Name: Jacksonport Polar Bear Club Swim
Start: 2025-January-01T12:00
Location: Lakeside Park

Jacksonport Polar Bear Club

Join us Tuesday 1/1/2019 in Jacksonport for our 33rd Annual Swim at Lakeside Park!

The Club

Any idiot can throw himself in freezing water, but it takes a real Polar Bear to do it 32 years in a row.

J.R. Jarosh

Is that an icicle in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?

Mae West

Our lives are not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the times that take our breath away.

Tom Minahan

Your poor heart. There’s not enough room in your body for it when you hit the water.

Bob Brauer

Join me at Lakeside Park at noon for the 33rd annual swim on 1/1/2019!

Lake Michigan

About the Club

The Jacksonport Polar Bear Club invites you to join them in Jacksonport, Wisconsin, each New Year’s Day at 12 Noon sharp (Central time) for a refreshing dip in the icy water of Lake Michigan as they have since 1986. Most of the members survived, and you can too!

There is no cost to participate in the swim.

If you are planning to be a Polar Bear and take the plunge, be sure to check out the "Tips & Forms" section for important instructions and helpful hints you should read before next New Year’s Day!

Swim Photos

Tips and Forms

Protective Footwear

Wear something on your feet, i.e., old tennis shoes or “aqua socks,” etc. to prevent cuts on your feet from the ice and to prevent your feet from sticking to the snow and ice on shore.

Warm Boots After Swim

Have warm/dry boots or shoes to put on once you get out of the lake. This is an important point — once your feet get cold, your entire body will want to go on strike. Not good for a long walk back to your car.

Set Up Camp

Once you get to the park, make your way to the shore and find a place for your blanket and stuff in the “swimmers only” area marked by two 6-foot polar bears holding a “JPBC” banner. This will save you mass confusion at the last minute and give you a fun photo opportunity.

Do You Wear Glasses?

If you wear glasses, we suggest you obtain an “athletic strap” or something similar to hold them to your face, or not wear them at all! It is quite difficult to find glasses that have been been dropped in the water on a sandy and icy beach, and it you find them, you may not want them after all!

Blanket to Sit On

Bring an old blanket or towel to put down on the icy shoreline to sit down on and change before/after the swim. I learned this the hard way after my swimming suit froze to the ground with me in it!

The Swim Is At Noon! But Arrive Early!

The swim itself is exactly at noon — but get there by 11:00AM for food, drinks (non-alcoholic drinks recommended — real polar bears can do this sober) and to get a decent parking place. You’ll be glad afterwards when the walk back to your car is 1 block instead of 5 or 6!

3…2…1…

Several minutes before noon, get to your blanket/changing area to begin to disrobe. At 10 seconds before noon, the countdown will be on — when it gets to “ZERO!” we’ll hit the water with an enthusiastic yell.

Savor the Moment!

Finally, the swim will be over before your goosebumps know what hit them, so savor the moment out in the lake with your fellow Polar Bears — “High Fives” and “Happy New Year” greetings never feel so good and you’ve got 364 days until next time!

It's always a great day for a swim in the lake!

Participating States & Countries

Have you done the swim but don’t see your state or country represented? Let us know!

U.S. States

Other Countries

Club Merchandise

2019 Jacksonport Polar Bear Club Souvenir Long Sleeve T-Shirt

Long-sleeve souvenir t-shirt for the 2019 swim. These shirts cost $20 each, and shipping will be $4 for one shirt or $7 for 2 or more shirts. To pre-order this shirt, email J.R. at edgewoodorchard@yahoo.com.

$20

Jacksonport Polar Bear Club 2016 Hoodies

A few souvenir hoodies from the 1/1/2016 swim may still be available. They are royal blue long-sleeve heavy cotton hoodies with the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club logo on the front, and the words “30th Annual Swim, January 1, 2016” above the logo. Below the logo it says “Door County, Wisconsin.” Any remaining 2016 hoodies are available the day of the swim in Lakeside Park at the registration pavilion from 10:30 AM until around 12:30 PM.

$30

Jacksonport Polar Bear Club 2016 T-Shirts

A few souvenir t-shirts from the 1/1/2016 swim may be available. They are royal blue short-sleeve cotton t-shirts with the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club logo on the front, and the words “30th Annual Swim, January 1, 2016” above the logo. Below the logo it says “Door County, Wisconsin.” Any remaining 2016 t-shirts are available the day of the swim in Lakeside Park at the registration pavilion from 10:30 AM until around 12:30 PM.

$15

Jacksonport Polar Bear Club Souvenir “I Took The Plunge” T-Shirts

This shirt is a short sleeved cotton navy blue t-shirt with the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club logo in white. Above the logo is the phrase “I took the plunge on New Year’s Day!” and below the logo it says “Door County, Wisconsin.” This is an undated shirt, and first debuted at the 1/1/2016 swim. Limited sizes available. T-shirts are available the day of the swim in Lakeside Park at the registration pavilion from 10:30 AM until around 12:30 PM.

$15

Jacksonport Polar Bear Club Souvenir T-Shirt (undated)

This shirt is a short sleeved tri-blend blue t-shirt with the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club logo in white. Below the logo it says “Door County, Wisconsin.” The logo has a distressed look this year. This t-shirt is undated and the design debuted at the swim on 1/1/2017. T-shirts are available (while supplies last) the day of the swim in Lakeside Park at the registration pavilion from 10:30 AM until around 12:30 PM.

$20

2017 Jacksonport Polar Bear Club Souvenir T-Shirt

This shirt is a short sleeved tri-blend red t-shirt with the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club logo in white. Above the logo is the phrase “31st Annual Swim January 1, 2017” and below the logo it says “Door County, Wisconsin.” The logo has a distressed look. T-shirts are available (while supplies last) the day of the swim in Lakeside Park at the registration pavilion from 10:30 AM until around 12:30 PM.

$20

Limited Edition Jacksonport Polar Bear Club Ball Caps

New for the 31st annual swim – limited edition Jacksonport Polar Bear Club ball caps! Adjustable, one-size-fits-most. Available (while supplies last) the day of the swim in Lakeside Park at the registration pavilion from 10:30 AM until around 12:30 PM. These are gonna be a hot item!

$20

Ordering Information

If you are unable to purchase shirts the day of the swim at the registration pavilion, please write down your order and send a check for the total amount made out to Jacksonport Polar Bear Club to:

Jacksonport Polar Bear Club |6289 Hwy 57 |Jacksonport,WI54235

For shirt ordering questions, please e-mail jacksonportpolarbearclub@gmail.com or use the contact us form.

In the Media

Local and Regional Newspapers

Coverage of the 27th annual swim was featured in local and regional newspapers including theDoor County Advocate, the Peninsula Pulse, and the Green Bay Press Gazette. Click on the name of the paper to view their coverage.

Film and Movies

The Jacksonport Polar Bear Club was invited to the original premier of the box office hit Ice Age back in 2002 at the Mall of America. Read more about that trip here.

The Jacksonport Polar Bear Club was inspiration for and also part of a movie filmed in Door County in 2009 called “Feed the Fish” starring Tony Shalhoub, Barry Corbin, Katie Aselton and Ross Partridge. Feed The Fish was written and directed by Michael Matzdorff and is available on DVD through Amazon.

Regional TV News Coverage

The 27th annual swim got some great TV coverage on Green Bay area TV stations including WGBA, WLUK, WBAY and WFRV. Click on the name of the station to view their coverage.

Other Media Outlets

The 27th annual swim was featured on the Wisconsin Outdoor Fun website and on the Door County Daily News website.

Have You Seen Us?

Have you seen the swim covered in other local, national or international media outlets? We'd love to hear about it! Send us a note through the contact section below and let us know!

Jacksonport Polar Bear Club