MCCALL, Idaho — While Winter Carnival weekend in McCall is best known for its parade, ice sculptures, and packed streets, another long-running tradition is drawing crowds indoors: the Winter Carnival Ice Show.
The annual skating show, timed to coincide with the town’s busiest weekend of the year, brings Olympians, elite competitors and local skaters together on the ice, offering audiences a rare chance to see top-tier figure skating in a small mountain community.
“It’s a really wonderful thing for our community and our local skaters and some of the skaters from Boise as well,” said Laurie Benton, the figure skating director in McCall. “And this year our theme is circus.”
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Benton, who has led figure skating programs in McCall for 14 years, said Winter Carnival provides an opportunity for residents and visitors to experience high-level skating without traveling to larger cities. This year’s lineup includes two former Olympians as well as nationally competitive skaters.
“We have two past Olympians performing with us, as well as national competitive champions,” Benton said.
Among the performers is 9-year-old Sasha Irvine of Sun Valley, who returned to McCall for her second Winter Carnival Ice Show.
“I came last year, and it was just a really fun opportunity, so I wanted to do it again,” Irvine said.
Unlike competitive skating, Irvine said the Winter Carnival show allows skaters more freedom and creativity.
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“There’s no exact rules I have to follow,” she said. “I just need to have fun.”
That relaxed atmosphere is intentional, according to organizers, and is a major reason skaters continue to return year after year. Pair skaters Timmy and Naomi are performing together in McCall for the first time and said the Winter Carnival crowd creates a different experience than traditional competitions.
“Everyone gets to show off their fun side and their personality,” Timmy said. “It’s not strict. We just get to have fun and hopefully entertain the crowd.”
This year, organizers added a matinee performance scheduled immediately after the Winter Carnival parade to accommodate the influx of visitors.
“We’re thinking that a lot of people will already be in town and would want to come see a very affordable show for the caliber of talent that we have,” Benton said.
The Winter Carnival Ice Show runs Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the McCall Ice Rink.
