Whitefish Winter Carnival festivities return with ‘80s Rewind’ theme
Scenes from the 2019 Whitefish Winter Carnival Grand Parade on Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish. The theme was Whitefish Woodstock. (Matt Baldwin/Daily Inter Lake file photo)
Get ready to be “totally rad” this weekend for the return of the Whitefish Winter Carnival.
After a one-year hiatus of its main events due to the pandemic, this year’s annual celebration of frivolity takes on the theme of “80s Rewind Totally Rad” with events both Saturday and Sunday.
Here’s the rundown of the happenings:
Saturday, Feb. 5
Penguin Plunge — 11 a.m. Take a dip in Whitefish Lake’s icy waters for a good cause at City Beach. Conducted by the Law Enforcement Torch Run, the plunge benefits Special Olympics Montana. For more information, visit www.somt.org or call (406) 564-2072 or (800) 242-6876.
Pie Social — 12:30 to 3 p.m. Grab a slice of homemade pie and warm up with hot coffee, for sale at St. Charles Parish, 230 Baker Ave.
Grand Parade — 3 p.m. The Carnival weekend reaches its peak with the Grand Parade through downtown. Watch for penguins, yetis and Viking divas wandering down the parade route, along with many colorful floats decorated in 80s style. The parade route follows Second Street to Spokane Avenue, then turns onto Central Avenue in front of Depot Park before exiting on Third Street.
Post Parade Social — After the parade, stop by the Firebrand Hotel, at 650 E Third St., for the post parade social for more frivolity.
Sunday, Feb. 6
Rotary Pancake Breakfast — 8 a.m. to noon at the Whitefish Moose Lodge, 230 W. 10th St. All-you-can-eat pancakes with all the trimmings for $10, benefiting Rotary’s charitable contributions. All veterans with military ID and their families eat free.