– A large group of children were living their best lives last week at the river slides at Festival Park. Hot weather in the forecast and school not yet in session combined for a busy park Monday through Wednesday. With temperatures soaring within a couple of degrees of 30, families used the water features to escape the heat. What began as a small group of floaters going down the fast slide together grew and grew until it reached nearly half the length of the slide and almost all the children there. Older kids kept an eye on those who didn’t want to join the train, ensuring they could slide before the train began its descent. Laughter could be heard from top to bottom as they landed at the bottom and raced back up to the top to do it again. Eventually, a big chunk of the kids decided to wait in the big turn and slide down the side, joining the train as it passed. Parents watched from the sidelines, chuckling, perhaps a bit jealous that they weren’t in the mix too.