The 2022-23 snowy season is here but you can't just have a snowball fight anywhere you want.

I love snowball fights. They freeze my gloves solid but it's satisfying to pelt your friend or family member with a big ball of frozen slush water pellets. Now that measurable snow has arrived in the QCA, we're coming into the season of viable snowball fight weather.

via GIPHY

Different cities in the U.S. have different takes and ordinances on what you can and can't do when it comes to weird (but fun) projectiles like fireworks and snowballs (one seems more dangerous than the other, but they're grouped together often).

What Davenport Says About Snowball Fights

Davenport doesn't mind if you have snowball fights or even the time of day that you have snowball fights. But the City of Davenport code has a specific rule on where you can and can't have snowball fights. And really it reads more like a safety thing.

The city code says that you can't have snowball fights in streets, alleys, and public places. So you can't pelt the annoying lady with a snowball in the Target or Walmart parking lots. It's a misdemeanor.

The fancy words from the code:

It is unlawful for any person to play ball, throw stones or snowballs or other things in any street, alley or public place; or to shoot with or use a bow and arrow, or use any toy commonly known as a slingshot or rubber band gun or any other dangerous toy or instrument anywhere within the limits of the City; provided however, that the foregoing shall not apply to playing ball in public parks. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a simple misdemeanor.

So if you want to have a snowball fight in your yard or your friend's yard, have at it. That's where I always found the most snow to be piled and packable anyway.

In this same chapter of city code, the city sets boundaries on what you can and can't do with fireworks. It doesn't say how much you could face in a fine if you're caught having a snowball fight on a street, alley, or public place but I don't think it would be much.

Do make sure you clean snow off your car before driving it, since that could get you a ticket in Iowa.