The Polar Fest Plunge is a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes, Founded in 1957, our Boys & Girls Club has a long history of providing services to local youth that help them BE GREAT academically, socially, and civically. By Plunging, you are supporting our mission plus—you will have a blast! You just register, raise some pledges, show up in a crazy costume, use our saunas to warm up, and JUMP IN!
You can earn COOL incentives while making a difference in the lives of local youth!
Join an existing team or create a new team to help you raise pledges
Every time you hit a $$$ level in pledges, you earn that prize! I.E. Raise $500 and earn the first 5 prizes!
The top 4 individuals or teams with the best costume will win CASH prizes!!!
The Polar Fest Plunge isn’t just for individuals! In fact, most of our Plungers form teams and get family members, friends, coworkers or other groups of people to bond while showing support for Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes.
If you are a team captain, consider challenging a similar group (i.e. school group, church group, service club, or restaurant) to some friendly competition! Compete against one another to raise pledges for Boys & Girls Club. Remember, the team raising the most pledges gets a special prize! By the way—if you do spark some friendly competition, let us know what you are doing—we might be able to help you promote it!
These incentives are for individuals ONLY, so if you register as part of a team, be sure you know what your individual contribution is!
Celebrity Meet/Greet &
VIP Post-Party Details
For individuals to qualify for the Celebrity Meet & Greet or VIP Post-Party incentives, they MUST check in BY 7:30PM Friday, February 25th. If you are unable to check in in-person that day, contact Alyssa in advance at alyssa@bgcofdl.org. Individuals checking in on Saturday, February 26th will NOT qualify for the celebrity incentives.
*Remember, only pledges turned in at check-in will count toward total pledges raised and the incentive prizes you can receive. Outstanding pledges will not count—so try your best to turn in all checks and cash collected as well as a copy of the online donations you received!
Get your name entered in a chance to win $100 CASH!
Get your name entered in a chance to win a Josh Duhamel autographed hat.
Get your name entered in a chance to win a YETI cooler
Get entered for chance to win YETI sidekick waterproof gear pack
Prizes for the top 4 team or individual costumes are:
$250 Cash
$150 Cash
$75 Cash
$50 Cash
Register before midnight on January 10th and qualify for EARLY REGISTRATION INCENTIVE
Last day to contact Alyssa if you are looking for special music to be played for your plunge. Contact her via email at alyssa@bgcofdl.org or phone: 218-847-5700, ext. 4. We can’t wait to see what you think of it!
Friday, February 25th at the Club - Early Check In
(150 Richwood Road) 2:00PM– 7:30PM
Check-in at the club
Click the link to get directions via Google Maps
This is running a little different this year! You have two options. If you check-in Friday, you can qualify for the celebrity incentives. If you wait to check-in Saturday, you qualify for all incentives EXCEPT for the Celebrity Meet/Greet Passes and VIP Post-Party Passes. You must be registered before 1:00 PM the day of the event in order to qualify for incentives/prizes).
Lakeshirts Beach Shop Directions Link
Every Plunger must check-in prior to jumping in the lake to turn in pledges and pick up event swag and earned incentives.
Last day to qualify for an individual’s chance to win a YETI sidekick waterproof gear bag by raising $250 through the Boys & Girls Club online registration/fundraising link found on their webpage
Last day for an individual to register in order to qualify for a chance to win a Josh Duhamel autographed hat
Polar Fest is the best winter celebration in the North! Visit polarfestdl.com to find out about all the other fun events that are happening. The day of the Plunge is super-special because it is jam-packed with all kinds of fun polar-ific stuff to do! You’ll want to come early and stay late!
YES! This year they can count toward your online fundraiser if you turn them in/mail them to the Club. Once the Club receives those donations, a Club staff will enter your cash/check donations into the online system so your online total reflects the accurate amount that you have raised. How GREAT is that! Then, you’ll know how your team is doing compared to other teams.
To show appreciation for the individuals raising pledges above and beyond and checking in early, those who hit the following levels AND check in by 7:30 PM on Friday, February 25 will qualify for additional incentives:
Both of these celebrity incentives will involve Tigirlily, MN Viking’s – Ben Ellefson, and The Cboys.
If checking in in-person on Friday, February 25th is not an option, contact Alyssa in advance at alyssa@bgcofdl.org.
If this happens, you can turn in your pledges after the event. However, we encourage you to turn in all pledges at check-in so you get credit for them with the incentives we offer. Only pledges turned in before or at check-in are eligible for individual or team incentives.
Yes, when you register (online this year), everyone must sign a release of liability (minors must have their parent or guardian sign—no exceptions)
Yes—make any checks out to Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes.
All proceeds raised during the Polar Fest Plunge go directly to our local Boys & Girls Club in Detroit Lakes. All funds stay local and benefit the hundreds of local youth who are served both in-person and through outreach events and activities hosted by the Club.
This varies from year to year, but a good average estimate is “about a hundred or so”. We set an all-time record in 2012 with 231 Plungers!
Yes! Every Plunger will get an official Polar Fest Plunge t -shirt. Check out more on the incentives page.
As you exit the sauna to make your Plunge, a volunteer will take your dry clothes bag and towel and keep it safe for you so that you can retrieve it immediately after your Plunge.
Inside the staging tent, Plunge volunteers will help individuals and groups line up and get ready to Plunge. It is important that all Plungers be dressed, ready to Plunge on time so the event can move at a lively pace. We cannot “reserve” a spot for you, but no worries—you’ll get your chance to splash!
The top four best costumes (individual or group) are awarded a cash prize. Get creative and give it a shot—
Our judges are waiting for you to WOW them!
Get out of the water! There are ladders to help you out of the water and our water rescue dive team is there to give you assistance if you need it. Head over to our Polar Fest Plunge changing trailers, towel off and change back into your clothes. Come on out and enjoy the rest of the event.
Garbage cans will be available outside of the changing trailers to place any unwanted items in.
Detroit Lakes has lots to offer, including great hotels, resorts, restaurants, shopping, and recreation! For information on lodging, dining, entertainment, and other travel necessities, visit the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce website at www.visitdetroitlakes.com.
Those who qualify for the VIP Post-Party (see incentives section for details) will receive food and beverages. Otherwise, all plungers are encouraged to support the variety of great local restaurants that are located in Detroit Lakes. Everyone is sure to find something they love!
Because this is a fundraiser that helps us provide valuable services to children in need, our hope is that you will enthusiastically raise many pledges to support your Plunge. We do not ask you to pay anything when
you register online, but each individual Plunger will be required to provide a minimum pledge of $50 at check-in. All pledges raised to support your Plunge are due when you check-in—and if you’ve raised a certain level of funds, you will qualify for LOTS of great incentives! Check out the incentives section. You must be registered and checked in before 1:00 pm on February 26, 2022 in order to qualify for incentives/prizes. Be sure to see the incentives section for more information—pay close attention as there are both individual and team incentives.
Raising pledges online is simpler than ever! And, this year, they are linked to a Club’s account so we can see what you’ve raised online as long as you sign up to collect pledges online through bgcdl.org’s polar fest plunge registration link. If you raised pledges through another online site, you must print out a list of the pledges made on your behalf online. Bring this report to check-in along with any check or cash pledges you have collected so you get credit for everything you’ve raised!
Donations made online will automatically generate a receipt for the donor’s pledge. If one of your pledgers writes a check or issues cash to you for their pledge and they want a receipt, please make sure you collect their name and address and accurately record their donation on your pledge sheet. Indicate on the pledge sheet next to their name that they would like a receipt mailed to them and Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes will send them one directly.
Our first concern at our Plunge is the safety of everyone involved—our Plungers, volunteers, and spectators. We have emergency medical personnel and law enforcement on-site throughout our event, in addition to a water rescue dive team in the ice hole at all times. All Plungers are required to sign and submit a release of liability at event check-in stating that you understand the conditions and potential risks involved in participating in our event. Please read through the release thoroughly before participating. If you are under the age of 18, your parent or legal guardian must sign the release. No exceptions will be made.
Bring as many friends as you’d like! Team up, have a competition, put together a skit! Our judges and audience love to be entertained. However, please leave Fido home. His reaction to the cold water can be an issue for our dive team—whose first responsibility is to our two-legged Plungers.
We’re sorry—there is no place to change BEFORE your Plunge. There is room in our Plunger staging tent to slip off outer clothing and make final adjustments to your costume, but there is no private changing area. AFTER you Plunge, however—you will be directed to warm private changing trailers where there are separate facilities for men and women.
Almost! Make sure you are in the staging tent no later than 1:00 p.m. and you have your dry clothes bag, towel, etc. with you. First, you will head to our sauna to warm up before you take your bonechilling Plunge. All Plungers must warm in the sauna before Plunging so you are prepared for your icy swan dive. Dry heat will also keep your costume dry for the judge’s best review! When it’s your turn to exit the sauna, make your grand entrance down the runway, collect high-fives from the crowd, let our costume judges get a good look at you, and revel in the excitement of the cheering crowd!
Yes! We’ve had everything from the Rocky theme song to the wedding march played as creative groups have ‘strutted their stuff’ for the crowd before their Plunge. If you or your group would like a special song to be played as you make your appearance on the ice, contact Alyssa at 218.847.5700 x4 before February 23 to get your request in. Our on-ice DJ will have your music ready for you the day of the Plunge!
All prizes are awarded at the end of the Plunge as soon as our judges have had time to determine the winners. You don’t have to be present to win, but you will want to stick around to claim your prize!
The Plunge will take place as long as it is safe for the Plungers and our volunteers in the water and on the ice. Extremely cold weather, high winds, or a bone-chilling wind-chill factor are examples of conditions that would prevent the event from happening. If there is a change to the schedule, we will do our best to notify all of the pre-registered Plungers by email, post information at bgcdl.org, on our Club Facebook page, and broadcast the news through local media. We would still plan to hold the event—but we’d do it either one or two weeks later instead.
There is lots of free parking nearby—in the Pavilion parking lot and on Washington, Lake, Minnesota, and Summit Avenues. Please note that West Lake Drive will be closed from Lake Avenue to Minnesota Avenue from 6 a.m. until about 3 p.m. on February 26.
Contact Alyssa
218-847-5700 ext. 4 alyssa@bgcofdl.org
Detroit Lakes Club 218.847.5700
© 2022 Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes, Inc.
