In Portland, Ore., A Crackdown On SantaCon

by April Baer, NPR

Each December, thousands pour into the streets of major American cities for SantaCon, a festival of debauchery in which crowds of drunk people in red suits crawl the local bars.

The organizers say they are all about a positive, festival brand of culture-jamming, but the events occasionally devolve into vandalism and worse.

In Portland, Ore., rumors of a crackdown are driving the semi-organized event to look for a new venue.

April Baer reports for Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, December 5, 2008