The tree is up, the shopping is in progress, and you’re making your way through Idaho’s very own Christmas bucket list to help make the most of the spirit of the season. Now what? Get outside and enjoy one of Idaho’s unique winter and Christmas festivals, of course! Just because the weather is cooling off in Idaho doesn’t mean the activities stop. In fact, this is Idaho’s prime season! Beat the winter blues well into the new year with Idaho’s best winter festivities, ice sculpting exhibits, and other annual events; you’re sure to find an event you just can’t miss!
From the heart of this beloved multi-state snow valley comes a weekend-long event in Driggs that celebrates all things 'snow.' From the Snowscapes sculpture competition and 6th annual Snow Ball to the Backcountry Film Festival and snow plane showcase, there's a lot to love about this wonderland escape into the beauty of the Tetons.
Emphasis on the ice! This unique winter event, set in the town renowned for its soothing spring-fed hot pools, is a chilly week-long festival designed to give you chills in the best way possible. Wine tastings, penguin races (they're not real!), incredible fire acrobatics performances, a swimsuit fun run, and much more combine the best of fire and ice. But the most famous event of all is the Polar Bear Float Parade--a frigid float down the town's renowned Portneuf River in the dead of winter. BRRR!
The first McCall Winter Carnival was held back in 1924 when a train from Boise brought nearly 250 visitors to McCall, one of Idaho's snowiest cities. Over the years, the carnival has grown into an iconic Idaho event--a 10-day celebration of all things winter, most notably featuring the citywide snow and ice sculpture competition, along with dog sled pulls, a polar plunge, multiple parades, concerts, and more, all culminating with a fireworks show over Payette Lake.
On a side note, the top image is a throwback photo to the Holiday Inn Express - Hunt Lodge's 2014 sculpture. This particular piece combined snow and ice and could be explored on the inside, where one would find King Tut's icy sarcophagus and intricate hieroglyphics. Incredible!
McCall Winter Carnival: January 27-Feb. 5, 2017. Theme: 1 Valley, 100 Years
Get your winter stoke on and join 10 Barrel to Pray for Snow and party in celebration of the upcoming season. This Northwest tour is all about catching the best powder and enjoying all things cold--boarding, skiing, and beer-drinking included. Events include the Rail Jam, a giant ramp from which powder hounds can vault to show off their sickest moves, a live music and pub tour, and plenty of giveaways and photo ops. While this year's tour is over, next year will be here before you know it!
Every year in the dead of winter since 1973, Sandpoint, Idaho, cooks up a sure antidote to cabin fever. It’s the Sandpoint Winter Carnival, pure fun celebrating the best of the snowy season. Favorite events include the K9 Keg Pull, fireworks and fun at Schweitzer, live music concerts, plus traditional faves including the Parade of Lights and the always-delicious Dine Around Sandpoint, loaded with great dining deals from Sandpoint’s terrific restaurant community.
This simple festival in Idaho's chilly Panhandle features the stunning Priest Lake as its backdrop. The state park--which has cabins open year-round--offers Christmas crafts, hot cocoa, free movies, and a moonlit showshoe adventure.
From towering sculptures and fireworks to laser shows, snow sculptures, and dogsled races, no festival in Idaho is quite the same. So grab some hot cocoa and your favorite fleece blanket and get ready to make your own unique adventure and memories, no matter which festival you choose!
Do you know of any other winter festivals that should be added to the list this year? Let us know!
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