McCall Winter Carnival – Mardi Gras Parade 2027

The Mardi Gras Parade is the signature community parade of the 2027 McCall Winter Carnival in McCall, Idaho, scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2027, at noon. Local performers and decorated community floats form a festive procession through town, serving as one of the carnival’s major closing-day attractions.

What to expect

The parade uses a Mardi Gras-inspired format, with decorated floats, performers, beads and other hand-distributed giveaways. The 2027 field is capped at 40 entries, and participants are encouraged to decorate around Mardi Gras imagery and the broader Winter Carnival theme; candy cannot be thrown and instead must be handed directly to spectators.

Part of a bigger winter tradition

The parade is the centerpiece of the McCall Winter Carnival, a community celebration whose roots reach back to winter festivities held in 1924. Mardi Gras became an ongoing parade theme during the 1990s, and the modern carnival combines the procession with elaborate snow sculptures, local art, food and drink, live entertainment and other winter activities.

2027 theme and festivities

The 2027 carnival runs January 28–February 6 under the theme “Sharlie’s Wild West,” referencing McCall’s legendary Payette Lake creature, Sharlie. The second Saturday is designed as the carnival’s biggest downtown celebration: the Mardi Gras Parade takes place at noon, with a lakeside fireworks show also planned for February 6.

Getting to the parade

The official parade information lists free park-and-ride shuttle service, with parking at the McCall Post Office and Payette Lakes Middle School and a downtown drop-off near Legacy Park. The parade begins from Stibnite Street, with entrants staging around Mission Street beforehand; spectators should expect winter conditions, crowds and traffic around downtown McCall.