23rd Annual Polar Bear Plunge

Join us on Saturday, January 10th, 2026*, for our 23rd Annual Polar Bear Plunge at Greenbrier State Park! Help us in our mission to provide care and find loving homes for the thousands of animals that come to HSWC each year. All proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Washington County!

*Extreme weather date January 11th, 2026.

Pre-registration

• T-shirt deadline is December 14th. Plungers must be registered by December 14th to receive a 2026 Polar Bear Plunge long sleeve t-shirt with their pre-registration fee of $30.
• Pre-registration closes at 12 pm on Friday January 9th. If you miss the December 14th t-shirt deadline you can still pre-register until 12 pm on Friday January 9th, 2026. The pre-registration fee with no t-shirt is $20.

Day of Registration

• The Day of Registration Fee is $25.00 (no t-shirt). If you missed the pre-registration deadline you can still register the day of the plunge beginning at 10:30 am to 11:45 am.

Liability Waiver

• Save yourself some time at check-in by filling out this liability waiver, and don't forget to bring it with you!

Plunge Day Timeline

• 10:30 to 11:45 am: Check-in for pre-registered plungers
• 10:30 to 11:45 am: Day of registration
• 11:45 am: Award announcement and distribution
• 12:00 pm: Polar Bear Plunge!

Awards - Prizes for the Following Categories

• Best Individual Costume
• Best Team Costume
• Most Money Raised by an Individual
• Most Money Raised by a Team
• Most Participants on a Team.

Creating Your Polar Bear Plunge Fundraising Page

After you register as a plunger, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to help you create your very own fundraising page. You can use your fundraising page to encourage friends and family to donate towards your plunge. By creating a fundraising page, you will help raise much needed funds for the Humane Society of Washington County and be eligible for a fundraising award. Starting a fundraiser is easy to do, and it's fun! We'll even give you all the tools you'll need to make a difference. With your help, we can ensure more animals are cared for and placed into loving, forever homes.

Fundraising Page Prizes

Reach one of the donation levels below through fundraising, and you will receive a small token of thanks. Incentives are awarded to individual fundraising goals and do not apply to team totals.

• $100 Fundraising Level

• $250 Fundraising Level

Polar Bear Teams

Are you a Polar Bear Plunger interested in building a team? Teams are eligible for team awards. Use the link below to find out how to "Build a Polar Bear Team" and "How to Build a Team Fundraising Page".

How To Build A Polar Bear Team

Thank you to our 2026 Polar Bear Plunge Sponsors!