If only the commute downtown could always be this much fun.
Thousands of people — at least those who are at least 48 inches tall — descended this past weekend into the low-lying center of Grand Rapids, Mich., for a free trip on what promoters believe is the world's longest inflatable water slide. The puffy blue-and-yellow slide is about 500 feet long, stretching about three city blocks. It carried participants on an elevation drop estimated at 100 feet.
The megaslide is the brainchild of Rob Bliss, a 21-year-old maestro of social media. It is the latest of about a dozen public events he has conceived and publicized via Facebook, drawing dozens to thousands of participants to downtown Grand Rapids.
Bliss' first event was a pillow fight in 2008 that drew more than 1,000, according to The Grand Rapids Press. Next, the call went out for zombies. About 4,000 arrived.
The goal of each event, he said, is "creating a unique moment in time and reimagining what a downtown space can be used for."
The slide's builders say the $30,000 contraption can last about 20 years with good maintenance and careful storage, so the plan is to reinflate it annually.
The Denver Post
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