NJ Transit is banning beverages -- all of them, even water -- throughout its system the next two Saturdays ahead of respective SantaCons in New York City and Hoboken.
That means no beverages of any kind, in any type of container, open or closed, will be permitted on trains, buses or light rail vehicles on Dec. 9 and Dec. 16. The transit agency said Thursday it planned to strictly enforce the policy.
Over in New York, the MTA is banning alcohol on all Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road trains for the weekend. Don't get cute: You can't drink on any of the platforms, either.
The ban starts at 4 a.m. Saturday and lasts until noon Sunday. The MTA Police Department will be deploying extra officers to enforce the ban, as well as deal with potentially rowdy crowds, at hubs like Penn Station, Grand Central Madison and Grand Central Terminal. Police will issue summonses to violators, as well as take their alcohol -- and transgressors could find themselves booted off trains or out of MTA stations, too.
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"Ensuring everyone has access to safe and orderly travel is always a priority," said MTA Police Chief John Mueller. "The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, and we want everyone to get to their destination smoothly and on time while enjoying the festivities."
What is SantaCon?
The annual SantaCon event is held every December. Droves of 20-somethings dressed up as Santas, Mrs. Clauses, elves and all sorts of holiday favorites celebrate the famed bar crawl that starts in midtown Manhattan and winds its way down to the East Village.
The Scene
The organizers encourage revelers to donate $15 for free entry into participating venues.
The website describes the event as "a charitable, non-political, nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens once a year to spread absurdist joy."
Naturally, there are always a few Grinches who have too many spiked egg nogs (God help them if that's what they're actually drinking all day) and ruin the fun for everyone, whether through obnoxious behavior or making messes on city streets and sidewalks.
The rules of SantaCon, stated on the event website, are simple: Don't mess with kids, cops, bar staff, the charity mission or simply, the city of New York. Just be nice to people and clean up after yourselves -- no puking on the street.
Which bars are participating?
The jolly festivities kick off at 10 a.m. on Seventh Avenue, where the cavalcade of Kringles will be on parade before heading to their first bars of the day.
For those participating, SantaCon's map shows that there are several participating bars in Midtown and the East Village. More than 50 bars and clubs will be hosting revelers, and the website encourages participants to come and go at their leisure to each location.
For those preferring to avoid the event at all costs, steer clear of Midtown East and West as well as the East Village, where most of the bars are. In Manhattan, stick to the Upper West Side, Harlem and the upper and lower parts of the island; for those in other boroughs...well, you might as well stay put if you're trying to dodge the drinkers.
Or maybe it's just a good weekend to get out of the city altogether if the event isn't your cup of nog.
