slides: Santacon Brings Santa Pub Crawlers to North Portland

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Monday, December 08, 2014

Matthew E. GoLocalPDX Guest Contributor

In its 8th year, North Portland Santacon (or NoPdxAnticon) hit the Kenton, Overlook Park, and North Mississippi Districts yesterday, taking approximately 400-600 holiday revelers, all dressed as Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves, or other assorted characters, on an all-day pub crawl supplying neighborhood toy drives with presents for needy children, and local bars and taverns with a welcome pre-Holidays shot in the arm of customers and cash.

The day began at 12:30 with a sea of 100 red and white-bedecked Santas gathering around the historic Paul Bunyan statue in Kenton, where a giant Santa hat was perched atop the iconic figure. After starting the festivities at the Kenton Club and Kenton Station, Santa walked along North Denver to the Barn and Tiny Bubles Room on North Lombard, then converged at the Nighthawk on North Rosa Parks and Interstate for a larger than life game of Santa Twister accompanied by an outdoor bar purpose-built to help quench Santa's thirst (at this event, EVERYONE is Santa).

By this time the ranks of Santas had grown to about 400, with pockets of Santas joining in along the way.

See Santacon 2014 slideshow below.

Stops along the Max Yellow Line at George's, Old Gold, Pinky's and the Tardis Room (who opened their back patio food cart truck), with a final gathering of the Santa's - now 600 strong - at the Bungalow and BarBar on North Mississippi for a dance, stroll, crawl, celebration of the holiday spirit.

While most Santas then sleighed off into the moonlit night, the hard-core finished where the day began, across from the Paul Bunyan at the Dancin' Bare.

If you've seen the movie "Bad Santa," you haven't really lived until you've seen a Portland strip club rail completely surrounded by red Santa suits.

Perfect weather, a festive celebratory atmosphere, and accommodating and welcoming  local businesses (who were well-stocked and well-staffed), it was a perfect kick-off to the holidays in Portland.

Banner Photo: Byron Beck

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Related Slideshow: Santacon Brings Pub Crawlers to North Portland

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