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So Dana Scranton, where did the name Herald the Hark come from?

“It was a wisecrack that turned into a character that turned into a function,” Scranton quipped, inadvertently summing up Whitefish’s off-the-wall Winter Carnival in one clever line.

This weekend is the 58th straight year Whitefish Winter Carnival and its wisecracking spirit will envelop the ski town, bringing the little kid inside to the forefront for every one of the adults who volunteer. After all, its an event in which grown men and women dive into a magical realm of Vikings, Yetis and costume-clad royalty, and dance around the Flathead Valley — and beyond — to keep Whitefish’s fun-loving, smile-inducing reputation alive amid the typically dreary first month or so of each year. And as an added bonus, for the 61-year-old Herald the Hark (Scranton) and other longtime participants, it keeps them from ever having to age.

“The basic philosophy is growing old is inevitable but growing up is optional,” Scranton said. “The more you keep playing, the more child-like you are, the more fun you have ... It’s just a gas.”

A SELF-DESCRIBED “serial entrepreneur,” Scranton was born and raised in Powell, Wyoming before moving to the Flathead Valley in 1986. While always eager to take part in Carnival festivities, Scranton still had no idea what he was getting into when he was approached to become Herald the Hark five years ago.

“It goes from entertainment to appreciation for what this group does,” he said. “There are a lot of people who make this thing work. It’s not ‘let’s put on costumes and raise heck.’”

Scranton began playing trumpet as a child and continued through his college years, although he spent two decades away from the instrument while his family grew. He said he has “been paid for a few gigs” in jazz combos and big bands but, “It’s never been my livelihood.”

Scranton holds a rather unique position within the Winter Carnival. Herald the Hark, unlike the entire six-member royal party, stays the same year after year. Scranton has been in the job for five years and is following in the footsteps of Rick Donahue, who had the gig for 25 years.

As Herald the Hark, Scranton travels with the royal party wherever they go, and it’s a lot of places, especially this time of year. Winter Carnival activities begin in January with the naming of the royalty and the official event is this weekend, with a gala Friday night and the Grand Parade Saturday afternoon through downtown. Before the six royals ever appear, they are announced by Herald the Hark, blasting an alert from his “fanfare trumpet.”

The trumpet’s blare can be heard at schools, senior centers, hospitals, bars, parades and, really, just about anywhere during carnival season. The royalty stays busy by knighting people — and things — around town, and at each of those stops Scranton is there.

“Some of (the royals) are going to knight anything that moves, walks or is nailed down,” Scranton said.

Since the jobs of king, queen, prime minister, duchess, prince and princess rotate each year, Scranton is the most experienced member of the traveling party and has seen everything from bar crowds to senior centers to the several thousands lining the streets at the Calgary Stampede parade. The Winter Carnival royalty, along with Yetis, Vikings and Viking divas, penguins and mountain men, travel to parades around the Northwest — although they’ll miss Calgary this year to work on their float — and the mission of the carnival has pivoted from a silly way to “break up the doldrums” into a traveling commercial for Northwest Montana that takes its show on the road.

“Many, many years ago a group of guys got together and said ‘boy, it’s gray around here,’” Scranton said. “They decided they needed to do something to pep it up.

“Over the years, it morphed into a marketing campaign. It’s part of the culture and the fabric in the city of Whitefish.”

THIS YEAR’S Winter Carnival theme is “One Fish, Two Fish, Whitefish,” a nod to the many colorful Dr. Seuss children’s books, including “Green Eggs and Ham,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and, of course, “One Fish Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.”

Friday’s gala is set for 6 p.m. at Whitefish Lake Restaurant. Tickets are $60 and are on sale at the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce office. A Carnival button is required to attend.

Saturday, the Penguin Plunge kicks things off at 11 a.m. at City Beach. An awards ceremony follows at 12:30 p.m. at Whitefish United Methodist Church. A pie social at St. Charles Catholic Church is also scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

Stepping off at 3 p.m., the parade route follows Second Street to Spokane Avenue, then turns onto Central Avenue in front of Depot Park before exiting on Third Street.

Grand Marshals for the parade will be local librarians Joey Kositzky, Dan Kohnstamm, Dana Carmichael, Gary Carmichael and Stacy Kelch.

Carnival also includes a pancake breakfast Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge. The breakfast is free to all veterans and their immediate families.

Elsewhere on Sunday, the Glacier Nordic Club will hold its Classic Ski and Race. Classic skiing is the traditional form of Nordic skiing, also known as diagonal stride which is usually skied in tracks.

The Ski and Race will be held at the Nordic Center at the Whitefish Lake Golf Course. There will be 1K, 4K and 12K distances starting at 9 a.m. Winter Carnival-themed or traditional Nordic ski costumes are encouraged. Entry fees are free for the 1K, the 4K is $10 and the 12K is $15.

For more information on the Carnival, visit www.whitefishwintercarnival.com.

Information from the Whitefish Pilot was used in this story.

Entertainment editor Andy Viano can be reached at (406) 758-4439 or aviano@dailyinterlake.com.