Santa Claus showed up, along with a large crowd, to enjoy the warm sunshine during the sixth annual Snowball Drop late Saturday morning at the Old Town gazebo. Eureka Main Street organizes the Small Business Saturday event, shooting some 500 "snowballs" (ping-pong balls) into the air above the attendees with an air cannon. This year, each snowball had the name of a local business and could be redeemed that day for a prize or discount.

In a new addition to the event — to increase the odds of attending children catching a "snowball" with an age-appropriate prize, the air cannon first fired off rounds of colored ping-pong balls in a Gumball Drop only for kids. See the slideshow below for photos of the fun.


Santa mingled with the Snowball Drop attendees while passing out candy canes and afterward wandered through Old Town streets and into stores. He's scheduled for more Old Town appearances for the next four weekends from noon to 3 p.m. and during December Arts Alive!