From K-QED.E-D.

Every December there is one day that many in the Bay Area look forward to all year long.

Every December there is one day that many in the Bay Area look forward to all year long.

A day full of festivities your santa suit, join 17,000 of your santa suit,

join 17,000 of your closest friends, and test your alcohol tolerance.

I first encountered Santa Con in 2014 when I went out to San Francisco with a friend

and I saw people in Santa costumes and I had no idea what was going on.

This is Alyssa Poe from Berkeley.

Over the years, she's happened upon San Francisco's Santa Con a few times.

You'll see people wearing some version of a Santa costume

and they'll just be going from bar to bar

in big groups of Santa's.

Think bar crawl meets Christmas parade.

Now, Alyssa saw all this happening on San Francisco streets

and got to wondering,

what are the origins of Santa Con?

Today, the biggest Santa Con is in New York and you can find them happening all

across the globe in places like London, Melbourne and Tokyo. But what most people don't know is the roots of this drinking holiday were

formed right here in San Francisco. I'm Olivia Alan Price and you're listening to Bay Curious.

This week we dive into the history of Santa Con and its countercultural roots.

Support for Bay Curious is brought to you by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company,

still family owned, operated, and argued over.

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