MCCALL, Idaho — The McCall Winter Carnival officially lit up the weekend Friday night as families gathered for one of the event’s most beloved traditions: the Children’s Torchlight Parade.
Young carnival-goers bundled up and filled the streets with glow sticks, laughter, and excitement as they followed McCall volunteer firefighters through town. Before the parade, families met at McCall Community Church for hot cocoa and treats, warming up before heading toward the bonfire pits near the Main Stage at the beer garden.
The parade, led by local firefighters carrying torches, marks the unofficial start of the Winter Carnival festivities and continues to draw crowds of locals and visitors alike.
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“Because it represents the beginning of the winter carnival,” said one young parade participant when asked why she enjoys the event.
Adults say the parade is just as special for them, offering a chance to embrace the cold and celebrate the community.
“It’s good to be outside and enjoying the weather and seeing all these kids get excited to be a little bit cold and miserable for a minute but have a good time while they’re doing it,” said Jesse Van Patten, a McCall volunteer firefighter.
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Van Patten has volunteered with the McCall Fire Department for six years and says Winter Carnival events are something he looks forward to every year.
“It’s kind of a unique thing we do,” Van Patten said. “The parades and everything are a little off-kilter, not too formal. You see the Mardi Gras Parade, the torchlight parade, and even the dog sled pull where everyone brings their pugs out. It’s wild. It’s awesome.”
The McCall Winter Carnival continues throughout the weekend with fireworks, the dog sled pull and the Mardi Gras Parade still to come. Idaho News 6 will stream those events on our website.
