditional parade, and therefore doesn't have a "route," only a starting point.

The starting point for this year's SantaCon will be Broadway at 40th Street. Here is the official map.

There are no official street closures for the infamous bar crawl, but pedestrians and tourists in the Midtown East area should be prepared for intense street congestion.