The Polar Bear Plunge at Seaside Heights presented by New Jersey Law Enforcement as part of the year-round fundraising of Law Enforcement Torch Run® events is a unique opportunity for individuals, organizations, and businesses to support Special Olympics New Jersey athletes by jumping into the frigid Atlantic waters during February.

PLUNGE SCHEDULE & LOCATION

9:00 a.m. – Registration Opens

Blaine Ave Seaside Heights, NJ 08751

12:30 p.m. – Plungers head to the beach
(arrive early as it will be crowded)

1:00 p.m. – PLUNGE!!!

315 Boardwalk, Seaside Heights

Event Map

Personal Drones are not permitted on-site on the plunge

Bus and RV parking is on Grant Avenue, closest to the check-in tents. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis.


ACCESSING THE PLUNGE AREA

The plunge location is on the beach south of Spicy Cantina and in front of Lucky Leo’s.

To enter and exit the plunge area, single use entrances have been implemented to facilitate the smooth flow of entering and exiting the beach. There are dedicated entrances onto the beach and exits off the beach upon conclusion of the plunge. 

Plungers will enter the beach at Franklin Avenue, in front of Lucky Leo’s, and exit at Sumner & Blaine Avenues, at Spicy Cantina. Click here to access a fully interactive Google Maps layout that provides directions to key areas.

The Family Plunge area is located on the south side of the Plunge zone. Plungers can enter the designated Family Plunge Area at the beach entrance between Lincoln & Dupont Avenues.


REGISTRATION TIERS

We encourage all plungers to register early to avoid the plunge minimum increase and to allow ample time for fundraising. 

“Early” Bear ($100 minimum): September – December 31

“Now I’m Ready” Bear ($110 minimum): January 1 – January 31

“Better Late Than Never” Bear ($120 minimum): February 1 – February 16 

“Almost Missed It” Bear ($125 minimum – FLAT RATE): February 17 – February 22 


REGISTERING FOR THE IN-PERSON PLUNGE 

 Here’s how to get started:

  1. Register online for $25 to get started and set up a customizable fundraising page
  2. The great news is the $25 registration fee counts toward the minimum. Want to reach the minimum now? You can add an additional donation during the checkout process to get you there.
  3. Once registered, share your fundraising page with family and friends via email and social media. Track donations from your fundraising page, respond to donors and monitor fundraising progress as you get closer to your minimum.
  4. Do not stop there! As you raise more money for Special Olympics New Jersey, you will also earn fresh Polar Bear Plunge incentives. Check out the Plunge Incentive page to see what you can earn.

ALL PLUNGERS, INCLUDING TEAM MEMBERS, MUST RAISE THE MINIMUM TO PARTICIPATE.


OFFLINE DONATIONS

  • If you have donation checks to submit, please use the offline donation form that contains instructions on how and where to send them. Please send offline donation forms and checks postmarked no later than February 20.
  • If you have cash to turn in, we suggest you consider donating to your fundraising page online for the cash total. Alternatively, you can use cash to purchase a money order. You can then send a money order just as you would send a check using the offline donation form. Please DO NOT send cash via mail.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Contact Us

    If you still have questions about the Plunge, contact us at pbpinfo@sonj.org.