Summer is here and New Haven is feeling the warmth. Whether you are a student taking classes or conducting research, a visitor taking a campus tour, or a New Haven native, you will likely be amazed by how much happens here during the summer months.
In a wildly successful attempt to beat the heat, New Haven hosted “Slide the City”, a traveling event that features the world’s longest inflatable waterslide. More than 1,000 people gathered at the top of Yale’s Science Hill to slide all the way down Prospect Street in inner tubes. There were families, young kids, Yale students, and at least one professor. What better way to bring the community together other than a 1,000-foot neon green water slide, bright, colored inner tubes, and pumping music featuring the greatest summer hits?
When Slide the City comes to town, the day begins promptly at 9am. Despite the early start time (I’m a night person, don’t judge me), people were up and ready to slide! The lines were long, but Downtown NHV, a non-profit group that supports the city’s social events, started playing some amazing summer top 40 hits. Soon everyone was dancing and jamming in line to “Work from Home” and “Shower”. New Haven is the only place I’ve ever been where waiting in line at 9am can turn into a big summer dance party!
Soon it was time to take on the 1000-foot long slide. With my neon green inner tube in hand, I mentally prepared myself for the ride, took a deep breath, positioned myself for a headfirst plunge, and went for it!
I had no idea how fast the slide would be! With a little help from a constant supply of flowing water, my inner tube flew across the slide’s slick material. I felt like I was flying as I glided effortlessly down what is normally a busy street. This is probably what it would feel like to hop on a hover board from Back to the Future: a sense of weightlessness and a rush of adrenaline.
The ride seemed to last for ages, but soon, my 1000 feet were up. Once I reached the end, I stood up, collected my tube, and walked back up the hill in a daze, my head reeling from all the excitement, the fear, and the pure happiness of my headfirst slide. I regrouped with my friends, and we all took turns sliding again. Each time was better than the first, and we loved every second of it.
When it was time to head home, my friends and I couldn’t stop talking about the amazing experience we’d just had. An ordinary Saturday in New Haven was transformed into an unforgettable experience with the help of water, gravity, friends, and a sense of adventure. Slide the City New Haven will definitely be one for the books.
