San Francisco Annual Events

Santacon San Francisco

Santacon San Francisco

What started as a a small event in San Francisco in 1994, which was less a celebration of Christmas and more of a statement on the greed and consumerism surrounding the holiday. The idea for the event came from an article in Mother Jones, a popular American magazine, which detailed the antics of a theater group in Copenhagen in 1974 where a theater group dressed up as Santas and gave away merchandise from the shelves of a department store. Needless to say, the activist group was arrested, but it helped spark a nationwide obsession with the whole “dressing up as Santa and going on a city-wide pub crawl” thing. The debut San Francisco event, appropriately called Santarchy, was a lot different than the current one and wasn’t actually intended to become an annual event and certainly was not expected to attract as many people as it does every year. After the first event in 1994, the Santacon Fever began to spread, launching in Portland in 1996, Seattle in 1997 and both New York and Los Angeles in 1998. 

So how big did Santacon get? Over the years, it has spread worldwide, with an estimated 300 cities in 44 countries hosting similar events during the holiday season. The majority of the events are relatively tame, with a moderate amount of people in attendance, however some cities really took the event to a new level. In New York City alone, it is estimated that as much as 30,000 people participate in the event and San Francisco see between 15,000 and 20,000 each year. 

 

Since the event is basically a huge San Francisco Pub Crawl, as most of the participating Santas travel from bar to bar, grabbing drinks at each stop, so it has been met with some opposition since a small number of Santas get drunk and sometimes do some bad things. However, an overwhelming majority of the participants are just there to have a good time. In fact, the organizers do not condone or suggest any drunken, naughty Santa behaviors. If you don’t want to run into some imbibed Santas on the day of SantaCon, then it is best to avoid the main areas like around City Hall and on Polk Street. 

The event takes place in December each year. To find out more about the SantaCon, check out the Facebook Group HERE.

San Francisco Santacon 2024

Event Information

Date: Saturday, December 14, 2024
Start Time: 12PM
Meeting Point: Union Square

*Santacon is and always has been a free event. Anyone charging for tickets is not part of the official Santacon.

Other Details:

What is the best neighborhood for Santacon?

After meeting in Union Square, we recommend heading a few blocks up Polk Street. Bars like Mayes Oyster House, Decondance, Mcteagues, Lush Lounge and more will be packed with happy Santas ready to drink, dance and celebrate the Holidays.

Do we need to bring anything to Santacon?

Aside from your Santa Costume and some cash, the Santacon organizers ask that you bring an unwrapped (new) toy for the San Francisco Fire Department Toy Program.

Can you attend Santacon if you are under 21?

If you are under 21, you are welcome to come to Union Square to see all of the Santas gathering before the event, however all of the bars will be checking IDs.

 

Santacon San Francisco

Link to Twitter Profile
Link to Facebook

 

Neighborhood

Polk Gulch

website

santacon.info

 

Address

Union Square Park (starting point)

333 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94108

Category

Best Annual Events in San Francisco

Best Holiday Events in San Francisco

EXPLORE EVENTS

Upcoming San Francisco Events

07

October

2025

Night Tapes at The Independent San Francisco

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

08

October

2025

múm / with Mr. Silla – The Independent

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

09

October

2025

Jeremy Jordan & Age of Madness / with Homestyle Dinner Rolls- The Independent

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

09

October

2025

Fleshwater at The Fillmore San Francisco

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

10

October

2025

Balu Brigada – Portal (Early Show) at The Independent

The Independent

See Details

10

October

2025

Dermot Kennedy at The Fillmore San Francisco

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

10

October

2025

Balu Brigada – Portal (Late Show) The Independent SF

The Independent

10:00 PM
See Details

12

October

2025

Rival Schools & Narrow Head / with Graham Hunt- The Independent SF

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

13

October

2025

The Good Fight 10 Year Anniversary Tour / Oddisee

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

13

October

2025

Nation of Language at The Fillmore SF

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

14

October

2025

James Vickery at The Independent San Francsico

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

15

October

2025

Covet at The Independent SF

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

16

October

2025

Johnny Stimson at The Independent San Francisco

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

17

October

2025

DURRY with Gully Boys at The Independent

The Independent

09:00 PM
See Details

18

October

2025

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram at The Fillmore

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

18

October

2025

Oliver Hazard x The Last Revel: Head West at The Independent

The Independent

09:00 PM
See Details

19

October

2025

Isabella Lovestory with Cece Natalie, Ali RQ – The Independent

The Independent

See Details

20

October

2025

Aidan Bissett with Zach Hood, Lulu Simon at The Independent

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

21

October

2025

Superchunk with Case Oats at The Independent SF

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

21

October

2025

grandson: INERTIA Tour at The Fillmore

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

22

October

2025

Hazlett at The Fillmore San Francisco

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

23

October

2025

The Army, The Navy at The Independent

The Independent

08:00 PM
See Details

23

October

2025

John Maus at The Fillmore SF

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

24

October

2025

Crawloween San Francisco Halloween Bar Crawl

Maye's (Starting Location)

06:00 PM – 11:00 PM
See Details

24

October

2025

The New Mastersounds at The Fillmore

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

24

October

2025

Frost Children with DJ Thank You at The Independent SF

The Independent

09:00 PM
See Details

25

October

2025

San Francisco Halloween Pub Crawl: Crawloween

Maye's (Starting Location)

02:00 PM – 10:00 PM
See Details

25

October

2025

The Hip Abduction at The Fillmore

The Fillmore

08:00 PM
See Details

25

October

2025

Oklou with Cecile Believe at The Independent

The Independent

09:00 PM
See Details

26

October

2025

Jason Mraz at The Fillmore San Francisco

The Fillmore

07:30 PM
See Details

San Francisco Events

CrawlSF Experience Background

No Upcoming Events Avaialble