Get the Top, Local stories delivered to your inbox! Click here to join the daily Vernon Matters newsletter.
People standing along 27th Street for the Vernon Winter Carnival Parade in 2025. (Image Credit: Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)
By Liam Verster
Celebrations

Weekend traffic to be affected as Vernon Winter Carnival begins

Feb 5, 2026 | 3:58 PM

The annual Vernon Winter Carnival begins Friday.

The 66th edition will begin with the Best Decorated Contest, the Balloon Glow, the start of the Downtown Gold Rush, and many other activities. The Winter Carnival calendar can be found online here.

The Winter Carnival parade will take place Saturday, and will reflect the theme of this year’s celebration, Team Carnival: Canada Goes for Gold.

The parade will cause some traffic disruptions.

From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 7, 27th Street will be closed to traffic between 30th and 48th Avenues. East-west access will be maintained at either ends of the parade route, though the City of Vernon advises motorists to slow down around the area, follow the direction of traffic control personnel, and avoid the area if possible.

Fatal Hit-and-Run
Man killed in crash on Highway 6 in Vernon
4h ago
Flags Flying At Half Staff
Vernon's flags lowered to honour those lost in the Tumbler Ridge shooting
20h ago
TUMBLER RIDGE SHOOTING
Police identify B.C. shooting suspect, say five students and teacher dead
23h ago

The parade and road closure will also affect the Number 2 and Number 4 buses, which will be rerouted around the area. The bus schedule and map can be found online here.

The parade will go from noon to 1:30 p.m.

—

by Liam Verster
View Comments

Other Matters

Water Main Break
Water Quality Advisory issued for some properties in the Rise
A precautionary Water Quality Advisory was issued for a few properties in the Rise neighbourhood Thursday morning.Greater Vernon Water said a water main break led to a loss of pressure in the system and the advisory was being issued for addresses between 104 to 108 Silversage Terrance, and for 300 to 312 Silversage Blu...
2h ago
Read More
Service support
West Kelowna council approves $1.15M in early capital spending
West Kelowna city council has approved $1.15 million in early capital spending to maintain key services while the 2026-2030 financial plan is finalized.The funding will support parks, protective services, public safety, and ongoing water and wastewater projects. City officials said the money will come from reserves and...
2h ago
Read More
Fatal Hit-and-Run
Man killed in crash on Highway 6 in Vernon
A man lost his life in a crash on the highway near Polson Park Thursday morning.Vernon North Okanagan RCMP responded to a report of a deceased person in the eastbound lanes of the highway near the intersection of 27th Street at 7:25 a.m. Feb. 12, and investigators determined the pedestrian was in the "travel porti...
4h ago
Read More
Strata Property Act
Regional realtors call for review of the strata legislation
The Association of Interior Realtors (AoIR) has issued a call for a review of the legislation that guides stratas.The AoIR said the demand for smaller, more affordable housing has grown in B.C., with current estimates of the number of British Columbians living in strata housing around the 1.5-million mark.With more and...
8h ago
Read More
67% of normal
Okanagan's snowpack levels down, posing risk to local lakes
The Okanagan saw a major decline in its snowpack through January compared to the previous month.The B.C. River Forecast Centre said the local area's snowpack was at 67 per cent of normal as of February 1st. That was down from 90 per cent of normal on January 1st.The River Forecast Centre said the low snowpack indicated...
8h ago
Read More
Flags Flying At Half Staff
Vernon's flags lowered to honour those lost in the Tumbler Ridge shooting
The City of Vernon lowered its flags to honour those lost in the shooting in Tumbler Ridge.As of the latest RCMP report the shooting at the Northern B.C. community caused the death of nine people, with another 25 people injured.The City of Vernon said the shooting was a devastating event and has had deep impacts on com...
20h ago
Read More
Boil Water Before Consuming
Water main breaks lead to Water Quality Advisory, Boil Water Notice
A Water Quality Advisory and a Boil Water Notice have been issued in Vernon following two water main breaks.Greater Vernon Water said the Boil Water Notice was issued for properties from 8550 to 8620 Harbour Heights Road Wednesday, Feb. 11, following a water main break and a loss of water pressure. This will be in plac...
23h ago
Read More
TUMBLER RIDGE SHOOTING
Police identify B.C. shooting suspect, say five students and teacher dead
The person behind one of British Columbia's worst mass killings has been identified as an 18-year-old female dropout who killed family members at home, then gunned down random students at a school before firing on police and killing herself as officers closed in.RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald identified the s...
23h ago
Read More
Drug Alert
Interior-wide alert issued for substance that poses very high risk of overdose
A drug alert has been issued for the entire Interior, including the North Okanagan.Interior Health said a substance found in the region that comes in multiple colours and could be either chunks, pebbles or powder, was being sold as down, dope, tranq, or fentanyl.However, testing shows these substances also contain fent...
23h ago
Read More

What Matters

Fatal Hit-and-Run
Man killed in crash on Highway 6 in Vernon
4h ago
Flags Flying At Half Staff
Vernon's flags lowered to honour those lost in the Tumbler Ridge shooting
20h ago
TUMBLER RIDGE SHOOTING
Police identify B.C. shooting suspect, say five students and teacher dead
23h ago
Drug Alert
Interior-wide alert issued for substance that poses very high risk of overdose
23h ago
Safety & Supports
SD22 focusing on student safety, wellbeing following shooting in Tumbler Ridge
Feb 11, 2026