While many Santa-clad celebrators will drink in the holiday season at New York City bars for the annual SantaCon pub crawl, people will not be able to do that on the train ride to and from the city for 24 hours due to the event.
The ban on Metro-North trains and at the stations will last from 9 a.m. Saturday to the same time on Sunday "to maintain orderly travel" during SantaCon. While alcohol is usually allowed on the trains, Metro-North is imposing the temporary ban "for the safety of customers and train crews," according to a news release.
While SantaCon has drawn some opposition from neighborhoods in the Big Apple, event organized are working to improve the reputation of the festive pub crawl and have hired a civil rights lawyer to ensure they are permitted in bars provided they abide by the laws, NBC New York reported.
MTA police officers at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan and train stations on the route will be enforcing the liquor restriction, according to a news release. They will confiscate any alcohol people are carrying.
Anyone who violates the ban risks being escorted off the trains and out of the stations and could be fined as much as $50. Not heeding the ban could also mean prison time lasting up to 30 days.
