Snow Blocks Attempt At World Record Snowball Fight

JACKSON, NJ — Officials at Six Flags Great Adventure were hoping to take part in the world's largest snowball fight on Saturday at the amusement park.

The record attempt, set for Six Flags' nine amusement parks across the country as part of its Snow Day promotion with the Hallmark Channel, was supposed to be executed with soft plush snowballs by approximately 1,000 people at each of the parks.

That was until Mother Nature showed she is the ultimate queen of the snowball fight: the first winter storm of the 2017-18 season cruised into New Jersey on Saturday, prompting weather closures throughout the state that included the closure of Six Flags Great Adventure.

"For the safety of our guests and employees the park will remain closed Saturday, Dec. 9 for inclement weather!," the park posted on its website.

The Jackson park wasn't the only one affected by the snow, which started to fall in Ocean County shortly before 9 a.m. Six Flags Over Georgia, located outside Atlanta, where more than 4 inches of snow fell Friday into Saturday, and Six Flags America in Baltimore both were closed Saturday as a result of the snowstorm along the East Coast. Six Flags New England, south of Springfield, MA, also was closed on Saturday.

The other parks that were set to participate in the snowball fight — Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo, CA; Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, CA; Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio, TX; Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, TX; and Six Flags St. Louis, Eureka, MO — all were open on Saturday.

The world record for the largest snowball fight is 7,681 participants and was set in Canada last year, Six Flags officials said in a news release promoting the snowball fight attempt.

The event wasn't merely about breaking the record; the park was offering 40 percent off its admission price for those who brought a new unworn warm clothing item to donate to those in need. The collection of gloves, scarves, hats, coats, boots, heavy socks, sweatshirts, sweatpants, sleeping bags, quilts, blankets and pajamas was to be donated to the Salvation Army.

Last year, Six Flags set a world record for the most couples kissing for one minute under the mistletoe. The events are part of its annual Holiday in the Park celebration that runs through Jan. 1.

Plush snowballs were to be distributed to the first 1,000 participants. Photos provided by Kristen Fitzgerald, Six Flags Great Adventure