Help raise funds for the Virginia Special Olympics at this year's Polar Plunge. Virginia Beach, New River, and Northern Virginia are all hosting events, so get your swimsuits ready!

In one of the coolest fundraisers of the year, you can join thousands of your friends and neighbors by jumping into the Atlantic Ocean, New River, or the Potomac River—all for a great cause. Proceeds from the Polar Plunge will benefit the Virginia Special Olympics athletes through year-round training and sporting events.

Join by yourself, or form a team for even more fun. Either way, you won't regret taking the leap!

Virginia Beach Polar Plunge

Plan your costume carefully; the Atlantic Ocean is particularly cold at this time of year.

Whether you're there to get wet or just want to see costume contest, the VB Polar Plunge is quite a spectacle. Registration starts at 10 a.m., the costume parade is at 12:30 p.m. in front of Neptune, and the actual plunge goes from 2 to 3 p.m. right in front of the hotel. 

The Polar Plunge Marketplace will be full of merchandise for sale, so show your support by picking up some swag, local beer from Smartmouth, or delicious Hawaiian-style treats from Aloha Snacks.

Polar Plunge, cones

Northern Virginia Polar Plunge

Head to Leesylvania State Park this year for the Prince William NoVA Polar Plunge.

Spectators will love the food trucks and music provided as the plungers jump into the Potomac River. Leesylvania is also a great place to have a picnic or grill out—just bring your own charcoal and stake out one of the park's grills early!

Parking is free if you have a registered participant in the car, so have your proof of registration handy at the entrance. Spectators will need to pay $7 per car at the park entrance. Once you've arrived, head over to the lot by Boat Launch 2.

Polar Plunge
Courtesy of Plunge Virginia on Facebook.

New River Polar Plunge

Radford's New River Polar Plunge 

Details are still pending for the New River Polar Plunge, so keep an eye on the website for updates.

**The photos in this article are courtesy of Plunge Virginia on Facebook.

If you want to help out but can't imagine getting into the cold water, just make a donation online. You can also attend any of the Polar Plunge events as a spectator and cheer everyone on.

For more information or to register for an event, go to the Polar Plunge website. You can also follow group chats on the official Facebook page.

Will you be taking the plunge this year? What's your favorite part of the day: the costumes or the actual dunking? Let us know in the comments!