"The new year arrived windy and freezing in Brooklyn, but bone-chilling weather couldn't stop tradition as thousands of people welcomed 2026 at the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge. After a few years of warm weather, New Year's Day this year was bracing. When the plunge began at 11 a.m., temperatures hovered around 25 degrees Fahrenheit - with wind chill in the teens - and the Atlantic Ocean was a near-Arctic 39 degrees."
"around 5,000 people took the Plunge, said Coney Island Polar Bear Club president Jarred Lustgarden, and the energy was "electric." "I loved the energy this year because people were really committed because of the cold weather," he said. They were committed to a fresh start, too. "A lot of people had a rough 2025, and they couldn't wait to wash that off," Lustgarden said. "I heard that more than anything else. '2025 was the worst because of A, B, C ... and I just need this.""
""I started doing it as something to start the year by doing something a little brave, and setting a tone for a new year that way," she said. "A little strength, a little bravery, take a risk. That's how it started." Everyone at the plunge is there to start the year on a positive note, Lerner said, and to support each other, and the excitement is palpable."
Windy, freezing conditions did not stop thousands from gathering for the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge to welcome 2026. Temperatures near 25 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chills in the teens met Atlantic water around 39 degrees. Attendance totaled about 5,000 participants and the atmosphere registered as electric. Many participants framed the plunge as a way to wash off a difficult 2025 and start anew. Some swimmers embraced ostentatious costumes and symbolic themes, such as yin and yang. Participants emphasized bravery, mutual support, and setting a positive tone for the year ahead.
Read at Brooklyn Paper
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