More than 5,400 participants braved frigid waters at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront this weekend, setting new records for both attendance and fundraising at the 2026 Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Virginia.
The 34th annual event raised $1.7 million, surpassing previous fundraising records while drawing over 5,000 plungers, runners and Cool School participants. The money will support more than 23,000 Special Olympics Virginia athletes in their training and competition programs.
Despite what may have been one of the coldest Polar Plunges in recent years, participants brought energy and enthusiasm to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The freezing conditions didn’t deter the thousands who took the plunge into the Atlantic Ocean…