Despite Criticism, Midtown Bars Tell SantaCon To Bring It On

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Despite mounting opposition, bars in Midtown are telling this weekend's SantaCon event to bring it on.

Most of the bars on the holiday bar crawl's list are near Penn Station so the foot traffic on the weekend is welcome, says the owner of Nelly Spillane's on E. 33rd St., which will be hosting its third SantaCon.

"The previous two have been really good for the business. We've also raised a lot of money for charity," owner Mark told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond.

At Slattery's Midtown Pub on E. 36th St., owner John Slattery says extra staff will be on hand and drunk Santas will not be served.

"We'll put up signs saying 'Respect our neighbors,' and for the most part people pretty much do but once people get on the streets, it's kind of outside our control," he said.

SantaCon organizers, who this year have hired a civil righs attorney, say the event will be scaled back due to protests from the Eric Garner decision.

There have been fights, and lots of complaints about rude, crude, and lewd behavior.

"They act very crazy, ridiculous. They drink, they get drunk, they behave terribly," security guard Desmond Bentinck told CBS2's Tony Aiello.

Last year, an incident made the news involving Santas throwing punches at each other at Third Avenue between 16th and 17th streets.

In November, when local leaders

Michael Higgins said organizers are emphasizing the need to party respectfully.

"It's like a red St. Pat's day for the bars around here. So, it's good. It's getting better," Higgins said.

Residents hope the Santas will be good, for goodness sake.

"I know they have the right to go where they want to go, but if it's disturbing other people they're stepping over the line," Myra Crespo said.

"I think it's a fun thing if everyone just stays withing their drinking limits," John Wax said.

As long as revelers don't do anything that would make the real Santa reach for the coal.

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