Party Line: Santa's night out during annual pub crawl

Photo by Michael Donahue // Buy this photo

Chad Rodgers (from left), Ted Bentz and Brandi BeLee were at the Stumbling Santas Pub Crawl Saturday night, which benefited Porter-Leath.

Instead of slipping down chimneys, people in white beards and red suits slipped into bars Saturday night for the seventh annual Stumbling Santa Pub Crawl.

More than 500 people took part in the crawl, a benefit for Porter-Leath. Participants were asked to bring toys. The event began at the Flying Saucer and continued down Beale Street to Coyote Ugly, the Historic Daisy Theatre and other watering holes.

The Santa costume was the most popular, but people also dressed as elves, reindeer and Christmas packages. Todd Bussard wore boxers and a bathrobe as the title character in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure."

Andy Vrbicek, who manned the door at the Flying Saucer, said he saw one guy dressed as Baby Jesus with a pacifier in his mouth and a star over his head.

Nick Tolley had to wear his pointy elf shoes over a pair of Chaco sandals. "My feet are swollen," said Nick, who ran that morning in the St. Jude Marathon.

Rob Harwell wore an orange Santa outfit that his wife, Michelle, made because they're University of Tennessee Vols boosters.

Andrea West used a white pillow case to make a Santa beard for Bryon Houghton, but the effect was more bib than beard.

Instead of red pants, Leo Felix wore flesh-colored tights with his Santa outfit. "It's sort of like Santa lost his pants," he explained.

James Stephens said he made "a last-minute decision" to be in the pub crawl. So he went to Walgreens to buy his outfit, which consisted of a Christmas tree skirt as a shirt, an elf hat for his head and two felt Christmas stockings for his feet. Walking in the stockings, which were supposed to be hung by a chimney with care, was "very slippery," James said.

"Can I get a 'ho, ho, ho'?" Roland Shapley asked as he and fellow Stumbling Santa founder Bob Burditt began to herd the Santas, elves, snowmen and flying reindeer from the Flying Saucer to other bars so they could continue to get into the Christmas spirits.

Big bash for toys

The kids stayed home, and the adults sat on Santa's lap at the Toy Bash, a fundraiser for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis on Friday night at Memphis Pink Palace Museum.

Mike Stewart portrayed Santa and Evelyn Young was Mrs. Santa Claus. Guests also had their pictures taken with the Clauses.

A new Christmas tradition was having a photo taken with Elvis. Corey Klein wore a white jump suit to portray the King.

The evening featured food and drink, including bourbon and scotch tastings, and music by the Soul Shockers and students from the Visible School.

About $50,000 in ticket sales was raised and more than 200 toys were collected, said Donna Van Hoozer, who chaired the event with her husband, Jon. Pryor Lott is director of special events for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis.

'Starry Soiree'

The idea was to hold a kickoff party for "Starry Nights" and let guests take horse-drawn carriage rides to see the annual holiday lights displays at Shelby Farms Park.

A real snowfall wasn't part of the "Starry Soiree" plan, but snowflakes fell during the event, held Nov. 28 at the Shelby Farms Park Visitors Center.

"Don't you love the way she worked that out?" said Phil Trenary, referring to Laura Adams, executive director of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. "The party started; the snow came."

"So did the people," Laura added.

Guests gathered for drinks, including hot spiced cider, and food, including beef brisket, from area restaurants. Carriage rides were available for those who wanted to ditch their cars and bundle up under blankets to view the lights in the falling snow.

Asked if he was going for a carriage ride, Reb Haizlip said, "I'm gonna take a snow check on that."

-- Michael Donahue: (901) 529-2797; donahue@commercialappeal.com

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