Brave the Cold at the Polar Bear Plunge, Jan. 24-26

The frigid waters of the Chesapeake Bay are no match for the Polar Bear Plungers! Join over 10,000 others to raise money for the Maryland Special Olympics at the 2019 Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge.

This exhilarating event is fun for the whole family! Come out to cheer on a team, jump into the bay, or just watch everyone else do it! Any way you look at it, this is a great opportunity to get out for a good cause.

What Is the MSP Polar Bear Plunge?

Simply put, it is a whole bunch of folks jumping in the Chesapeake Bay in the middle of winter. Some are doing it for fun, some are doing it on a dare, but they're all doing it to raise money for the Maryland Special Olympics.

In addition to the main event, there will be food, live music, entertainment and tons of activities for all ages.

Who Can Participate?

Anyone who would like to participate should register for their appropriate date. The categories are Cool Schools Plunge, Police Plunge, Corporate Plunge, Polar Bear Plunge, Pee Wee and Family Plunge, and Super Plunge. Visit the event website to register for your specific category.

When Is It?

The main event spans three days in January and is divided into the following coordinated plunges:

January 24: Cool Schools Plunge (10 a.m.-1 p.m.)
January 25: Police Plunge (10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and Corporate Plunge (1-5 p.m.)
January 26: Polar Bear Plunge (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Pee Wee & Family Plunge (11-11:30 a.m.)

Where Is It?

The event happens at Sandy Point State Park, right on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. You can pay to drive straight in and park at the event or opt to take a free Polar Express Shuttle System. Check the information page to read more about your transportation options.

How to Help With Fundraising:

Luckily, the Polar Bear Plunge President, Beary White, has put together this great list of tips and tricks for getting started on fundraising. Take a look!

Know Before You Go

Make your Plunge day a little easier by picking up your packet beforehand. Head over to the Special Olympics Maryland Office at 3701 Commerce Drive Suite 103 in Halethorpe, MD. Pickups are available 1/19-1/24 at specific times. Check the Packet Pickup page for more information.

Your packet will contain your official 2019 Plunge sweatshirt (all the cool kids are wearing them), your wristband, official MSP Polar Bear Plunge merchandise, and more information about parking and the onsite events. It's always best to be prepared!

The more money you raise, the better the swag! Everyone who registers with the minimum $75 donation gets a Plunge sweatshirt. Hit $500 and you get a Towel and a Pop Socket! If you can get all the way up to $1000, they throw in a Yeti Tumbler! See all of the prize categories on the information page under Incentives.

**All photos in this article are courtesy of the Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge.

For more information about the 2019 Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge, call (410) 242-1515, email [email protected], or visit the event website.

Have you taken the Plunge? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

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