Events This Weekend in Delaware and Maryland

It's going to be a bit chilly this first weekend in February, so why not consider going for a quick swim in the frosty waters of the Atlantic?

That's right, it's Polar Bear Plunge Weekend 2024 at the Delaware beaches, that time of year when otherwise sane and rational people strip down to their swimsuits and run en masse into the near-freezing waters of the "Nation's Summer Capital."

Since 1991, the Polar Bear Plunge has benefitted the year-round programs of Special Olympics Delaware, raising millions of dollars in the process.

The event has become so popular that it's sparked an entire weekend full of events and created a huge financial boon to Rehoboth Beach during the offseason.

Here are a few of the highlights for Polar Bear Plunge Weekend 2024, as well as a few other events happening during this first weekend of February throughout the region.

Polar Bear Plunge

Plunge time is Sunday, February 4, at 1 p.m., but you can check in for the event beginning on Friday, February 2, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.

You can also register for the plunge beginning at 10 a.m., on Sunday, near the bandstand on Rehoboth Avenue.

If you're participating in the Plunge, be on the beach a few minutes before 1 p.m., on Sunday and prepare to make that mad dash into the water at the top of the hour.

5K Run to the Plunge

The run starts at 10 a.m., on Saturday, February 3, and is a great way to support Special Olympics if jumping into frigid water doesn't excite you.

As with the Plunge itself, you can also participate in this event virtually if you choose.

You can register for the run on Friday at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center or on race day at the tent near the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand.

Sand Sculpting Demonstration

This event takes place on the beach in front of Candy Kitchen and is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Sunday.

Aspres Plunge Party

This after-party begins at 1:15 p.m. on Sunday at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center and will continue "while supplies last."

Click here for more on the Plunge and everything else happening this weekend