Last Year’s Santathon (Photo: QueensPost)
Nov. 18, 2013 By Sean Brosnan
Sunnyside Boulevard Bars, an association of 10 bars and restaurants located in and around Queens Boulevard, is hosting its 2nd Annual Santathon early next month.
The event is likely to bring out hundreds of residents—most of whom will be dressed in Santa suits—for a day of party going and charitable giving. The Santathon will commence at 3pm, Saturday, December 7.
Participants will be able to select draft beers for a discounted price of $3. However, to get in on the discounts, attendees must register at any of the participating establishments and pay $10 for a wristband.
The funds raised from the wristbands will be used to provide underprivileged kids with toys for Christmas.
Attendees are encouraged to dress up in Santa gear and to donate extra toys—such as dolls or teddies– that can be given to children.
“Last year was a big success but we are hoping for more people this year,” said Mickey McCreesh, owner of Bar 43 and a founding member of Sunnyside Boulevard Bars. “About 500 people registered last year and we raised around $5,000.”
“It was great craic [fun] and some sight to see hundreds of people all dressed in Santa suits,” McCreesh said.
Sunnyside Boulevard Bars was formed in October 2012. Last year’s Santathon was the group’s inaugural bar crawl and was borne out of the association’s desire to help the residents of Rockaway Beach after Hurricane Sandy.
“We were helping out a lot in the Rockaways after the storm and we saw that they were having a toy drive down there,” McCreesh said. “Therefore, we decided that we would do something similar.”
However, the members of the Blvd of Bars decided to help local children as well as those in the Rockaways.
“There are plenty of kids here in the local community that need help too. So, as well as the Rockaways, we donated to St Raphael’s here in Sunnyside, St Teresa’s in Woodside, the Mercy First Orphanage in Brooklyn, the Metro Homeless Center on Queens Boulevard and we also donated toys to the 108 precinct to help out with their toy drive. We hope to donate to all of the same places again.”
Aside from last year’s Santathon, Sunnyside Boulevard Bars has hosted two more bar crawls. The group held the ‘Irish Music Festival’ in March of this year, which raised more than $3,000 for the Engine 325/Ladder 163 on 51st Street. Furthermore, the association hosted the ‘Halfway to St Pat’s Day Festival’ in September, where they raised $5,500 for the Sunnyside/Woodside Boys and Girls Club.
The participating bars are: Arriba Arriba, The Courtyard Ale House, Bliss St Station, Sidetracks, McGuinness’s, The Gaslight, Molly Bloom’s, Bar 43, PJ Horgan’s and Maggie Mae’s.
Details:
Santathon
Starts: 3pm, Saturday, December 7.
Location: Any of the participating bars
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8 Comments
VERY nice!
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@Nina Hartley: Nice!
It’s our job to condition the kids that more stuff means more happiness. The more plastic junk you accumulate, the happier and more content you’ll be with yourself.
fine and very numerous ameerican chicksss!! an one crazy man dat comptleetley ruined the photo.
I’m going to wear a sexy Santa outfit.
We are lucky to have such good-hearted people in the community. Thanks to all.