Looking for an exhilarating way to ring in the new year? Join the annual Seattle Polar Bear Plunge! This free event is open to all. The Seattle Polar Bear Plunge will take place at Matthews Beach at noon on Monday, January 1, 2024. There is no registration required but there’s some important information you’ll want to keep in mind if you plan to participate.
Read on for all the essential details!
Although the plunge starts exactly at noon, you can arrive early to enjoy a photo booth and games beforehand. Setup starts around 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. There will also be hot refreshments being served after the plunge.
This event will have lifeguards present for safety. Prior to the plunge, you’ll want to keep in mind some important safety tips provided by Seattle Parks and Recreation:
- Consult your doctor first if you have heart problems or other medical issues.
- The maximum amount of time you should stay in the water is 15 minutes.
- Don’t drink alcohol, as it can accelerate hypothermia.
- Stay fully dressed right up until it’s time for the plunge. Afterwards, change into dry clothes right away.
If you’d like to get a little festive, participants were encouraged in past years to show up dressed in a costume. You may also want to wear water shoes or sandals as the beach can be rocky. More importantly, make sure you have plenty of dry clothes to change into after the plunge.
Immediately before the main plunge at 11:45 a.m., there will be a Polar Bear Cub Plunge for younger participants and anyone who would like more space. If you’d like to participate in both plunges, you are welcome to (or as Seattle Parks and Recreation puts it, “For the truly hearty, double-dipping is allowed”).
If you manage to immerse yourself neck-deep in the cold water, you will be awarded a 2024 Commemorative Badge of Courage to provide proof along with your bragging rights.
The Seattle Polar Bear Plunge tradition was started in 2003 by Janet Wilson, the Aquatic Center Coordinator at Meadowbrook Pool. There were around 300 brave Seattleites participating in that very first New Year’s Day plunge. Now, it’s common for there to be around 2,000 people participating in the plunge!
If that sounds like too many people for your taste, remember that you have the option of participating in the smaller, kid-friendly plunge that happens first. Personally, we think we’d need to be carried along by the crowd in order to actually make it into the cold water!
For more info, you can visit the Seattle Parkways website.
Seattle Polar Bear Plunge 2024
When: Monday, January 1, 2024
Where: Matthews Beach (9300 51st Ave. NE)
Cost: Free!