Scroll to explore events active on this date.
A toddler playing in the fountain at a park in Santa Fe, New Mexico—Photo LD Lewis. In August, we live through the Dog Days of Summer. It's hot and often humid, and those ...
Can you hear that sigh of relief from parents worldwide? Yes! September marks the return of students to school, a global phenomenon. Preparations for the ACT and SATs begin earnestly for ...
October is the busiest month for events, with 5% more happening than in May, the second most eventful month. Sailing enthusiasts will be glued to the finals of this year's Am...
Using New Year's Day to engage in Polar Bear Plunge Day plays on an international tradition, where (brave?) people wade into or dive into icy waters on the first day of the year. It symbolizes starting anew, washing off the old year, and braving the new one with resilience, a physically challenging act and a communal celebration of endurance. The quirky ritual is popular worldwide. Plunging began as a joke to cure hangovers; now, the event is a significant charity fundraiser.
The first official Polar Bear Plunge began with the Coney Island Polar Bear Club in the United States. The organization was founded in 1903 by Bernarr Macfadden, a health enthusiast who believed that cold water is a tonic for one's vitality, virility, and immunity. The club started the New Year's Day swim tradition, which has continued for over a century, drawing crowds of enthusiastic participants each year.
In Scotland, the tradition is called Loony Dook; in The Netherlands, the tradition is Nieuwjaarsduik (New Year's Dive) at Scheveningen Beach in The Hague. The Dutch started this tradition in the 1960s, and in Canada, people have been plunging into the chilly waters of the River Forth on January 1 since 1986.
Currently, this event does not have supporting documents.
Currently, this event does not have supporting images.