There is no better place than Coney Island to welcome in the New Year! The originators of the globally recognized event, the Coney Island Polar Bears, look forward to celebrating the 120th anniversary of this time-honored tradition on January 1st with thousands of fearless fundraisers as they “plunge for Coney” in an effort to raise funds for the area’s local non-profit organizations.
“The Coney Island Polar Bear Club is proud to announce its 120th New Year’s Day Plunge. Once again, all New Yorkers and visitors from far and wide are welcome to join in a brisk dip in the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island to ring in the New Year. We are partnering with the Alliance for Coney Island in order to raise funds to support non-profit organizations in the Coney Island community. There is no fee to participate, but donations are requested. Remember, on New Year’s Eve, tourists go to Times Square, but real New Yorkers show up at Coney Island to embrace the sea on New Year’s Day.” said Dennis Thomas, President of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club.
Pre-registration for the plunge has already begun at www.polarbearclub.org, where registrants have raised over $14,000 for the local community so far. All funds raised will go towards supporting various non-profit organizations in Coney Island while also offering incentives for helping raise money, like commemorative shirts, hats, mugs, tickets to local attractions, and more. Some of the organizations that will receive a portion of the proceeds from the fundraising include the Alliance for Coney Island, which produces over 30 free events for the public each year, such as the summer-time favorites Friday Night Fireworks, Flicks on the Beach, and the Sand Sculpting Competition, in addition to the New York Aquarium, whose seascape program is the Wildlife Conservation Society’s local conservation program designed to restore healthy populations of marine species and protect New York waters, which are vital to the area’s economic and cultural vitality.
“The Alliance for Coney Island is proud to partner on this great event,” said Steve Cohen, Chairman of the Alliance for Coney Island and Vice President of the Brooklyn Cyclones. The Polar Bear Plunge marks the official start of the New Year in Coney Island and is a fun event, even for those not brave enough to take the plunge. We appreciate all the support from fundraisers that help our local non-profits. We hope that plungers and spectators will stop into our local businesses that will be open on the boardwalk and throughout Coney for their New Year’s Day celebrations.”
For those interested in participating, pre-registration is open until midnight on December 31st, while the day of registration will begin at 10 a.m. inside Luna Park in Coney Island on Stillwell Avenue. Plungers are encouraged to arrive early as thousands are expected to make their way into the Atlantic this year. To learn more about the plunge and how you can participate, visit www.polarbearclub.org
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Alliance for Coney Island
The not-for-profit Alliance for Coney Island, Inc. is a private-public partnership dedicated to continuing the year-round revitalization of Coney Island. The Alliance represents local businesses, nonprofits, and the community, with support from the New York City Council, the Brooklyn Borough President, and New York City Economic Development Corporation. More info at www.AllianceforConeyIsland.org.
The Coney Island Polar Bear ClubThe Coney Island Polar Bear Club is the oldest winter bathing organization in the United States. We swim in the Atlantic Ocean in Coney Island every Sunday from November through April. Since 1903, we have been hosting a public New Year’s Day Plunge for all brave souls to welcome in the New Year. In the past decade, the Club has raised over $500,000 to support local charities. This year we are supporting the NY Aquarium, the Alliance for Coney Island, and local non-profit community organizations in the Coney Island community.