Bridge Day facts for kids
Bridge Day is a super exciting yearly festival in Fayetteville, West Virginia. It happens every third Saturday in October. This special day celebrates the amazing New River Gorge Bridge, which was finished in 1977.
On Bridge Day, the bridge closes to cars. Instead, it opens up for thousands of people to walk across! Imagine walking on a giant bridge that's usually only for vehicles. Around 100,000 people come to this event. It's a huge party!
The very first Bridge Day was in 1980. About 40,000 people showed up then. The festival has happened every year since, except for a few times. It was cancelled in 2001 because of the 9/11 events. It was also cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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History of Bridge Day
Bridge Day started thanks to a man named Burton Ervin. He was a veteran of the United States Army. Many people call him the "father of Bridge Day."
On August 17, 1979, Burton Ervin made a special jump. He jumped from the New River Gorge Bridge! Over 200 people watched him. There's even a plaque on the bridge today to remember his brave jump.
What is BASE Jumping?
Bridge Day is famous for something called BASE jumping. It's the only day of the year that people are allowed to BASE jump from the New River Gorge Bridge. BASE jumping is when people jump from fixed objects. The letters B.A.S.E. stand for Building, Antenna, Span (like a bridge), and Earth (like a cliff).
Jumpers leap from the bridge and fall 876 feet (about 267 meters) into the New River Gorge. This is one of the very few places in the U.S. National Park System where BASE jumping is allowed. About 400 BASE jumpers take part in the festival each year. It's a thrilling sight to see!
Safety is super important for BASE jumpers. There have been a few serious accidents over the years. Because of these, rescue teams are always ready. For example, after an incident in 1983, more rescue boats were added. Jumpers are now only allowed to go when a rescue boat is confirmed to be available.
Rappelling Down the Bridge
Besides BASE jumping, another cool activity on Bridge Day is rappelling. Rappelling means using ropes to lower yourself down a cliff or structure. People have been rappelling off the bottom of the New River Gorge Bridge during the festival since 1981. It's another way to experience the incredible height of the bridge!
Bungee Jumping at Bridge Day
For a while, bungee jumping was also part of Bridge Day. Bungee jumping is when you jump from a tall place while attached to a long, stretchy cord.
The first confirmed bungee jumper was a stunt performer named Skip Stanley in 1985. In 1992, a New Zealander named Chris Allum set a world record. He bungee jumped 823 feet (about 251 meters) from the bridge. He stopped just 40 feet above the river! That same year, a GMC Jimmy SUV was even dropped on a bungee for a commercial!
In 1993, Chris Allum set another world record. He bungee jumped with six friends in a basket! However, bungee jumping takes a long time. It takes a while to reel the jumpers back up. During that time, BASE jumpers can't jump. Because of this, bungee jumping has not been allowed at Bridge Day since 1994.
