LYNCHBURG, Va. – Downtown Lynchburg was transformed into a water lover’s dream this past weekend with a 700-foot water slide winding through the heart of the city.
The Hill City Slide not only provided thrilling fun but also aimed to support a great cause: raising funds for the United Way of Central Virginia.
Imagine a massive water slide stretching across Church Street between 12th and Washington Streets. This weekend, that vision became a reality.
“We were coming down and I just saw it, and I was surprised. I thought it was going to be a little tube, and I was surprised it was like that,” said one excited participant.
The event, which began as a playful idea, quickly gained momentum and turned into a significant community attraction.
“We honestly did not think the City of Lynchburg would even fathom this and to be honest, the City of Lynchburg has been an amazing partner in this,” said Tabitha Abbott, Hill City Slide coordinator. “For them to even say yes to this has been a big deal to us and the downtown Lynchburg area.”
The Hill City Slide drew thousands of attendees, all eager to experience the fun while supporting United Way of Central Virginia.
The organization supports 24 local nonprofits, and the fundraiser aims to raise substantial funds over the next three years for these vital community programs.
“It brings the community together in such a cool way, but it is a fundraiser, so you know we have goals and over the next three years, we want to see this be something that raises money really significantly for the organization,” Abbott added.
Participants found the event both enjoyable and exhilarating. “It was really fun,” one slider said.
Some even noted the impressive speed of the slide. “The velocity is a little more than what you’d expect. You’re actually going down pretty good,” said Nat Marshall. “Man, I’m doing 30 or 40, aerodynamic.”
The success of the Hill City Slide has made a big splash in the community, setting a high bar for future events. With such a positive response, it’s clear that this won’t be the last time Lynchburg sees streets closed for an enormous water slide.