While many people like to welcome the promise of a new year by compiling a list of resolutions and commitments to do better, a surprising number of folks all around the world enjoy starting things off with a frigid plunge into coastal ice waters. That’s because, in addition to being the first day of a new year, January 1 is officially National Polar Bear Plunge Day.
It may seem like an odd notion, getting into chilling water during the dead of winter, but it’s a tradition that boasts a surprisingly long history, particularly in Nordic cultures. Ice-hole swimming is still highly popular in Scandinavian nations today with many toting both physical and mental benefits. Studies have shown ice water to be effective in elevating a body’s blood levels, triggering naturally occurring mood-regulating and painkilling hormones. These chemical responses can even combat depression and Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) which are common in northern latitude locations where winters are long with reduced daylight.
Surprisingly, swimming in frigid ice waters has been a thing in the Continental United States since at least the early 1900s. The oldest known “Polar Bear” swim club, The L Street Brownies, was founded in 1902 in South Boston, Massachusetts. Two years later, in 1904, they held their first annually occurring Polar Bear Plunge event on New Year’s Day—a tradition that many other locales throughout the nation soon followed suit in.
Eventually, Polar Bear Plunge events and similarly named ice swims or ice dips started doubling as charitable fundraising events, with proceeds going towards hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and other notable causes. The majority of officially designated Polar Bear Plunge events today benefit the Special Olympics.
Even though January 1 is officially National Polar Bear Plunge Day, not every event takes place on this day particularly. This is especially true in the Mid-Atlantic region where there have since emerged so many events of this nature. Maryland’s Annual Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point Park, for instance, has grown to become the largest event of this kind in the nation and now spans multiple dates and times.
If you’re an individual in Delaware, Maryland, or Virginia (the Delmarva region) looking to either witness an event of this nature or brave the icy waters yourself, then here’s a list of upcoming considerations for 2024.
Delaware:
Fenwick Freeze—Located at Bayard Street Beach, starting at 10:30 a.m. on January 1.
Leo Brady Plunge—Located at Bethany Beach Boardwalk, starting at noon following the 5K race and one-mile walk on January 1.
Lewes Polar Bear Plunge—Located at Rehoboth Beach, starting at 1 p.m. on February 4.
Maryland:
Penguin Swim—Located at the Princess Royale Oceanfront in Ocean City, starting at noon on January 1.
North Beach Polar Bear Plunge—Located on the shore of North Beach, starting at 1 p.m. on January 1.
Polar Bear Plunge at Greenbrier State Park—Located in Boonsboro, starting at 10:30 a.m. on January 13.
MSP Annual Polar Bear Plunge—Located at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis between February 1 and 3. The 2024 Cool Schools Plunge will be on February 1 starting at 11 a.m. The Police Plunge will take place on February 2 at noon. Also on this date will be the 2024 Corporate Plunge beginning at 3:30 p.m. February 3 will be the Maryland Family Plunge, starting at 11 a.m.
Virginia:
Mosaic Plunge—Located in Fairfax, starting at 1:15 p.m. on January 20.
Virginia Beach Polar Plunge—Located at Virginia Beach, in front of the Hilton Oceanfront Hotel between February 2 and 3. The Cool School Challenge will be on February 2 with the main event following on February 3. Scheduled times are to be posted later.
Kiwanis Club of Tyson’s Polar Dip—Located at Lake Anne in Reston, starting at 2 p.m. on February 10.
New River at Bisset Park—Located at Bisset Park, starting at 12:30 p.m. on February 17.
Prince William Plunge—Located at Leesylvania State Park, starting at 1:15 p.m. on February 17.
Plunging events truly are among the coolest activities to take to during the winter months. Many divers even dress up in fun-themed costumes to take the chilly edge off and have a good time. Also, in many instances, you don’t need to dive in fully to participate. Getting your feet wet by walking in is often sufficient enough (although you may want to check with your location’s official rules to confirm this).
In addition to the actual cold-water component, many Plunges/Swims/Dips create a festive day with live music and other happenings onsite as well. So, whether you wish to be an active participant or an awed observer, coming out to attend one of these freezing follies is always a blast!