Liverpool saw the arrival of Christmas early as thousands of Santas in all forms and sizes gathered along the streets to participate in the much-discussed Santa Dash.

A few weeks before Christmas, the city center closes down each year to provide space for a 5k route that a massive group of Santas race along to raise money for charity. Not everyone is wearing your typical Santa costume, though; some dress as blue Santa in honor of the city’s football rivalry, while others compete with one another for the most elaborate costumes.

Chewbacca, the Grinch, and even a person costumed as the legendary Marvel character Loki attended this year’s event. The Liverpool Echo notes that despite the extremely cold, snowy, and icy circumstances this year, there was a sizable attendance on the occasion of the event’s twentieth anniversary.

Along the route, enormous Christmas figures welcomed the runners, and there was a snowfall right before the finish line. When the temperature was at its lowest point of the day, around 9.30 am, runners started their journey along Leeds Street, James Street, and Dales Street. They arrived at the town hall at approximately 11 am.

The race will help a number of organizations, such as the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, Liverpool Women’s Hospital Charity, and the Surgical Neonatal Appeal of Alder Hey Children’s Charity.

Past attendees of the marathon have included former Liverpool great Jamie Carragher, who initiated the 2021 event in observance of the hospital’s newborn unit, where he spent the first six weeks of his life. Because of the success of the Liverpool event, other cities have started to host their own; in the past, Exeter and Barnsley have had massive Santa Dash marathons.