Swimmers and spectators are welcome to the 104th anniversary of the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim on January 1, 2024 at English Bay for the annual cold plunge.
Time: 12:00pm to 4:00pm (official swim time at 2:30pm)
Location: English Bay Beach
Registration: Participants are encouraged to register online in advance to receive a participation certificate.
Indoor spaces will be available including change rooms, washrooms and warming tents. Coat check, by cash or tap donation, will be available on-site, with all funds going to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Swimmers are encouraged to pack light and arrive ready to swim, as coat check space is limited. Portable toilets and fan-favourite activities like live music, entertainment, and food trucks will also be available.
Swimmers entering the 100-yard race should meet behind the start line. The first three swimmers to touch the marker buoy by the lifeguard boat should give their names to the lifeguard. After the swim, participants can pick up their commemorative button at the centre-tower Family Zone or Information Tents spread throughout the beach.
2024 Polar Bear Swim commemorative merchandise, such as hoodies, toque and t-shirts are available for purchase online with a limited amount available for purchase on site.
Additional safety considerations:
Individuals with heart problems should only watch.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Dogs are not permitted in the swim.
Alcohol is not permitted. Consumption of alcohol increases the risk of hypothermia.
Limit water time to under 15 minutes to prevent excessive body heat loss.
Remove clothing only when it’s time to swim. The swim will start with a flag and siren signal.
History of the swim
In 1920, Peter Pantages and nine other brave swimmers started their New Year in style by plunging into the chilly waters of English Bay. The group became known as the Vancouver Polar Bear Club. Since then, the swim has grown into a much loved highlight of the holiday season.
Polar Bear Swim Founder Peter Pantages. Photo 1927 by Stuart Thomson.
Peter’s granddaughter, Lisa Pantages, will also be joining for her 62nd swim – all but two have been at English Bay.
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You can support Stanley Park education, conservation, and research by bidding on an item in the Stanley Park Ecology Society’s silent auction, on now until December 15th.
Gifts That Support Stanley Park Ecology Society
There’s a wonderful array of items that include: A Helijet flight for two; art by Susan Point; hotel stay packages with Times Square Suites and the Westin Bayshore; a Vancouver Canucks bundle; tickets to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver Opera; bike rentals; Patagonia swag, a fine art print by David Wilson; tickets to the Capilano Suspension Bridge; gift cards for local dining; and so much more!
You can also bid on exclusive Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) experiences like a private wildlife walk with their conservation team, a birding walk, and also children’s winter EcoCamp tuition.
You can help become part of a brighter, greener future, for this fundamental park that is enjoyed by over 18 million visitors a year.
SPES’s Impact
For over 35 years, SPES has provided education, conservation, and research rooted in Stanley Park. They’ve helped conserved habitats and wildlife, creating a haven that captures the hearts of visitors from around the world.
“Invasive species are the second leading threat to biodiversity and improving biodiversity is the strongest natural defense against climate change,” says Executive Director Tricia Collingham. “This year our team removed 500 cubic meters of invasive material which equates 50 dump trucks worth and planted over 1,800 native plants (37 species)!”
SPES Public Education and Community Engagement Programs reach more than 50,000 community members
SPES co-hosted Vancouver Bird Week Celebration welcomes 40,000 visitors and birding enthusiasts each year.
800 dedicated volunteers, along with nonprofit and corporate partners, contribute over 6,000 hours annually with SPES
“We conduct regular habitat and wildlife monitoring to study trends in the Park’s health and our team educates thousands of people each year,” adds Collingham. “In 2023, we engaged over 5,000 children in environmental education – we are inspiring the next generation through connection with nature!”
There are holiday festivities around every corner of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley with even more amazing events and activities launching this weekend. Miss604 is proud to sponsor Christmas at Canada Place and Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village Museum – both free events! Find these and many more things to do around Vancouver listed below:
It’s time for Miss604’s annual Aunt Leah’s Christmas Tree Lots wreath giveaway! Tree lots are now open in Burnaby, and Coquitlam until December 17th with a selection of fresh-cut trees, potted trees, and wreaths.
Aunt Leah’s Christmas Tree Lots
All profits go towards preventing children in foster care from becoming homeless, and mothers in need from losing custody of their children.
Tree Lot Locations & Hours
Vancouver: St. Stephen’s United Church 7025 Granville St, Vancouver
Hours: Monday through Sunday from 10:00am to 8:00pm
Burnaby: All Saints Anglican Church 7405 Royal Oak Avenue, Burnaby
Hours: Monday through Thursday from 1:00pm to 8:00pm; Friday and Sunday from 10:00am to 8:00pm; Saturdays until 5:00pm
Coquitlam: Eagle Ridge United Church 2813 Glen Dr, Coquitlam
Hours: Monday through Thursday from 1:00pm to 8:00pm and Friday through Sunday from 10:00am to 8:00pm
Youth make up the fastest-growing population of homeless people in Canada. As they try to transition into adulthood, their needs are more diverse and ever-changing, requiring deeper, more customized support. The Aunt Leah’s tree sales are a major source of revenue for the housing and programs Aunt Leah’s provides for vulnerable foster youth and young moms and babies.
Aunt Leah’s started selling Christmas trees in the 1990s when government funding was cut. The Christmas tree sales have increased every year and the Tree Lots have become Aunt Leah’s most successful fundraiser raising over $800,000 with 100% of the profits from tree sales going to support its programs. For many Metro Vancouver families buying an Aunt Leah’s tree is a cherished part of their holiday tradition.
Follow Miss604Holidays this season for the latest arts and culture activities, attraction and event news »
Enjoy a seasonal celebration of quiet reflection and jubilant hope with Christmas with Chor Leoni from December 15-18, 2023 – and you can enter to win tickets!
Set to a backdrop of soaring architecture and stunning lighting design, the treasured Yuletide tradition includes a dynamic blend of holiday classics and hopeful winter harmonies, coupled with the world premiere of A Midnight Clear from Vancouver’s genre-defying composer and violinist Cameron Wilson.
Christmas with Chor Leoni
Dates: December 15th at 7:30pm; December 16th at 11:00am, 2:00pm & 5:00pm; December 18th at 5:00pm & 8:00pm
Address: St. Andrew-Wesley’s United (1022 Nelson St., Vancouver)
Tickets:Available online now from $20-$75, plus applicable fees. 35 and Under ticket pricing available.
In addition to beloved Christmas carols such as I Saw Three Ships and Silent Night, Christmas with Chor Leoni will bring audiences on a meditative journey with the world premiere of Cameron Wilson’s Midnight Clear to the promise of new beginnings with the Canadian premiere of Ola Gjeilo’s New Year’s Carol.
Wilson’s Midnight Clear is composed in three sections and scored for Chor Leoni’s 65-voice choir, as well as a rich accompaniment of piano, harp, acoustic guitar, percussion, and violin.
Returning for an encore performance this season is a previous Chor Leoni premiere. A Fantasy of Carols, written by award-winning B.C. composer and Chor Leoni’s 2022 Composer in Residence Don Macdonald, is a celebration of traditional Christmas favourites, such as Ding Dong Merrily on High, What Child is This?, O Holy Night, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and O Come All Ye Faithful. With snippets of these classics woven throughout non-traditional musical settings, this rich and unexpected tapestry builds to a jubilant climax. The work was commissioned by Chor Leoni in 2022.
In addition to Wilson on violin, Chor Leoni will be accompanied by several special musical guests, including harpist Vivian Chen, pianist Tina Chang, and guitarist Keith Sinclair.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to opening night on December 15, 2023 at 7:30pm. Here’s how you can enter to win:
