NEW ORLEANS – This Saturday, December 12, 2015, the Running of the Santas will take over the streets of the New Orleans Warehouse District when thousands of costumed revelers will seek to spread the Christmas spirit across the Crescent City.
The annual Running of the Santas kicks off at 12:00 p.m. from the new home of the “South Pole” located at The Rusty Nail, 1100 Constance St., where revelers will experience live music and special holiday drinks. The crowd of Santas will then depart for the four-block “Fun Run” at 5:45 p.m. to the “North Pole” located at Generations Hall, 310 Andrew Higgins.
Registration begins at 12:00 p.m. at The Rusty Nail.
This holiday tradition calls for participants to dress up in their most creative Christmas attire for a chance to win the treasured “Best Holiday Costume” award. Event organizers predict more than 4,000 costumed participants this year will dress up as Santa, Mrs. Claus, Elves, Rudolph, Jack Frost and the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Flow Tribe will headline this year’s Running of the Santas. The renowned New Orleans funk band will rock the Christmas event at Generations Hall from 8:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., and Category 6 will ignite the crowd from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. This year’s “South Pole” will offer food by Rock-n-Sake Bar and Sushi and musical entertainment by DJ Scott Satchfield.
Advance tickets to the Running of the Santas are $20 and VIP tickets are $75.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit That Others May Live Foundation. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2002. The foundation provides scholarships, family counseling, and aid to surviving children of United States Air Force (USAF) Rescue Heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice during a rescue mission. The goal of the program is to ensure that every child of a fallen personnel recovery service member receives an opportunity for success.
Running of the Santas started in 1998 in the streets of downtown Philadelphia when 40 close friends decided to suit up in Santa costumes and go bar hopping. More than a decade and a half later, the Running of the Santas event has grown across the world with more than 20 host cities from Pennsylvania to the shores of New Zealand.
Saturday’s events include:
12:00 p.m. – Doors open at the “South Pole” (The Rusty Nail)
2:00 p.m. – DJ Scott Satchfield
5:45 p.m. – Running Of The Santas from the South Pole to the North Pole (Generations Hall)
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Category 6
8:00 p.m. – Best Holiday Costume Contest
8:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Flow Tribe
