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Photos: The SantaCon mob gets jolly — and a little bit naughty

Thousands of St. Nick lookalikes brave rain and blustery winds to descend on downtown for the annual boozefest.

A joyful group of people, mostly women wearing festive Santa hats and red outfits, are celebrating outdoors near a decorated Christmas tree.
A sing-along Saturday in Union Square during SantaCon. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard

Wild weather didn’t deter thousands of St. Nick lookalikes — and a few Grinches — from descending on downtown San Francisco for the city’s booziest holiday street party.

SantaCon capped off a Saturday in the city that began with a tornado warning and ended with revelers knocking back drinks for the yearly Santa-themed bar crawl.

While the chill may have prompted more people to bundle up and duck inside, 24-year-old Los Angeles native Aly Vitticks jumped at the chance to ring in the holidays with friends.

“I hate that it’s been raining and cold, because you can’t wear your cute outfits and stuff,” she said.

But the day drinking was a plus.

“So far, I love that it starts so early,” she said. “You just wake up and you get dressed in your Santa outfit and start drinking.”

For Brenda Cavalero, a native of Lima, Peru, who joined her family for the festivities, a highlight was taking public transit to the event along with a host of other people in red, white, and green.

“It’s a good experience for my family to take the Muni and all that,” the 34-year-old said. “I love that.”

Longtime SantaConners and longer-time friends Mike Mueller, 65, and Tomm Heath, 68 (“the only Tomm you’ll meet with two M’s”), have fond memories of being part of the spectacle over the years.

“We generally go down to North Beach, and we used to go to a place called Calzone’s, and watch the tour buses come by, and they would all get excited on the top of the tour bus,” Heath recounted. “So that was a lot of fun.”

Sure, things can get unruly.

“There is urination in the alley and all that,” Heath acknowledged.

“But this,” he said of the tamer daytime portion of the event, “this is the purest part.”

People in Santa hats and festive attire are joyfully gathered around a table with drinks and condiments, smiling and interacting in a lively atmosphere.
The winter chill brought larger-than-usual crowds into downtown bars. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard
A person is dressed as the Grinch, wearing a green mask and a red Santa suit with white trim, standing on a city street.
The Grinch gets ID'd at the Golden Gate Tap Room. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard
A security guard is frisking a person dressed as Santa Claus, while another person in a red outfit stands nearby. They're outside a building, with onlookers around.
St. Nick gets frisked on his way into a pub. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard
A person in a colorful, patterned Santa suit holds a vibrant rainbow umbrella and carries a tie-dye bag, walking on a wet, downtown city sidewalk.
Psychedelic St. Nick takes a stroll through the city's famed holiday shopping district. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard
A festive scene shows people in a lively, crowded room. A woman in a Christmas outfit and a man dressed as an elf are smiling and leaning towards each other.
Shae Bryant and Mike Perdomo share a laugh. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard
A person dressed as Santa rides a unicycle on a city street, smiling and waving. There are cars, pedestrians, and tall buildings in the background.
A sleigh-less Santa lets the good times roll. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard
A person dressed as a Christmas tree with a star on top poses playfully, surrounded by greenery and buildings, with two people in the background.
Laurie Li switched things up by dressing as a Christmas tree in a sea of Santas. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard
People in festive outfits, including Santa hats, play instruments near a large Christmas tree. One person jumps energetically, while others watch and smile.
Ryan Morrow and Lauren Roberts, of the Burlesque Band of San Francisco, leap with their trombones while performing in Union Square. | Source: Paul Kuroda for The Standard