The beaches won't be crowded this winter, but plenty of polar bears will be plunging for your attention—and no, not the white-furred mammals that serve as the poster children for global warming. Chicago polar bears dispel the winter blues with cocktails, costumes and a delirious dive into arctic-like Lake Michigan. This peculiar human strain, who appears sane the rest of the year, face ice-daggered sandstorms, subzero wind chills and heart-stopping water. Why? Some events are fundraisers, sure, but, as the saying goes: To know a polar bear is to be a polar bear. Since condo fever can extend well past New Year's and into March, we've highlighted several polar bear club events taking place throughout winter. And every organizer stresses that his/her event is about camaraderie. So strap on your Speedo and support your fellow polar bears.
The Chicago Polar Plunge
March 2 at North Avenue Beach; for more info, visit chicagopolarplunge.org
By far the biggest polar bear event in Chicago, 2007’s Chicago Polar Plunge consisted of more than 650 participants, who solicited pledges for Special Olympic Chicago programs. It’s not just a mad dash out to the pylons and back to North Avenue Beach; this is a costume party. Of course, not everyone dresses up, but you can expect to see entire organizations (last year’s largest had over 40 people) and polar bears decked out in everything from work uniforms to the unmentionable. The guys in the Coast Guard wetsuits are not part of the costume contest.
An alternative Polar Bear-like event:
Kuviasungnerk: The Salute to the Sun
January 14-18 at University of Chicago; for more info, visit coup.uchicago.edu
University of Chicago's weeklong celebration starts with daybreak calisthenics to coax the sun. Kuviasungnerk, an Eskimo word meaning happy times, includes ice sculpting, hot chocolate sessions, a parade, and the inimitable culminating event, the Polar Bear Run through the Main Quad. The run will consist mainly of students who are dressed in various outfits that deny winter's presence.
Subscribe in your favorite reader using the links below. To learn more about feeds and RSS, click here.
