Toronto 
Events Description
Call them crazy if you want, but every New Year’s day hundreds of people jump into Lake Ontario’s icy-cold water for one purpose – to raise money in support of fresh water projects in developing countries around the world. This year marks the 41st year the Courage Polar Bear Dip for World Vision has taken place, raising over $2 million to date.
Dressed in just about anything from bikinis, baby New Year costumes and Santa outfits to costumes designed with such imagination that they can leave you awestruck, these dippers sacrifice themselves each year to help others.
Funds raised at the 41st annual Courage Polar Bear Dip will help provide a dependable source of clean water for World Vision’s WASH water projects in Ghana and Honduras. This entails building safe water points (wells or reservoirs) and partnering with local utility companies to provide piped water directly to households. These efforts reduce the suffering and disease caused by drinking dirty water and allow children to spend time in school rather than trekking to distant water sources.
HOW MUCH
Tickets: $30 registration fee plus fundraising
How to get tickets?
WHEN & WHERE
Date & Time:
Thursday, January 1, 2026
12:30pm | Registration Opens, Live Music and Festivities Begin
– All dippers must check-in at the registration desk to get their dipper & spotter wristbands and T-shirt
– Live music on stage from Warren Jones
– Food and hot drinks available
– Washrooms from Natures Call on site
1:15pm | Costume Contest
– Prizes for best individual and best group costumes
2pm | DIP!
– Stay dressed and warm right up until the Dip
– Know where your spotter is on the beach with your towel and warm clothes
– Wear water shoes or old runners (No flip flops!) and when you get out – warm your feet first!
– Heated change tents on site
4pm | Post-Dip Party at Tin Cup Oakville
– Join us as we celebrate another great event
– Percentage of food sales go back to the Dip
– Buy raffle tickets for great prizes courtesy of Shoppers Drug Mart at Third Line & Dundas
(park near The Beer Store) and grab the FREE shuttle bus from Attridge Transportation.
Bus starts at 12:15 and runs on a loop until the event is over
