So many classic New York City traditions and events have been canceled this year because of the pandemic, from the New York City Marathon to the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade to SantaCon (admittedly, we're not so sad about that last one). Here's another one to wistfully add to the pile of regrets: the annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge in Coney Island has been called off due to fears about mass gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While we are deeply disappointed that our great New Year’s tradition will not be taking place in 2021, we know this is the right decision to make for the health and safety of our members, thousands of attendees, and tens of thousands of spectators who show up for this event every January 1st," said Dennis Thomas, President of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club. "We will be back bigger and stronger in 2022. Until then, we urge all our former and future participants to help us continue to support non-profits in the Coney Island community.”
One of the major difficulties with an event like this is not the plunge itself, which could be done safely distanced in theory, but everything around the plunge—the event always becomes an all-day boardwalk party with DJs, one that is filled with hundreds of onlookers who aren't necessarily partaking in the frigid waters.
The reason for the larger event is for charity — last year's plunge helped raise over $85,000 which benefited local community nonprofits like the New York Aquarium, the Coney Island History Project, Coney Island USA, and more. So this year, organizers are asking that in lieu of the usual activities, people instead purchase 2021 Coney Island Polar Bear memorabilia and make a donation to PolarBearClub which will go toward those Coney Island-based nonprofits during this difficult year.
Click on the following links to transport yourself back to the blissfully frigid vistas of last year's plunge and other previous plunges.
