Freezing Fun: Chico’s Annual Polar Bear Plunge

The Polar Bear Plunge at Sycamore Pool is a beloved annu­al Chico tra­di­tion that brings togeth­er thrill-seek­ers and com­mu­ni­ty mem­bers for a chill­ing and exhil­a­rat­ing expe­ri­ence.

Since 1980, every Jan­u­ary 1^st at 1pm, One Mile Recre­ation Area in Low­er Bid­well Park trans­forms into a New Year’s play­ground as hun­dreds of par­tic­i­pants plunge into the frigid waters of Big Chico Creek in the spir­it of a fresh start to the new year.

The event typ­i­cal­ly attracts a diverse crowd, includ­ing locals, stu­dents, and vis­i­tors, all unit­ed by a shared enthu­si­asm for an invig­o­rat­ing start to the year. Spec­ta­tors line the pool­side to cheer on par­tic­i­pants as they plunge into the frigid waters and swim across the icon­ic pool.