Yes, this post is all about the 2018 Newport Beach Santa Pub Crawl but first, a story:
It was a chilly evening in mid-December, two years ago. My friend and I were just returning from a rigorous two hours at the gym. The night was still ripe with possibility—it was Saturday after all. So, sweaty brows and determined minds, we traveled to Woody’s Wharf for Bloody Marys with a twist of weekend mayhem. We enter the famed wooden bar, its ode to an erstwhile nautical era evident in every slat, and suddenly, WHAT? A veritable sea of Santas greets us, some with beards askew, some with fuzzy, red sweaters reading phrases I can’t type and keep this tale PG.
“It’s the Santa Pub Crawl,” a nearby Santa tells us, smiling so infectiously, we can’t help but smile, too. The room is the physical embodiment of jolly joy and we joined without a smudge of reluctance, Bloody Marys in hand, gym clothes posing as holiday garb and had the greatest Saturday night of mid-December 2016 there ever was to be.
OK, you’re convinced. Here’s how to attend the 13th Annual Newport Beach Santa Pub Crawl this Saturday, Dec. 8:
Register.
If you want to go to the crawl, you’ve got to register. Tickets can be purchased riiiiiight HERE. (Note the price goes up each day, with a final price of $40 per ticket if you register the day of the event.)
Feel good about registering.
If you clicked on the link and paid the ticket price, know that it’s non-refundable but for a very good reason. All proceeds from the 2018 Newport Beach Santa Pub Crawl will be donated to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund. (Last year’s event had more than 900 Santas and raised $8,000+ for the charity of choice, so expect a big turnout and an even bigger amount given to those affected by the fires.)
Pick up your wristband.
Once you register, your wristbands are available at Woody’s Wharf (2318 Newport Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92663) for pick-up between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Bring a copy of your receipt and get ready to holiday rumble. The wristband is key because it gets you drink specials at all the participating bars. Speaking of bars …
Familiarize yourself with the game plan.
There are two routes inquiring Santas can take to shimmy down the proverbial chimney of late-night, bar-crawling debauchery. For those opting to stick to the eastern tip of Balboa Peninsula, participating bars include: Newport Landing Restaurant, Class of ’47, Balboa Saloon, Cruisers Pizza Bar Grill, Siena Restaurant and Cabo Cantina. For Santas opting to drink on the western end of Balboa Peninsula, participating bars include: Woody’s Wharf, Blue Beet, Sharkeez, Stag Bar + Kitchen and American Junkie. And for enterprising Santas hoping to hit both the eastern and western Balboa Peninsula bars, best of luck to you and may the Ubers be ever in your favor.
Learn more.
If this article wasn’t enough Newport Beach Santa Pub Crawl info for ya, (and no, we won’t be offended), these are the official links to get all the deets on what is sure to be an epic night of seasonal cheer (and cheers):
