Falling snow is everywhere in Iowa, but it’s unusual to catch a snowball and discover that it entitles the recipient to a prize or a special deal.

That’s exactly what’s going to happen at 2 p.m. Saturday in Tom Evans Plaza, though, during an event held by the Main Street Cultural District.

“What we’re going to be doing is throwing the ‘snowballs’ — which are ping-pong balls — off of the second-story fire escape,” said Jennifer Schill, events planner with the Main Street Cultural District, 312 Main St. “There will be approximately 700 of them.”

There will be two drops, one for children ages 10 and under at 2 p.m. and then another drop for adults, a few minutes later.

“Each one has a prize,” Schill said. “Some examples are: 20 percent off, a free book, free hot chocolate.”

Main Street businesses were given the opportunity to participate by writing discounts and prizes on up to 50 ping-pong balls.

“They could have a maximum of 25 per drop, and they could take one if they wanted or they could take 25,” Schill said.

“There’s a wide range of what businesses were doing.”

As of last week, 24 businesses had signed up to participate, said Jayne McGuire, director of the Main Street Cultural District.

They represent a wide variety of Main Street businesses, including everything from coffee shops, and drugstores to frame shops and consignment stores.

“It’s a great, quick way to get advertising out there,” said Tiffany Walker, manager of Duck Worth Wearing, 233 Main St., one of the participating businesses. “And it’s a fun concept.”

Duck Worth Wearing and The Loft, 408 Kellogg Ave., which are under the same ownership, will have 50 ping-pong balls thrown on Saturday.

“We did 25 for each store,” Walker said. “We did a variety, from percentages off or buy one, get one free offers.”

In addition to the prizes sponsored by individual businesses, there will be three grand prizes during each drop.

For the adults, the grand prizes will be gift certificates accepted by downtown businesses.

The Main Street Cultural District wants to lure community members to the district for the event, and hopes to keep them for shopping afterwards through the deals and discounts on the ping-pong balls.

“They’ll have to go into the businesses to redeem them, so it’s going to keep them downtown,” McGuire said.

The idea for the event came from networking with other main streets through the Main Street Iowa program, which Ames joined in May.

“I know Story City; their main street has done this in years past,” Schill said. “That’s actually where we got the idea from.”

McGuire said Story City got the idea from another main street town.

“Why come up with new [publicity] when you can borrow?” McGuire said.

For businesses in the midst of some of the busiest shopping days of the year, any idea that brings in customers is worth exploring.

“Hopefully we can do it again, then, if it works out,” Walker said.