For the first time in three years, Vancouverites of questionable sanity will gather at English Bay for a frigid dip in the ocean on New Year’s Day, as the organized Polar Bear Swim returns from a multi-year pandemic hiatus.
The event had been slated to return to its in-person format last year, but was switched to a “digital dip” at the last minute amid surging COVID-19 case numbers driven by the Omicron variant.
“It feels like it’s a new beginning,” Vancouver Park Board supervisor of aquatics Tony Syskakis told Global News.
“It’s a really nice way to start 2023. it’s been a tough year, and I think a fresh start is going to be a beautiful thing.”
Vancouver’s last in-person Polar Bear Swim, in 2020, was the 100th anniversary of the ritual known for brave souls and wacky costumes.
To mark the return of the in-person event, Syskakis said organizers will be bringing back some of the celebration-style entertainment they rolled out for the centennial — including food trucks and a DJ.
Indoor spaces will be available for people to change and warming tents will be available, but the park board recommends people arrive “swim ready.”
The event runs from noon to 4 p.m., with the program starting at 2 p.m. and the “official swim” at 2:30 p.m.