Registration is now open for the 2026 Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge.
File photo by Erica Price
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It’s not too early to start planning for 2026, and registration is officially open to bring in the new year the Brooklyn way — at the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge.
Thousands of people are expected to join the Coney Island Polar Bear Club for their annual New Year’s Day swim in the frigid Atlantic Ocean. The event is free and open to the public, and swimmers can sign up online through New Year’s Eve or in-person on New Year’s Day, but advance sign-up and donations of at least $30 are encouraged. While supplies last, participants who raise more than $50 will receive a limited-edition Polar Bear Plunge beanie.
Money raised at the Plunge is donated to local nonprofits — last year, the event raised $60,000 for seven groups, including the New York Aquarium, Coney Island USA, and the Coney Island library.
Last year, the plunge raised more than $600,000 for seven local nonprofits. File photo courtesy of the Alliance for Coney Island
“The Plunge is more than a tradition; it’s a lifeline,” said Cindy Vourderis, public relations manager for the Alliance for Coney Island, in a statement. “Every dollar raised helps support things like free public programming, youth education, job training, and other initiatives that keep Coney Island thriving. We depend on the generosity of our plungers to make this impact possible.”
The Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge has been a beloved local tradition since 1903. While the Polar Bears plunge year-round, most of their events are closed to the public, and the New Year’s Day swim is the only time New Yorkers can join them. Though the weather in recent years has been warmer-than-average, ocean temps usually hover around 40 degrees Fahrenheit — well below the temperature usually considered comfortable for a dip in the sea.
Below-freezing temps don’t dissuade dedicated swimmers, who flock to the beach in thousands every year, many dressed up in costumes and festive attire. The cold waves are a good way to “wash off the old year” one swimmer, Laura, told Brooklyn Paper in 2023. It can also mark new beginnings in a new year.
Swimmers often don costumes and festive attire for the frigid swim. File photo by Erica Price
“This year I want to be kinder to myself so that I can also be kinder to others,” another 2023 swimmer, Jose, told Brooklyn Paper at the time. “I think [the Polar Bear Plunge] is a good way to start that since I’m doing something fun for me but also I donated to the charities as well.”
For some, the Plunge is just good clean fun.
“It was a really good time,” said 2024 swimmer Joshua North. “Everyone was in good spirits having a good time just enjoying themselves and no one seemed to be too cold or struggling with it. I definitely think it’s going to be a new tradition.”
Thousands of people take part in the swim each year. File photo by Erica Price
Online registration is open now, and will remain open up until New Year’s Day. In-person check-in and registration begins at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2026, on Stillwell Avenue near the Riegelmann Boardwalk. Swimmers of all ages and experience levels are open, though participants under age 18 must have a completed waiver signed and have a parent or guardian present at check-in. As of Dec. 1, one month before the plunge, more than 1,000 people had signed up, per the Polar Plunge website, and had raised $11,103 of the event’s $150,000 fundraising goal.
“In legendary NYC tradition, the Coney Island Polar Bear Club will once again open our den to the public for our New Year’s Day Plunge,” said Jarred Lustgarten, President of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, in a statement. “We invite all weird and non-weird folks to be baptized into 2026 with heart-pounding fun in the frigid Atlantic. No experience needed, just bring a towel, a friend, a stranger… anyone! Expect live music, hot cocoa, and epic vibes. And don’t forget to dig that paw deep in your wallet to support local charities. Swim safe, smile big!”