COVID-19 has not dampened Illawarra's Christmas spirit.
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Thousands are still keen to celebrate the festive season after such a challenging year and interest remains high in Santa Fest despite its change in format.
Event founder Neil Webster said instead of the traditional pub crawl people would be partying in groups.
Mr Webster said festival goers in various locations would all be linked online this Saturday.
While he and around 30 friends will be celebrating on the back deck at the North Gong Hotel, others groups of up to 30 people will be located at homes or venues where they have been able to pre-book.
There is also overseas interest with Geoff McQueen hosting an online Santa Fest party in Denver in the US and others joining in from Singapore.
"There is the online event and some venues are doing their own separate ticketed events," Mr Webster said.
The North Gong is able to have 1000 people all up but that includes inside and outside and the venue has been selling tickets online and donating those takings to Santa Fest charities.
"Once the tickets sell out that is it. If you haven't got a ticket don't line up. Stay at home and do the online thing."
Mr Webster said The Illawarra and Humber were doing a similar thing to the North Gong.
"It think there has been a bit of confusion about this year's event now COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. Everyone has just assumed that now we can have a normal pub crawl. But we can't."
Mr Webster said if everyone does the right thing he hopes to be able to organise a more traditional style pub crawl again in 2021.
"We are very lucky to have such a loyal following of people keen to be involved," he said.
Mr Webster will be hosting a telethon style broadcast as an online party so everyone can interact wherever they are on Saturday.
The live Zoom style broadcast will last several hours. And fundraising for the same charities and causes Santa Fest supported last year will be done by the donations people make to gain access to the link.
"We will have guests on the show and we will have a roving camera that will visit some of the other venues and parties."
Proceeds will go to the Salvation Army, Disability Trust and the Disabled Surfers Association.
The Santa Fest carols on Sunday will also be done as a live-stream.
Read more:
- COVID-safe Santa Fest plan so The Gong's longest-running pub crawl can build on its 25-year history
- Santa Pub Crawl 2019: Wollongong launching its own festival as Australia's home of Santa
- Santa Pub Crawl founder promotes responsible drinking
- All the photos from Wollongong's Santa Claus Pub Crawl 2017
- Wollongong's Santa Claus Pub Crawl 2016: photos
- Wollongong's very merry Santa Claus Pub Crawl 2015: photos
- Santa Claus Pub Crawl for Charity 2014: photos
- GALLERY: 2013 Santa Pub Crawl paints the town red
- GALLERY: 2012 Santa Claus Pub Crawl
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
