Sunday, June 20, 2027. Memorial Park Band Shell, downtown Rapid City. Free.
Father's Day Water Gun Fight
The largest water gun fight ever counted had 3,875 people in it. On Father's Day, Rapid City is going to put 4,000 on the field and take the record.
The record
University of California, Irvine. September 24, 2013.
3,875
Rapid City
Counted at the gates on June 20. Father's Day 2027.
4,000
Get on the list
One email when registration opens, and one when the date is confirmed. That is it.
Planned event, pending City of Rapid City permit approval.
How the day goes
A free afternoon in the park that ends with a few thousand soaked people and, if enough of us show up, a world record. Times are the working plan.
11:00 AM
Gates open
Check in, get your wristband scanned, and pick a side: Team Red or Team Blue.
11:00 to 2:00
Family festival
Food, music on the Band Shell stage, games, and refill stations to load up.
2:00 PM
The fight
One horn. About ten minutes. Every counted person soaking and getting soaked.
After
The count
The number is read from the stage. Then we find out if Rapid City owns the record.
Why a water gun fight
Kids Deserve Dads keeps fathers in their children's lives, and rebuilds the men those children need. Most of that work is quiet and hard. This is the loud, happy part.
A kid will remember the day the whole town had a water fight and their dad was in it. We want a few thousand kids in Rapid City to have that memory, and we want the record book to show that this is a town where dads show up.
The event is free and open to everyone. Money raised beyond its cost funds Kids Deserve Dads programs for fathers and their kids.
Rules of the field
- Water only. Nothing else goes in a blaster.
- Store-bought water guns only. No modified or pressurized rigs.
- No water guns that look like real firearms.
- No water balloons, buckets, or hoses in the fight field.
- No close-range shots to the face. Aim for the shirt.
- Kids under 12 fight with a grown-up nearby.
Full safety rules will be posted with registration.
Put your name on the record
Thousands of local families, one afternoon, and a story the whole region will be telling. Sponsors make it free for every family. Gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
| Presenting Sponsor$15,000 | One only. Your name in the event title, on the stage, and on every wristband. You take the first shot. |
|---|---|
| Record Maker$7,500 | Put your name on Team Red, Team Blue, a festival zone, or the counting gates. |
| Splash Zone$2,500 | A named refill station or kids zone, booth space, and your logo on site signage. |
| Refill Crew$1,000 | Booth space, your logo on this page, and mentions from the stage. |
| Family Friend$250 | Your name on this page and on the thank-you wall at the park. |
| In kind | Water blasters, water, fencing, sound, printing, airtime, or food for the volunteer crew. |
Sponsor the fight
Prefer email? Write to zac@kidsdeservedads.org
The record needs 100 stewards
A record only counts if independent people watch it happen. Each steward watches a group of up to 50 fighters and signs a statement afterward. No experience needed. You will get a shirt, a short briefing, and the best view in the park.
We also need gate scanners, refill crews, a first aid team, and a cleanup crew. Service clubs, teams, church groups, and workplaces can sign up together.
Volunteer
Prefer email? Write to zac@kidsdeservedads.org
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Coming, fighting, and being counted cost nothing. Sponsors and donors cover the event so every family can walk in.
Do I have to be a dad?
No. Dads, moms, grandparents, uncles, coaches, and kids are all welcome and all count toward the record. It is on Father’s Day because this is what a great one looks like.
How does the record count work?
Everyone who enters the fenced fight field gets a wristband scanned at the gate. Independent stewards and witnesses watch the whole fight, and the full attempt is filmed. The record to beat is 3,875 people, set at the University of California, Irvine, in 2013.
Is it an official Guinness World Records attempt?
We are applying to Guinness World Records now. We will say so here the day the attempt is confirmed. Until then, we are building the event to the evidence standard a record requires.
Is the date locked?
The event is planned for Sunday, June 20, 2027, pending City of Rapid City permit approval. Get on the list and you will hear the moment it is confirmed.
What should I bring?
A water gun, filled before you arrive if you can, a towel, sunscreen, and shoes that can get wet. Blasters will be available on site while supplies last.
What if it rains or storms?
Rain is fine. We are getting wet anyway. Lightning is not. A weather plan will be posted here before the event.
Press and partners
Newsrooms, schools, city offices, and community groups: call or email Zac Martin, founder of Kids Deserve Dads, at 605.389.3369 or zac@kidsdeservedads.org.
Bring your dad. Bring your blaster.
It takes 3,876 of us to make history. Be one of them.
Get on the list