The McCall Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking donations to close a $20,000 funding gap that officials say could prompt changes to an iconic Mardi Gras parade through downtown McCall.
On Monday, the chamber announced a fundraising campaign to cover rising logistical costs associated with the McCall Winter Carnival Parade, which is set for February 7.
The campaign, called Sharlie’s Fan Club, will offer “I Believe in Sharlie” buttons to the first 1,000 people who donate $10 or more towards costs like traffic control and portable restrooms.
“Sharlie’s Fan Club is our rallying point,” said Sheila Francis, executive director for the chamber. “If you love Winter Carnival, the parade, the sculptures, and the energy it brings to McCall, this is your chance to step up and help keep these traditions alive.”
Donations to Sharlie’s Fan Club can be made online or in person at the chamber’s office at 605 N. 3rd St. The
In total, it costs the chamber about $100,000 to host the Winter Carnival, about half of which is tied to the parade, said April Whitney, a spokesperson for the McCall Chamber.
Last year, the chamber lost nearly $20,000 on the event, which drew an estimated 25,000 people to McCall for the parade alone. Whitney said the chamber is committed to hosting the 2026 parade as planned, but said the nonprofit continues to explore cost-saving measures and fundraising solutions.
“We’re looking at every expense closely and from every angle,” she said.
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Rising popularity…and costs
Steadily increasing attendance has driven up costs to manage the event, which will return to a 10-day format next year following the last three years under a three-day format. The chamber estimates some 60,000 people visit McCall for the carnival over the course of the 10 days.
Expenses include about $28,000 for traffic control along Third Street (Idaho 55) through downtown McCall, which is closed to traffic during the parade.
Traffic control was formerly managed by volunteers under the direction of the McCall Police Department, but Chief of Police Dallas Palmer said that approach is a “mismanagement of resources” that can leave the police department short-staffed that night.
“We see a great, great increase in our call levels and what the demands are,” Palmer said. “I think that’s where the police department’s focus needs to remain, and not on traffic control.”
Dwindling city tax funding
Meanwhile, the chamber has seen its funding from the city’s tourism local-option tax dwindle in recent years, compounding the funding shortfall, Francis said.
The tourism tax levies 3% on short-term lodging stays in city limits, which in recent years has amounted to about $900,000 per year. That money is then disbursed to community organizations through an annual grant cycle.
For 2026, the chamber requested $35,000 for the Winter Carnival parade, but only received $14,000, per recommendations made by the Local-Option Tax Commission and confirmed by the McCall City Council.
“We were surprised to see such a sharp reduction in support for the Chamber and Winter Carnival in particular, which is a key driver of mid-winter visitation,” Francis said.
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Tabitha Martineau, who chairs the LOT Commission, did not respond to Valley Lookout’s request for comment on the board’s rationale.
Tourism LOT policy change
However, the commission’s decision to cut funding to the chamber coincides with a policy change made in 2024 by the city council. Starting this year, the council began reserving about 60% of the annual tax collections for city departments instead of allowing the commission to recommend how the entirety of the funding should be spent.
That meant that the LOT Commission was left with $315,000 to divvy up among 32 community grant applications it received for 2026. The remaining $585,000 was set aside for city departments, including about $100,000 for local housing programs and $285,000 for downtown sidewalk snow removal and maintenance.
Francis met with the McCall City Council in July to discuss the funding shortfall, but council members decided against helping to fund the carnival.
“I’m just not sure that marketing and promoting tourism is part of the city’s job,” council member Mike Maciaszek said during that meeting.
Economic stimulus at risk?
Francis credited the Winter Carnival for driving tourism during a slow time of the year for many local businesses and suggested changes to the parade or the overall event could jeopardize that.
“Winter Carnival isn’t just a party,” Evergreen Hotel General Manager Jacob Byrd said. “It fills our hotels, our restaurants, and our shops during a crucial time of year.”
Byrd emphasized that the economic stimulus of the carnival is not just limited to the days of the event itself.
“It creates a sense of pride and a unique community identity that’s shared far and wide,” Byrd said. “That helps position McCall as a destination people want to return to—not just for one festive week, but for every season.”
