Thousands of visitors will head to Sea Isle City on Presidents Day Weekend for the 23
rd annual Polar Bear Plunge. The weekend kicks off on Friday, Feb. 17 with the crowning of the Royal Family and concludes on Sunday, Feb. 19 with the Mike’s Seafood Run/Walk for Autism and the first annual Polar Bear Cornhole Tournament. With three full days of fun for the entire family on the calendar, Sea Isle City is the place to be this Presidents Day weekend.
On Friday night, cheer on participants vying for the crowns during the Polar Bear Prince and Princess Contest beginning at 7:30pm at the LaCosta Complex, JFK Boulevard and Landis Avenue. Spectators will also be able to register for Saturday’s Plunge from noon-9pm at LaCosta. Stick around for the King and Queen Contest at 9pm, as contestants answer a variety of questions and compete for the revered status of Polar Bear King and Queen. The contest will take place at the LaCosta Deck Bar. Winners named to the 2017 Polar Bear Royal Family will each receive their crown and sash. The Prince and Princess will each also receive a GoPro Camera and the King and Queen will each receive an Apple watch. To enter the Prince and Princess Contest, open to ages 12-16, visit
www.seaislechamber.com. Men and women age 21 and over can enter the King and Queen Contest online at
www.lacosta-seaisle.com. Funds raised from the Polar Bear King and Queen Contest will benefit various autism charities.
On Saturday, Feb. 18, get in the spirit of Plunge Day by competing in the annual Polar Bear Costume Contest at noon. Each contestant will take center stage to showcase their costume during the contest. Hopeful contestants may download the application ahead of time at
www.lacosta-seaisle.com or register the day of the event at 10am under the main tent. Contestants are reminded to keep all costumes tasteful; the event organizers reserve the right to deny entry to the contest. Only registered Plunge participants will be permitted to compete in the costume contest. There will be local vendors selling merchandise in the registration tent as well as a bounce house and face painter in the parking lot to the west of La Costa (weather permitting). Day-of registrations and preregistration pickup for the Plunge will take place on Saturday from 8am-1pm in the tent outside of LaCosta. Plungers will also be able to check-in on Friday at LaCosta from noon-9pm. The cost of the plunge is $25 and plungers must be 12 years of age and older. All registered plungers will receive a wristband and a commemorative T-shirt (while supplies last). Live entertainment will be provided all weekend at LaCosta, featuring such groups as the Andrew Jude Band, FunZaLuv, The Insiders, and more.
The Fralinger String Band and the 2017 Polar Bear Royal Family will lead plungers down to the beach. The 2017 Polar Bear Plunge will start at 2pm with an end time of 2:15pm. The official Plunge location, with medical assistance and ocean-rescue personnel on site during that time, is between 38th and 40th Streets.
After plungers experience a frigid taste of the Atlantic Ocean, LaCosta will host the Costume Contest awards ceremony at 4pm under the main tent. Proceeds from the 23
rd Annual Polar Bear Plunge will benefit various community events hosted by the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and Revitalization.
On Sunday, Feb. 19, lace up your sneakers and head to the Promenade for the ninth annual Mike’s Seafood Polar Bear Run/Walk for Autism. Registration and preregistration pickup will take place on Sunday from 9-11:30am under the main tent at LaCosta. The event begins at noon at JFK Boulevard and the Promenade. After completing the race, celebrate at LaCosta during the Post-Race Party with food, fun and entertainment for the whole family. There will be live music, a buffet, an awards ceremony, and a variety of activities for the kids. Proceeds from the Run/Walk benefit Autism Speaks, Special Services Schools, Autism Support Groups, and families of special-needs children.
Stick around on Sunday after the Run/Walk for Autism for the first annual Polar Bear Cornhole Tournament. It costs $60 per team to enter the tournament, which will take place at LaCosta under the large tent. Check-in will begin at 2pm and bags start flying at 3pm in the double-elimination style tournament, sponsored by LaCosta and the Philadelphia Cornhole League. There will be a buffet and drink specials for registered players. Teams may register online at
www.philadelphiacornholeleague.com. Proceeds from this new event will benefit autism charities.
Jitney service will be available during Polar Bear Plunge Weekend, including Friday night from 6pm-4am, and Saturday 10am-4am, and Sunday from 10am-4pm. You won’t want to miss one minute of the fun during the 23
rd Annual Polar Bear Plunge Weekend, Feb. 17-19!
For more details, go to
www.visitsicnj.com. To register for the Polar Bear Plunge, go to
www.lacosta-seaisle.com. To register for the Mike’s Seafood Run/Walk for Autism, go to
www.polarbearrunwalkforautism.com.
