Community Corner
Polar Bear Plunge Canceled In Austin Due To Coronavirus
In light of the nixed event, officials hope to commemorate the event with photos and videos of past versions with #polarplungeatx hashtag.
AUSTIN, TX — The 2021 Polar Bear Plunge event in Austin has been canceled given ongoing reach of the coronavirus, officials said.
The decision to scratch the event was made after consultation with Austin Public Health and city leadership, officials with the Austin Parks and Recreation said in an advisory. The event features people diving into Barton Springs Pool to ring in the new year.
The move is in adherence to the COVID-19: Risk-Based Guidelines followed by the city, which is currently under the penultimate Stage 4 alert level indicating growing rates of respiratory illness.
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In light of the cancellation, parks officials are soliciting residents' photos from past Polar Bear Plunge events for commemoration, and asks prior attendees to share photos/videos on social media using the hashtag #polarplungeatx. "The Department hopes for a return to this time-honored tradition in 2022 while this year Austinites share their memories of prior Plunges," parks officials wrote.
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