Polar Bear Swim Details

UPDATE 2/6: UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO UNSAFE/UNSTABLE ICE CONDITIONS, THIS YEAR'S POLAR BEAR SWIM IS CANCELLED. PLEASE SEE THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR A VARIETY OF ALTERNATIVE CARNIVAL ACTIVITIES!

Please review the IMPORTANT information below about the swim. 

EVENT: POLAR BEAR SWIM

LOCATION: OCCOM POND (see map below)

TIME/DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2024 - 2:00pm-4:30pm**

• Participants must be 18+, present a valid Dartmouth ID, and sign a waiver before stepping into the ice.

• Wear your bathing suit, but dress warmly over it. Bring a towel. There will be tables on the ice for you to keep your warm layers and other personal possessions!

• The Polar Bear Swim is a participatory event, not a spectator sport. That means if you are down by the pond you are there with the intention of jumping into it. While we understand that people love watching their friends jump in and suffer, we simply do not have the space to safely have people watching from the ice or around the shore. If you come down to Occom, you should plan to get cold and wet.

• The Polar Bear Swim is NOT a public event. Similar to the note above, we ask that members of the general public refrain from coming by the pond to observe, strange and amusing though this ritual may be.

• The Polar Bear Swim is a SWIM. It does involve a short swim of about 15’ across water, not merely a dip/plunge.

• Walk to the pond. DO NOT have your friends attempt to drop you off or pick you up from the pond.  The roads to the pond will be closed to all vehicles. It is important that we keep the road clear in case of an emergency.

• After your swim, head over to the Roth Center for cookies and hot chocolate to warm up!

**This event is subject to change based on weather conditions and safety concerns - we will keep you updated if changes to the event need to occur** 

**Please note: being in line does NOT guarantee you the chance to jump. Event staff may make changes and judgement calls based on ice conditions and the timeline. Failure to comply with event staff instructions may result in loss of the opportunity to participate in this year's swim.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we work to make this event safe and memorable for all participants.