What Do 40,000 Water Balloons Have To Do With Economic Development? GRAND RAPIDS, MI (Michigan Radio) - At 5 p.m. on Independence Day in Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids, a water balloon fight is scheduled to go down - the likes of which have never been seen in the city.

The person behind the event is Rob Bliss. He's a student at Grand Rapids Community College. He's become a bit famous in the city for organizing a huge pillow fight, a zombie walk and a sidewalk chalk flood. This is just his latest project.

"It's the most ridiculous idea yet," he says. "To re-enact a Revolutionary War with water balloons. Forty thousand water balloons."

But Bliss says there is also a larger purpose to the event: to keep the city fun and interesting for young people.

You know, so maybe they won't get bored with life in Grand Rapids, and move to Chicago.

"It improves the city image of Grand Rapids," Bliss says. "Makes them look like a more hip, fun town someplace where stuff is actually happening, cause a lot of kids talk about, you know, there's nothing to do in Grand Rapids."

Bliss organizes his events on Facebook, but he has had to turn to city officials for help - to close down roads, or open up the park for 40,000 flying water balloons.

And he has some advice for policymakers in the state who want to keep young people in Michigan:

"To really make the city, to make the state more accessible to young people, I think you have to let go of the reins a little bit, and give some ability to let these sort of ridiculous things happen," Bliss says.

He plans to announce his next big event after the water balloon fight.

Contact Dustin Dwyer at dtdwyer@umich.edu

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