Making a splash: Tips on riding Slide the City
Are you planning to join thousands of other water babies Saturday, July 4, as the first Slide the City arrives in downtown Columbia?
The 1,000-foot slide will be placed along Gadsden Street between Laurel and Blanding streets, ending at Hampton Street, in the back of Finlay Park.
The Slide the City event, beginning at 11 a.m., also includes live music, food, drinks and water.
Bring your own floaties and water toys to use on the water slide.
The Slide the City event has been traveling throughout the Southeast. In Raleigh, more than 5,000 people bought tickets in May.
Tickets are on sale at www.slidethecity.com/events/columbia. Prices range from $30 for a single slide to $65 for unlimited slides. VIP packages include exclusive slide times.
Proceeds benefit the S.C. Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Celebrate Freedom Foundation.
Here are some tips to slip-slide away safely and stylishly on the Fourth:
BYOT: Bring your own tube. To slide, you must have some sort of inflatable tube. Slide the City will be selling tubes, but you can save some money by buying your own. Tubes are included in some of the pricier packages.
You must this tall...: Those more than 46 inches tall and 5 years or older are invited to slide. If you’re younger than 18, you’ll need to get your legal guardian to sign off.
Family lane: Young ones have to ride alone. If your child is scared and wants to you to come along, you can ride alongside in the family lane.
Expect to wait: When thousands showed up at a previous event in Raleigh, many had to wait a long time in the sun. The unforgiving summer sun will make your wait a bit less bearable. Bring some water along. And, if you’re bringing children, consider a plan to keep them occupied.
Sunscreen, hats, you know the drill: Again, summer sun. Heat.
Perfect your launch: Get a good running start at the beginning, so you can get momentum to move through the slide. You’ll be bumping into other sliders along the way, like bumper cars. Enjoy the ride, er, slide.
Fashionably swim-worthy
Before you hit up the downtown slide, water park or beach this summer, check out this list of modest, Instagram-worthy swimsuits that won’t slide off when you’re slipping.
The high-waisted bikini
Taylor Swift devotees know the “Bad Blood” singer can’t get enough of her high-waisted bikinis, and it is easy to see why. Not only does the retro-inspired bathing suit give off a classy, sophisticated look, but it also saves you from the worry of having your bottoms fall off as you splash around in the pool. To play up the swimsuit’s vintage feel, look for options in retro-inspired prints like flamingos, palm trees and pineapples.
The rash guard
Once upon a time, rash guards were reserved for surfers and fair-skinned individuals trying to prevent a nasty sunburn. Now, thanks to designers like Tory Burch and Mara Hoffman, rash guards are a trendy way to dress for a day at the water park or beach. With a variety of sleeve lengths and fun designs to choose from, rash guards are proof you can cover up and still indulge your stylish side.
The one-piece
No longer seen as frumpy or unfashionable, one-piece swimsuits have grown in popularity, and for good reason. Not only is the style generally flattering on all figures, but one-piece swimsuits also offer more coverage than traditional bikinis. When shopping for a one-piece bathing suit, keep an eye out for options with interesting necklines or prints.
The tankini
Want the coverage of a one-piece with the movement of a bikini? Then a tankini might just be the right fit for you. The two-piece ensemble features a tank-style top that can be paired with a variety of bottom options, so you can switch up your look if you get bored. Much like the one-piece, tankinis work on most body types and do a wonderful job of helping to create a slimmer waistline.
The cover-up
For those who prefer to spend their summer days lounging by the pool, a pretty cover-up is a great way to add additional coverage over your swimsuit. While cover-ups are available in a variety of styles ranging from rompers to sundresses, we prefer the kimono-style options that come in pretty, eye-catching prints.
For men: The board short
Think women are the only ones prone to having water park wardrobe malfunctions? Think again. Soggy, sagging swim trunks and teeny tiny Speedos can leave little to the imagination. To solve this problem, we suggest North Face’s board shorts for men. Made to be worn both in and out of the pool, the quick-drying board shorts hit right above the knee and feature a button closure to ensure they don’t stray from your waist.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram