MCCALL, Idaho — What a weekend it was for the 2024 McCall Winter Carnival. If you measure success with smiles, this year’s festival was a huge success.
- The Children's Torchlight Parade kicked things off on Friday
- The Mardi Gras Parade saw thousands line both sides of Highway 55
- Snow sculptures held their own as temperatures warmed up
This year’s Winter Carnival was full of sunshine and skies of blue. But as we found out on Sunday, most of the snow sculptures held their ground. There were snowmen, cupcakes, and fish swimming upstream. Even a wooden moose, because of weather conditions this year, was allowed. The Children’s Torchlight Parade kicked things off on Friday as the procession ended up at a neighborhood bonfire.
The massive Mardi Gras Parade on a sunny Saturday afternoon delighted the crowd lining both sides of Highway 55. For those who couldn’t be here, Idaho News 6 broadcasted the entire parade on our digital channels.
The official first annual Winter Carnival Cornhole Tournament and Snowshoe Golf were few of the fun activities that wrapped things up on Sunday. The chamber director was a little reluctant to accept my challenge.
I asked Julie Whitescarver, Executive Director of the McCall Chamber of Commerce how would you grade this year's festival? "I would give it an A++ because the theme is Color Outside the Line, and I think we’re doing that right now.”
If all the events and activities kept people busy, it was the food row packed with food vendors that kept the large crowds full and happy. For example, I asked a vendor selling turkey legs how you actually eat one without spilling it onto your shoes? "Well, you grab it, take control of it and just got for it. “
There was one particular merchandise vendor that caught my eye. I asked Adam Morris from Eye Candy Gear if he'll come back next year.
"Yes, people have been great, and yes we’ve had a two pretty good days so far.”
Another vendor touched my heart. Eric Stevenson runs a company called Fireside Pine that's all about helping Veterans. "It is one of the most important things to me, trying to get through to Veterans to offer support. It is so important.”
As far as the 2025 McCall Winter Carnival goes, organizers say they will meet and discuss and maybe even tweak some things to make sure next year is bigger and better.
