Since 1920, the English Bay, located in Vancouver takes place for a particular event in the city. The Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club is one of the largest and oldest Polar Bear Clubs in the world.
The Polar Bear Swim is not just about taking a dip in frigid waters; it’s a celebration of community spirit, resilience, and tradition. Families and friends gather to support each other, often dressing up in whimsical costumes that add a festive atmosphere to the event. Many participants make it their New Year’s tradition, marking the start of the year with an exhilarating challenge that embodies courage and camaraderie.
Its initial swim was in 1920 when a small number of swimmers took the plunge into English Bay on New Year’s Day. Led by their founder, Peter Pantages, the swim has grown from around 10 swimmers to the new record of 8,683 official entries set in 2024.
Using Tableau, we can create interesting ways of visualizing the data of the event
Insights
2025 Record-Breaking
2025 saw a new all-time high with 13,265 registered swimmers – an increase in 52.7% from the previous record (8,683 in 2024)
Growth since 2019
From 2019 (1,929 swimmers) to 2025 (13,265), participation increased almost 7x
Modest Numbers Before 2010
Between 1976 and 2010, participation usually stayed below 2,500 swimmers. The event seems to have become mainstream after 2019.
Water temperature doesn’t affect attendance
In 2010, water was 9°C (warmest), but had only 1,876 swimmers. Cold years, like 1985 and 1982 was 3°C and still had 1,700–2,000 swimmers.
