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Covid-19: The Annual Penguin Plunge Is On, New Date Announced

COVID-19 may have delayed it, but can anyone really stop the dedicated people who participate in the annual Penguin Plunge?

Man getting into cold water

Man getting into cold water

Photo Credit: By Oleg Dubyna from Poltava, Ukraine - Man swims in cold water, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62175827

The yearly event at Hampton Ponds in Westfield traditionally takes place in January, but due to the pandemic, it has been rescheduled for Feb. 27, according to The Westfield News.

The Plunge features people, sometimes in costume, who jump into the freezing State Park pond to raise money for Amelia Park Children’s Museum in Westfield.

Usually, people gather on the beach to watch, cheer penguins on, and drink hot cocoa, but due to social-distancing requirements, there will be no spectators in 2021. The plunge will be broadcast on Channel 15 and live-streamed, too.

Another change will be how people jump into the pond. In the past, all the penguins get the go-ahead to go in at once. Due to COVID-19 penguins will take the plunge at scheduled intervals.

There’s still time to register to fundraise and take the plunge. Interested people should email plunge@ameliaparkmuseum.org.

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