The Mississippi Monster prepares to dodge a snowball. Photo courtesy of Raging Rivers WaterPark, Grafton, IL, on Facebook.

GRAFTON - Raging Rivers Waterpark hosted a “Snowball Showdown” this weekend.

Get The Latest News!

Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.

On Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, community members were invited to come out and join a snowball fight in the Raging Rivers parking lot, located at 100 Palisades Parkway in Grafton. Kids of all ages threw and dodged snowballs as they played in the snow, and even the Raging Rivers mascot, the Mississippi Monster, joined in the fun.

“Everybody was smiling,” said Park Manager Jeremy Hayes. “Everybody had a good time. And it was just another way of Raging Rivers giving back to the community a little bit, trying to strengthen community ties, and mainly just keeping Raging Rivers fresh in everyone’s mind that summer is coming and we’re hoping that they come out and enjoy.”

Hayes estimates that roughly 40 people participated in the snowball fight. While they didn’t break the record for the largest snowball fight ever recorded — that record belongs to a city in Canada, with over 7,600 people joining in — it was certainly the largest snowball fight in the Riverbend region in recent years.

Aviator Matt Lombard also stopped by in his helicopter, and he took some photos from the sky. Hayes said the kids enjoyed seeing the helicopter and welcomed the “social media enthusiast” to the park.

Article continues after sponsor message

But the star of the show, Hayes said, was the Mississippi Monster, who became a major snowball target. Kids played with the Monster and pelted him with snowballs.

“The Monster came out and had a good time playing with the kids,” Hayes explained. “He became the target from all the kids that snowballed, so that was pretty fun. He was something to throw at.”

Hayes said Raging Rivers would love to organize another snowball fight in the future if the region receives more heavy snowfall. He invites the community to follow the Raging Rivers Facebook page for updates about pop-up events like this.

The park is currently preparing for their mushroom festival, which will be held later this spring. They look forward to opening again for the summer, and Hayes promises big updates in the next few years, from new rides to an RV park. More information will be available soon.

“We’ve got a lot of neat things coming up in the future,” he added. “We’re looking forward to this upcoming season. We’ve got a couple new things in the mix again, with a couple different activities throughout the summer season. I’m not going to get too far into it, but we’ve got a lot of big things coming in the future for Raging Rivers.”

For more information about Raging Rivers, visit their official website at RagingRivers.com.

More like this:

Jan 10, 2025 - Largest Snowball Fight in the Region: Raging Rivers to Host "Snowball Showdown"

Aug 23, 2024 - Win Four Free Tickets to Raging Rivers Before the 2024 Season Ends

Sep 9, 2024 - Local History and Jumpscares: Win Four Tickets to Raging Rivers Haunted Trail

Aug 29, 2024 - Raging Rivers Offers Free Admission for First Responders

Dec 27, 2024 - Win $250 and Other Prizes: Voting for Holiday Lights Contest Starts Now