Sensei Bill Harris standing arms-crossed in the middle of the Harrismas water balloon war, kids letting fly on every side

Margaret Polf Park · Shasta Lake, CA  ·  Sat, Aug 21, 2027 · Battle at noon

HARRISMAS

SHASTA LAKE’S ANNUAL DISPLAY OF EPIC AQUATIC ASSAULT
days
hours
min
sec
The war chest$210 / $5,000
2,730 of 65,000 balloons stocked — tap to send more
65K

balloon goal

1,000

warriors

17

summers

1M+

thrown all-time

How a birthday became a war

“Make me the biggest water balloon fight ever.”

Back in 2010, a little girl asked her dad for exactly that. They share a birthday — Bill and Katana Harris — and he's been delivering on it every summer since.

The neighbors joined. Then the neighborhood. Then the town. Today it's a Shasta Lake institution: face painting, bounce houses, and vendors all morning — then at noon the battle song plays, both lines let fly, and the sky goes dark with balloons.

One rule everybody learns fast — nobody watches from the sidelines.

The war chest

Stocked by the town

Harrismas is fueled by community support — the war chest is the ammo budget, and every $20 puts another 265 balloons in the air. Here's where 2027 stands.

The 2027 sponsor wall — now open

The businesses that backed the 2026 war have their place of honor on the 2026 wrap-up page.

Want your business on the wall? A $200 slot puts your logo on Shasta Lake's legendary water balloon war — bill@harrismas.com

Every dollar becomes balloons — ammo drops go straight to Bill via Venmo. Harrismas is a community event, not a registered nonprofit — donations are not tax-deductible.

Know before you soak

The essentials