700-foot water slide transforms downtown Lynchburg into a splash pad to raise money for the United Way

LYNCHBURG, Virginia. – Downtown Lynchburg was transformed into a water lover’s dream this past weekend with a 700-foot-long waterslide winding through the heart of the city.

The Hill City Slide not only provided exciting fun, but also served a good cause: raising money for the United Way of Central Virginia.

Imagine a giant water slide stretching across Church Street between 12th and Washington Streets. This weekend, that vision became a reality.

“We came down and I just saw it and was surprised. I thought it was a little tube and was surprised that it was,” said one excited participant.

The event, which began as a playful idea, quickly gained momentum and developed into a major attraction for the community.

“We honestly didn’t think the city of Lynchburg would even consider this, and to be honest, the city of Lynchburg has been a great partner in this,” said Tabitha Abbott, Hill City Slide coordinator. “For them to even say yes to this was a big deal for us and for downtown Lynchburg.”

The Hill City Slide attracted thousands of visitors, all looking to have fun while supporting the United Way of Central Virginia.

The organization supports 24 local nonprofits and aims to use the fundraiser to raise significant funds for these important community programs over the next three years.

“It brings the community together in such a cool way, but it’s a fundraiser, so you know we have goals and over the next three years we’d like to see this really raise a lot of money for the organization,” Abbott added.

Participants found the event entertaining and exciting. “It was really fun,” said one participant.

Some even noted the impressive speed of the slide. “The speed is a little faster than you would expect. You actually slide down pretty well,” said Nat Marshall. “Man, I can do 30 or 40, aerodynamically.”

The success of the Hill City Slide has created a huge buzz in the community and set the bar high for future events. With such a positive response, it’s clear that this won’t be the last time Lynchburg will close streets for a giant water slide.