Calling all Santas: The 16th annual Santa Crawl set to return to downtown State College

Hundreds of extravagantly dressed Santas will take to the streets of downtown State College on Dec. 14 for the 16th annual State College Santa Crawl.

The event starts at 8 p.m., kicking off the evening from four local watering holes before descending onto the more than 20 participating bars scattered across several blocks.

The State College Santa Crawl began in 2004 as a fun holiday get-together among friends and soon turned into a major fundraiser for the Pat Boland Memorial Internship Award within the Penn State College of Communications. Participants purchase optional wrist bands for $20, granting them access to bars on the crawl that would normally require a cover charge; 100% of the proceeds go to the internship award. Over the past six years, the State College Santa Crawl has raised nearly $60,000 for the scholarship fund and is now the fund’s largest annual donor.

Fall said the event’s record year in terms of funds raised was 2015, with more than $15,000 raised thanks to high attendance spurred on by good weather.

However, this is no rampant and disorderly drinking fest, like some similar Santa-themed events that take place across the country. Responsibility is encouraged and the event attracts a fair amount of young professionals and a crowd that skews to the older side. The event has never seen an alcohol-related incident involving the authorities and that’s one of the primary reasons, organizer and event founder Larry Fall says, the event is continuously welcomed by local establishments.

“In 2016, there were 15 bars on the (State College Santa Crawl) list; this year it looks like we’ll have a record (22). What’s important to me is that all of the 2016 bars (at least the ones that still exist) continue to participate, indicating that we are doing something right from their perspective,” Fall said.

The crawl kicks off at Doggie’s Pub, Primanti Brothers, Federal Taphouse and Café 210. From there, participants can go on to the other event spots at their leisure, including Sharkies, Re//Bar, Lion’s Den, The Brewery, Adam’s Apple, The Shandygaff, Mad Mex, Jax, Phyrst, Local Whiskey, Champs Downtown, Bill Pickles Tap Room, Zeno’s, Spat’s at the Grill, The Basement Nightspot, BRGR, A’s Pub at McLanahan’s and Chrome Liquor Lounge.

Wristbands are available for purchase the night of the event at Primanti Bros., The Tavern, Doggie’s Pub, The Basement Nightspot, Chrome Liquor Lounge, Federal Taphouse and Café 210. During the week leading up to the event, wristbands are available at the Hotel State College front desk during daytime hours; The Tavern in the evening; and at Doggie’s Pub, the Federal Taphouse, Café 210 and Chrome Liquor Lounge during normal business hours.

For those interested in participating in the State College Santa Crawl, Fall offers a few tips, reminding event-goers to embrace the holiday spirit and dress for the occasion, purchase an optional wristband, pace and behave yourself and respect the participating establishments.

This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Calling all Santas: The 16th annual Santa Crawl set to return to downtown State College."