Thousands of Vancouverites braved the frigid waters of English Bay to ring in the new year at the city's first Polar Bear Swim in several years over the weekend.
As an annual installment in the city for over a century, the event was postponed for three years during the pandemic. While there was an online version of the swim in 2022, there was no shortage of eager cold-plunge enthusiasts on New Year's Day 2023.
People from across the Lower Mainland flocked to the popular Vancouver beach, with many of them rocking colourful, wacky, and creative costumes as they ran into the ocean.
The event ran from noon to 4 p.m. and attendees raced into the cold waters at 2:30 p.m. Organizers gave participants commemorative buttons and people who registered ahead of the event received a participation certificate.
Thankfully, the Vancouver weather held up for most of the day, allowing the attendees to stay dry before the race.
Have a look at some of the best moments from the 2023 Polar Bear Swim.
Jan. 1 is the official day of the Polar Bear Swim and this year’s new-year-day event marks the tradition’s 103rd year. #polarbearswim #Vancouver pic.twitter.com/MwX3pc7KnG
— Melissa ๐จ๐ฆ (@puffinvan) January 2, 2023
For over 100 years, the Polar Bear swim has been a Vancouver Tradition on New Year’s Day!
— StanleyParkVan.com (@StanleyParkVan) January 2, 2023
Come out for a swim or just to cheer on the brave souls who do!
Details/Photos/History/Registration: https://t.co/GMH6oWkIIj pic.twitter.com/osWxtQYI7E
Check out the costumes people wear at the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim on New Year’s Day!
— StanleyParkVan.com (@StanleyParkVan) January 2, 2023
Details/Photos/Registration: https://t.co/GMH6oWkIIj pic.twitter.com/4HMuE7VIpZ
Polar Bear Swimใซ่กใฃใฆใใพใใ๐จ๐ฆ
— ใฏใ๐จ๐ฆco-op็ๅญฆโin Vancouver (@haruco_op) January 2, 2023
ใใน้ใๆใญใฆใใผในใใณใฏใผใใผใพใง่กใฃใกใใฃใฆใ14:30ใฎ้ไผๅผ้ใซๅใใชใใฃใ๐ซฃ็ฌ
็ ใฟไธใใใชใฎใซ้ฆฌ้นฟใ ใชใใจๆใใชใใๆฐด็ใง้ฃใณ่พผใฟใพใใ๐
่จๅฟตใฎTใทใฃใๅฏๆใใฃใใใ่ฒทใฃใกใใฃใ
่ถ ๅฏใใฃใใใฉๆฅฝใใใฃใใ๐#PolarBearSwim2023 #vancouver pic.twitter.com/mzP7vkA6NO
ๆฌๆฅ่กใใใๆฏๅนดๅ ๆฆๆไพใฎๅฏไธญๆฐดๆณณๅคงไผใPolar Bear Swim 2023ใใใๅ็ใhttps://t.co/EzgDxcT12J pic.twitter.com/hjUTznN3za
— GoToVan๏ผใซใใใฎๆ ๅ ฑ็บไฟก๏ผ (@gotovan) January 2, 2023
ุงูุญุฏุซ ุงูุชูููุฏู ุงูุณููู ู ูุฐ ุนุงู 1976 ููุณุจุงุญุฉ ุจุงูุทูุณ ุงูุจุงุฑุฏ ูู #ูุงููููุฑ ๐ฅถ ุฎูุงู ุงูููู ุงูุฃูู ู ู ุงูุณูุฉ ุงูุฌุฏูุฏุฉ #Vancouver_Polar_Bear_Swim#ุนูุด_ุงููุญุธุฉ_ู ุน_ููุฏุง_ูุงูู๐ pic.twitter.com/2TIiljufcy
— Canada Live ููุฏุง ูุงูู (@Canada_Live_net) January 2, 2023
Polar bear swim ๐ปโ๏ธ๐๐โ๏ธ๐จ๐ฆ๐ธ
— SUSY:) ๐ท๐ฟ (@SusyMor2) January 2, 2023
Tradición en Vancouver Canada, al otro día del Año Nuevo, sumergirse en las heladas aguas del Mar y después, musica en vivo.๐โ๏ธ๐๐ฅถ๐๐ผ๐ถ pic.twitter.com/QP1rQVJLlM
My dear photog bro @MarksGonePublic was in his canoe for over 4 hours to capture the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim!!
— Tina Taphouse (@ttaphouse) January 3, 2023
I messaged him to find me on the shore with my fur coat (not real!) and fur hat. He captured me and these guys running in! Awesome!! Thanks Marky Mark!! pic.twitter.com/dHRKvRUgYW
Ok!! Here I am going into the water for the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim and I bring you under the water with me! LOL
— Tina Taphouse (@ttaphouse) January 2, 2023
You can see my cuz Donna going into the water too!!
Happy New Year!! ๐๐ฝ๐#VancouverPolarBearSwim2023 pic.twitter.com/cKctmeMXWN
#Vancouver Polar Bear Swim 2023. pic.twitter.com/irjj2SZAHG
— Stephen A. Braverman (@stephenbraverm1) January 1, 2023
๐ถ๐๐ผ๐๐ผ
— SUSY:) ๐ท๐ฟ (@SusyMor2) January 2, 2023
Polar bear swim ๐โ๏ธ ๐ปโ๏ธโ๏ธ๐๐จ๐ฆ pic.twitter.com/Rak6tyH3ef
The New Year’s Day Polar Bear swim tradition lives on. Water was a nice warm 2 Celsius. Great way to start the year. pic.twitter.com/iGBros0d5M
— Some Drunk Canadian (@SomeDrunkCdn) January 1, 2023
