Rehoboth Beach Cancels 2026 Lewes Polar Bear Plunge, 5K After Snowstorm

The City of Rehoboth Beach and Special Olympics Delaware announced the cancellation of the 2026 Lewes Polar Bear Plunge and the associated 5K Run to the Plunge, saying hazardous post-blizzard conditions and strained public-safety resources made the weekend unsafe and that the events will not be rescheduled for 2026. Organizers informed participants via a Special Olympics Delaware email on Feb. 26, and local outlets updated coverage through March 1.

Rehoboth Beach Police Chief Keith Banks said the decision hinged on safety and staffing constraints, telling WBOC and DelawareOnline, "Unfortunately, we cannot justify putting people’s safety at risk, nor can we shift our resources to focus on the event. Public works and public safety crews in the city and the surrounding areas have been working around the clock this week, so preparing and staffing the event isn’t feasible this weekend. This timing is unfortunate for all of us, as the Polar Bear Plunge is a wonderful event that we enjoy participating in every year, but we need to put safety first and utilize our resources properly."

The plunge had originally been scheduled for Feb. 1 but was postponed because of frigid temperatures, gusty winds and an earlier storm. Multiple outlets reported organizers rescheduled the main plunge to Sunday, March 1; a separate report from BayToBayNews listed March 2 as the reschedule date, a discrepancy organizers or city officials would need to confirm for the record.

Local storm impacts were severe enough to fact into the cancellation. DelawareOnline reported that nearly 2 feet of snow fell in parts of Sussex County, closing hundreds of roads and downing trees and wires, and causing countywide power outages that required Rehoboth to restore power to its wastewater treatment facility. WDEL recorded 18 inches of snow on Sunday with roughly a half-foot of residual accumulation in many areas. City Manager Taylour Tedder told WDEL, "The sheer volume of the snow has really eaten up a lot of the parking spaces and sidewalks. Some areas of town you can only get one car through. Our crews have been working around the clock, but the safety of the participants has really been the factor in what has ultimately been decided."

Estimates of the crowd expected to converge on Rehoboth diverge across outlets. WBOC reported "more than 20,000 plungers and spectators expected to pack the beach and boardwalk Sunday, March 1." WDEL projected "over 4,000 plungers and 10,000 spectators," while DelawareOnline noted the plunge drew more than 4,000 participants last year. Fundraising context from DelawareOnline shows the weekend has been a major fundraiser for Special Olympics Delaware, bringing in $1.3 million last year and a record $1.5 million in 2024.

Organizers and local partners said some weekend activities would proceed despite the cancellation. Packet pickup and souvenir sales were scheduled Friday, Feb. 27, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, and CoastTV reported a Saturday, Feb. 28, Fire & Ice event from noon to 2:00 p.m. in the Atlantic Sands Ballroom and a Restaurant Chili Contest from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., with packet pickup again 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. CoastTV explicitly confirmed that the 5K Run to the Plunge is canceled.

Organizers urged participants to mark the weekend with a Virtual Plunge, suggesting activities such as using water balloons, jumping into the snow, or pouring a bucket of icy water and sharing photos or videos online, a recommendation CoastTV reported as part of the alternate plan. WBOC’s weather sidebar noted a Small Craft Advisory in effect through Monday at 9:00 a.m. EST, underscoring continuing hazardous marine conditions.

In a message carried by CoastTV, organizers said the cancellation was made "out of an abundance of caution and keeping the safety of our faithful bears and their supporters at the forefront of all decision making," and added, "We are as disappointed as you, but your safety is paramount and we look forward to coming together to plunge in 2027.