On May 24, 1987, as part of the 50th anniversary celebration, the Golden Gate district closed the bridge to automobile traffic and allowed pedestrians to cross. However, this celebration attracted 750,000 to 1,000,000 people, and ineffective crowd control meant the bridge became congested with roughly 300,000 people, causing the center span of the bridge to flatten out under the weight.

On May 24, 1987, as part of the 50th anniversary celebration, the Golden Gate district closed the bridge to automobile traffic and allowed pedestrians to cross. However, this celebration attracted 750,000 to 1,000,000 people, and ineffective crowd control meant the bridge became congested with roughly 300,000 people, causing the center span of the bridge to flatten out under the weight.