50 years ago in Expo history: Water ballet lights up ‘with phosphorescent glow’ at Spokane Coliseum

The world’s “largest traveling aquacade” was launching a weeklong run at the Spokane Coliseum for Expo ’74.

The International Water Follies was described as a “combination water and stage musical revue” which featured “two water ballet scenes with the performers wearing suits and gloves which light up with a phosphorescent glow.”

The cast included “one of the foremost water comedians, famed for his bellyflops off the high dive.” Other performers were strictly serious, including competition diving champions.

In other Expo news – also involving water – local diver Dave Darlow was preparing to make his annual “summer salvage dive” under the Spokane River bridges.

“Expo visitors who dropped priceless items, and that doesn’t include beer bottles, might have a chance to recover them,” The Spokesman-Review wrote.

From 100 years ago: A special election in which Hillyard voters would once again weigh in on annexation to Spokane was set for Sept. 2.

Opponents had tried to block the election, declaring such a vote only could be held in cases of emergency, and no emergency existed. But proponents successfully argued that an emergency did exist, because infighting had paralyzed Hillyard’s city government for nearly two years.

An annexation vote earlier in the year had failed by just a handful of votes, but proponents were convinced the tide was turning in their favor.