Colombian town turns main street into giant slide to boost image
STORY: :: Bucarasica, Colombia
:: This Colombian town transforms a main street into a giant water slide to improve its image and attract visitors
:: June 1, 2025
:: The annual event offers a fresh start to the town, which has a history of violent conflict and illicit activity
:: Oscar Perez, Mayor, Bucarasica
'This idea was hatched during a political campaign with the community. The community had this idea to attract people because, as you see, our town is small and people don't have much to do. This slide has impacted tourism, and we've become viral.'
Bucarasica, a town with some 6,000 residents located in the Norte de Santander region, has created a space in the annual calendar for June 1, when residents get together to set up a giant slide to attract visitors and send the world a more positive image of the region.
Norte de Santander previously made headlines due to the violent conflict affecting the Catatumbo region between ELN (National Liberation Army) guerrillas and dissident factions of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).
The area, rich in natural resources and bordering Venezuela, is strategically significant for both illegal drug trafficking and illicit mining.
The event, which featured a motorcade, started last year as a campaign promise from Mayor Oscar Perez to amuse residents. Eventually, with the support of social media influencers who came to visit the attraction, it became popular beyond their regional borders.
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