Santas — lots of them — are coming to town

You know it must be getting close to Christmas when Santa starts showing up in the malls and department stores — or when hundreds of people in Santa suits are seen running through the streets of Las Vegas.

This year’s Great Santa Run, a fundraiser for Opportunity Village, a local nonprofit organization serving people with intellectual disabilities, will invade downtown and result in the closure of several city streets from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Several streets will be closed for entertainment and events associated with the 10th annual 5K run and 1-mile walk.

Runners in red will gather at the starting line at Las Vegas Boulevard and Carson Avenue at 9:30 a.m., and the race will begin at 10.

Las Vegas officials said the race route will zigzag along several streets within a perimeter bounded on the north by Ogden Avenue, on the west by Las Vegas Boulevard, on the south by Hoover Avenue and on the east by Ninth Street.

Several downtown restaurants will be open early Saturday to accommodate crowds expected to support participants in one of the city’s most popular running events.

Crowds will begin gathering at the packet pickup site, the Mob Museum parking lot, at 8 a.m.

Entertainment is planned on the Third Street Stage at the Fremont Street Experience from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

After the 5K race starts, the mile-walk participants will gather at the starting line and head out at 10:30.

While traffic flow is expected to return to normal by noon, an Opportunity Village fundraiser on the Slotzilla zip lines will continue through 6 p.m.

Event organizers said Pizza Rock, Hogs &Heifers and the Triple George Grill will be open early for the event and an outdoor bar is planned at the Downtown Grand.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Find him on Twitter: @RickVelotta.