SantaCon
SantaCon returns to downtown Newport today.

Newport, RI – Hundreds of “Santas” will take to the streets of Newport again this December 8th to take part in the annual event known as SantaCon.

SantaCon is a free to attend non-commercial, non-political, nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens once a year for charity. It’s a mass gathering where people dress in Santa Claus costumes or as other Christmas / Holiday characters and parade throughout Newport and several cities around the world.

This year, SantaCon Newport will be participating in a “Toys for Tots Drive”, along with other fundraising activities to raise money for another local charity – which will be named later. This is a free to attend event but each Santa is required to bring an unwrapped toy or two for the drive!

The schedule for the day will be released closer to the date. The Facebook Event currently has the event scheduled from 11:45 am to 8 pm. For more details and updates, follow SantaCon Newport 2018 on Facebook.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...