There’ll be no crowds of shivering Chicagoans lakeside this year but you can still take the plunge.
The annual fundraiser event which sees hordes take to the lake at North Avenue Beach every March, will this year instead go virtual due to the pandemic. Although we feel the absence of another great Chicago event this year, we encourage all to take part in its new form!
The 2021 Chicago Polar Plunge will still take place on March 7 but the spirit of plunging into our beautiful yet icy Lake Michigan lives on virtually. People are invited to let their imaginations run wild, carry on the tradition of sporting outlandish costumes, and film themselves jumping into anything they find fitting (safely of course).
While some will stick to the age-old tradition of plunging, Chicagoans this year have free reign to be creative as they like and support Special Olympics Chicago athletes by “plunging, lunging, dunking, dancing, or more.”
Participants can jump into piles of snow, run through backyard sprinklers, or send an alternative video doing something fun and creative all in support of Chicago’s Special Olympians.
All videos and photos can be sent to the Chicago Polar Plunge community via a Virtual Chicago Polar Plunge Video/Picture Submission form. The most creative and iconic videos and pictures will then be selected to feature in a Virtual Meltdown Party which will be live-streamed on the evening of March 7.
As ever all funds raised will benefit the Special Olympics Chicago athletes, covering program costs such as transportation, sports equipment, team uniforms, and food. “Through your participation, people with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to discover new strengths, abilities, and success.”
“Remember: it’s now how you plunge, it’s that you plunge!”
See more: 10 Essential Chicago Bucket List Experiences For 2021
[Featured image from Facebook / @chicagopolarplunge]