More than 1,500 people take icy plunge in Vancouver during Polar Bear Swim
Annual New Year's Day tradition at English Bay dates back to 1920
Thousands of people filled the shores of Vancouver's English Bay to take part in the annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Swim. The Vancouver Park Board estimated more than 1,500 people took a plunge in the ocean. Hundreds of onlookers also watched and cheered from the sidelines.
VIDEO | Hundreds of people took the icy plunge at the annual Polar Bear swim at English Bay today. <a href="https://t.co/fRsiwn4yqN">pic.twitter.com/fRsiwn4yqN</a>
—@KamilKaramaliSo, this just happened: 1500+ polar bears braved our chilly <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EnglishBay?src=hash">#EnglishBay</a> waters & plunged into 2017. Congrats! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VanPolarBearSwim?src=hash">#VanPolarBearSwim</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hello2017?src=hash">#Hello2017</a> <a href="https://t.co/wfrRxlDH5e">pic.twitter.com/wfrRxlDH5e</a>
—@ParkBoardIt was the 97th annual Polar Bear Swim at English Bay. Similar events were held in communities across Metro Vancouver.