(image via Collectors’ Quest)

To celebrate its 60th anniversary yesterday, Lombard Street in San Francisco was transformed into a life size version of Candyland! Hundreds of colorful foam pads were arranged on the 575-foot-long path recreating the classic kids board game. Four teams of six children played a massive round of the game, running up and down Lombard (known as the “crookedest street in the world.”)

The original Candyland was created by a San Diego resident name Eleanor Abbott while she was recovering from polio as a way to entertain children also recuperating from the disease. According to the San Francisco Examiner, “To honor Abbott’s inspiration, event organizers arranged for children age 6 to 10 from UC San Francisco Children’s Hospital and the nonprofit Friends of the Children to compete…”

To read more about Candyland’s history and to see great images of vintage game boxes, visit Hasbro’s web site.

(photos via SFist)

This post contains essential information towards obtaining your Entertainment merit badge. Leave a comment on this post or a question for the Grand Poobah below, or trackback from your own site.