Cold Water & Arctic Fish

March 7, 2026

No matter what the thermometer says, it’s going to be a cool—dare we say “ice cold?”—Saturday, March 14, if you opt for one of these activities.

Option 1: The Manistee Polar Plunge, part of a Special Olympics Michigan fundraiser. Check-in and registration opens at 11am at Little River Casino and Resort, when you can turn in donations and peruse a silent auction. At 1pm, the costume parade marches straight into the plunge, with an after-splash bash and awards (plus lunch for all plungers who raise $100+) to follow. Learn more at plungemi.org.

Option 2: Head half an hour north to Thompsonville’s Iron Fish Distillery for their annual release of the Arctic Grayling Rye Whiskey at 12pm, followed by a DNR update on the reintroduction of the arctic grayling to Michigan waters at 1:30pm. See details at ironfishdistillery.com/events.