San Antonio’s first-ever Krampus Parade will terrorize the King William neighborhood on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 5. Organized on behalf of Hermann Sons Hall, the event is modeled after European gatherings that pay homage to a folkloric demon who punishes naughty kids at Christmastime.
Parade participants will dress as Krampus, who arrives on
Krampusnacht
, or Dec. 5 — the eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas. As legend goes, the horned anthropomorphic figure punishes naughty children by whipping them with a switch or carrying them off to Hell in a basket.
Gotta love the Germans’ heartwarming holiday traditions!
“The Krampus Parade celebrates the forgotten mysteries of the holiday season,” San Antonio Krampus Parade Grand Marshal Bob Crittenden told the
Current
. “This parade is about rediscovering those old traditions where every December night held the possibility of encountering something magical — whether delightful or fearsome.”
How to participate or watch the parade
Parade participants are instructed to line up in the parking lot of Blue Star Arts Complex at 5 p.m. Dec. 5. Spectators can bring lawn chairs and camp out anywhere along the route by 6:30 p.m. From Blue Star, the parade will follow King William Street, ending at Hermann Sons Rathskeller, the time-capsule bar in the basement of Hermann Sons Ballroom.