Dive Boldly Into the New Year at Shepard Park Beach in Lake George

Brave Lake George bathers on New Year’s Day in 2019.

Lake George will host its annual Polar Plunge on New Year’s Day at Shepard Park Beach. The annual event usually draws over 1,000 hearty souls to the shores of the Queen of American Lakes to experience the exquisite pain and thrill of dunking themselves into frigid Adirondack waters. It’s also one of America’s most recognized so-called Polar Bear Swims.

Register for the Polar Plunge on New Year's Eve from 11 am to 5 pm or on New Year's Day starting at 10:30 am at Duffy's Tavern. Registration is $10, and proceeds will go to the Springfield Shriners Hospital and Lake George Volunteer Fire Department. Long-sleeve shirts will be available for $10 to commemorate participants’ temporary insanity.

The plunge will take place in three heats (pun intended), with 400 people plunging at a time:

1 pm: First Wave (1 - 400)

1:15 pm: Second Wave (401 - 800)

1:30 pm: Third Wave (401 - 800)

A New Year's Day celebration follows the Plunge at Duffy's Tavern from 2 pm to 6 pm, with live music from Dirt Cheap.

For more details and to read up on what to expect if this is your first-ever plunge, Visit LakeGeorge.com.