Scantily Clad Santas Will Run The Streets Of The Back Bay To Raise Money For A Noble Cause

Break out your bathing suits, Boston! It’s time for the Santa Speedo Run!

The annual event, hosted by Lir Irish Pub on Boylston Street, is scheduled for December 9 and requires a $30 registration fee. Other than that, all you need is a speedo and a pair of sneakers!

And they're off! Santa Speedo Run underway #SSrun #SSrun2016 #igersbostonfox25 #igboston

A post shared by Roadtrip New England (@roadtrip_newengland) on Dec 10, 2016 at 10:11am PST

Additional holiday adornments such as santa hats, white beards, team colors and body paint are encouraged. All the organizers ask is that you leave the thongs at home! The SSR website explains,

“We know you have the body to pull it off, so why prove what’s obvious?”

#santaspeedorun2016 #patricklentzphotography #boston

A post shared by Patrick Lentz (@violentz) on Dec 11, 2016 at 5:48am PST

The merry event benefits the Play Ball! Foundation, a charity group devoted to creating and funding athletic leagues for more than 1,200 middle school students in the Boston Public School System.

Photos from our event in Lawrence this past weekend!

A post shared by PlayBall! Foundation (@playballboston) on Nov 3, 2015 at 6:59pm PST

Boston’s Santa Speedo run began in 2000 with just 5 crazy participants “looking to spread some holiday spirit” by scampering through the streets of the Back Bay in only Santa hats and Speedos.

Over the past 17 years, it has grown to the point that the organizers now stop taking registrations at 700 participants – a number they quickly and easily hit each year.

It's that time of year again…when I run through the streets of Boston in nothing more than a bikini. Help me reach my $400 goal of supporting sports programs for underserved youth. Any amount helps: http://ssrunners.org/kriscary#.WCvAh6IrL-Y (link in profile) #playballfoundation #ssr2016

A post shared by Kristin Cary (@kriscary) on Nov 17, 2016 at 6:26am PST

It has become a beloved annual holiday tradition that has raised over $1.6 million for the children of Boston.

The SSR website shows that several teams have already signed up, but registration is still open if you’d like to do something wild and crazy for a good cause.

The Straight as a Candy Cane's! Thanks to all the donors who threw their dollars my way and to my teammates. We had an awesome time! Also thanks to @izzyberdan for taking some sweet shots of us all! #PlayBallFoundation #SantaSpeedoRun #boston #charlieboys #charliefan

A post shared by Devon W. (@dev802) on Dec 13, 2015 at 8:19am PST

If you are not able to run, but would like to support the scantily clad lunatics who are participating, come on out on the day of the event and cheer them on! This year’s teams include The Frightened Turtles, Dad Bods, and The Wrecking Ballz.

You may also make a donation to the Play Ball! Foundation here.