Lille (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Around 450 people, including many children, joined Lille’s New Year’s Day swim at De Lilse Bergen. Piet Danneels, Fonny Dingenen, and Lieve Crauwels highlighted the icy plunge and festive activities.
As VRT News reported, around 450 people took part in the annual New Year’s Day swim at De Lilse Bergen in Lille, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. The event has grown steadily over the years.
“At those first editions, there were only 70 or 80 people. Now we’re at 450, a record,”
said Piet Danneels from De Lilse Bergen’s catering team.
This year’s edition featured people of all ages, including many children, who joined the plunge.
“I’m honestly a bit scared of the water,”
says Danneels.
“It’s only 2 degrees Celsius, normally it’s 7 degrees Celsius. That makes a huge difference in how it feels.”
“Previously, it was only the real polar bears who came here. Now it’s becoming something people also bring their children to, a real experience,”
says Danneels.
What drew 450 people to Lille’s New Year’s Day swim?
The event also included side activities.
“We brought a tray of drinks,”
said Fonny Dingenen from Gierle, offering refreshments to participants. Members of Femma Tielen dressed as deer. Regular swimmer Lieve Crauwels said she had already entered the water 3 times.
“It feels wonderful,”
she said.
Lille’s De Lilse Bergen park hosted its first New Year swim on January 1, 2023, with 150 participants, as part of the park’s winter programming. In 2024, the event boasted approximately 440 swimmers, followed by a similar turnout in 2025 and added supplementary activities.
