For more than 30 years, the Virginia Beach Polar Plunge has brought together brave participants, dedicated volunteers, and generous partners along the oceanfront to celebrate the power of community and inclusion - and the 2026 event will be no different.
The weekend kicks off Friday with the Cool School Challenge, where students take part in the coolest field trip of the year. Schools from across the region dash into the icy Atlantic to support inclusion and raise funds for their teams. And for our top fundraiser, the fun doesn’t stop there, they’ll have the exciting opportunity to join WVEC 13News Now for a live broadcast following the plunge.
As the sun sets Friday evening, the 5K Run/Waddle lights up the boardwalk with glowing runners, walkers, and waddlers racing toward the finish line. The night wraps up with a lively Pre-Plunge Party, where Tito’s Handmade Vodka helps keep the energy high with festive drinks, giveaways, and an atmosphere that sets the tone for Saturday’s main event.
On Saturday, the Plunge tent opens to welcome plungers and spectators alike - warm and toasty all weekend long thanks to Virginia Natural Gas. As you make your way to the tent, be sure to grab a hot coffee or cocoa from the Wawa truck on the boardwalk. Wawa not only fuels our participants but also brings a team of their own to take the plunge into the Atlantic.
While the official plunge kicks off at 1:00 PM, there’s plenty to enjoy beforehand:
- SERVPRO and Atlantic Union Bank will keep the excitement going with giveaways inside the tent.
- The Costume Contest will bring the fun to the boardwalk as participants boogie their way to the stage in hopes of being crowned champion.
- Stop by Neptune Park to check out our giant inflatable penguin, entertainment, and our friends from Patient First.
- Grab a bite from Aloha Snacks and get into an island state of mind before your icy dash into the ocean.
As you can see, the Virginia Beach Polar Plunge weekend is truly a team effort. We’re incredibly grateful for our partners, plungers, and supporters, and we can’t wait to see you at the beach as we come together to support more than 23,000 Special Olympics Virginia athletes across the state.