Santas suit up for KidsCan

Hundreds of Santas decked out in shorts and running shoes made for a fun night out as they ran through the streets of Auckland.

Runners young and old suited up as Father Christmas for the eighth Great KidsCan Santa Run.

The event has been going since 2008 and has grown from an Auckland-only event to a nationwide activity, with similar runs all over the country. All funds raised will go to children's charity KidsCan, to help Kiwi kids affected by poverty.

The KidsCan Santa Run at Queens Wharf Auckland. Photo / Doug Sherring

The red-clad runners provided entertainment to onlookers as they ran through Queens Wharf and Quay St in downtown Auckland.

In previous years, several elves and the odd Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer have been spotted amid the red suits. This year's event had old King Kong dressed up in a Santa suit as well.

The red-clad runners provided entertainment to onlookers as they ran through Queens Wharf and Quay St in downtown Auckland. Photo / Doug Sherring

There are several 2-3km fun run events around the country this week, with the first runs happening last night in parts of Auckland, Rotorua, Tauranga, Wanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.