Seattle is officially fighting back. The Seattle Summer of ’15 has made us all a little hot, with muggy nights and scorching days, sweaty clothes and sunburns. But on August 16, Seattle will set up a 1,000-foot slip ‘n’ slide on Mercer Street, and everyone’s invited.
“That’s a month away!” you might say. “I want to keep cool now!”
We can’t help you with that, (although Lake Washington makes for some excellent after-work swimming). But we can give you the scoop on the giant slide before the waitlist fills up.
“Waitlist?” You might ask. “I have to sign up for this thing?”
You do. The slide has a capacity of 5,000–6,000 people, and Seattle has a population of 650,000. You have to pay for it, too, but I think the experience of sliding down the middle of Mercer Street on a fifth-of-a-mile-long slip ‘n’ slide is worth it. That’s something your kids aren’t going to forget. That’s something I’m not going to forget.
“Okay, okay,” you might say. “Tell me more. I want details. Prices. Hard, cold facts.”
Where: Mercer Street (between Warren Ave. N and Fourth Ave.)
When: August 16 (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
How: Sign up for a 2-hour slot online, and slide 1, 3, or unlimited times. All participants must slide with an inflatable tube, so either bring your own or buy one there.
Cost: Single ride: $13–$30 (depending on time of day)
Three rides: $25–$45
Unlimited rides: $45–$65
The slide belongs to Slide the City, an organization touring the country and setting up temporary slip ‘n’ slides in major cities. Slide the City will partner with Seafair when it comes to Seattle, and in exchange for providing volunteers, Seafair will receive a portion of the ticket sales.
So on August 16, park your car and take a long lunch break. This is summer!
PS: If you’re concerned about the traffic ramifications, avoid Lower Queen Anne all day. The slip ‘n’ slide’s stretch of Mercer Street will be closed from 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
