By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Thousands of self-styled “polar bears,” many of them dressed in outrageous costumes, usually descend on Sea Isle City every Presidents Day weekend in February for a madcap and chilly dip in the ocean.
The wildly popular Polar Bear Plunge, which has been held for 26 years, is the centerpiece of a weekend-long celebration of partying, dining and shopping that awakens the shore town from its winter hibernation and reinvigorates the local economy.
However, the 27th edition of the plunge will not occur in 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Sea Isle officials confirmed Wednesday.
James Bennett, a local restaurant and bar owner who is the principal organizer of the event, said the plan is to bring back the plunge in 2022.
In the meantime, some of the smaller events usually connected with the plunge will be held virtually in 2021, including the Polar Bear Mermaid and Polar Bear King and Queen contests, he said.
“Yes, we are bringing the Polar Bear Plunge back in 2022. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 virus restrictions, all plunge events will be held virtually in (2021),” Bennett said in a text message Wednesday.
COVID-19 restrictions put in place by Gov. Phil Murphy to slow the spread of the virus would make it impossible to hold the plunge unless they were lifted by February. Currently, outdoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 25 people, according to the restrictions.
Sea Isle traditionally attracts tens of thousands of people to town over the Presidents Day weekend for the Polar Bear festivities. The plunge itself includes thousands of people jumping in the ocean or watching the spectacle.
“It was never really ‘on’ for (2021), though,” Sea Isle Police Chief Tom McQuillen said of the plunge while referring to the governor’s crowd restrictions.
McQuillen wrote to the Polar Bear Plunge organizers in late October to let them know that the city strongly recommended not moving ahead with the events – unless they were held virtually – because of the pandemic.
“I only made the recommendation they not host it, and unless the governor’s orders change, they can’t host it now,” McQuillen said.
Mike Monichetti, a local restaurant owner and organizer of the Mike’s Seafood Polar Bear Walk and Run for Autism, announced in November that he would hold the event virtually instead.
Held the past 12 years during Polar Bear Plunge Weekend, the walk-run attracts thousands of participants and is a major fundraiser benefiting autism support groups, special services schools and families of special needs children. In 2019, the event grossed a record $202,000 for autism causes, Monichetti said.
To add some excitement to the 2021 virtual autism awareness event, people may go on the fundraising webpage to view a polar bear mascot’s travels “Around the World in 80 Days.”
To donate go to https://givebutter.com/polarbearrunwalk2021?fbclid=IwAR1-n9TNNV_85Jcm3-hQVtyFIn92-E_IybQSEzrZVIaB0fud79bpaJhvZDQ
Meanwhile, questions had swirled over whether Bennett would still try to hold the plunge in February, but he made it clear Wednesday that the event has been called off for 2021.
Normally, Sea Isle’s police department is assisted by a number of law enforcement agencies for security and crowd control during the plunge. McQuillen noted that it usually takes months of preparation by the law enforcement agencies to get ready.
However, there has been no such planning for February because the Polar Bear organizers did not notify police that they would hold the plunge in 2021, McQuillen pointed out.
Many of Sea Isle’s businesses, normally closed for the winter, reopen just for the Polar Bear Plunge celebration. The timing of the event over the Presidents Day celebration allows the town to capitalize on the extended holiday weekend.
In earlier comments, both Monichetti and Mayor Leonard Desiderio expressed confidence that thousands of visitors will still come to Sea Isle over the holiday weekend in 2021, even without the plunge.
They predicted that Sea Isle’s retail shops, bars and restaurants will, as usual, get a boost from the weekend because of a strong desire for people to visit the shore for holiday getaways.
