McCall Bans Alcohol Over Fourth Of July Weekend

With Memorial Day and other warm weather celebrations fast approaching, more Idaho families are beginning to make vacation plans, but visitors to McCall should know that things will be a bit different for the resort community's big Fourth of July celebrations.

Residents have complained about drunken noise and festivities for years. The city has now officially banned alcohol, including beer, wine, and hard liquor, from McCall parks between midnight Friday, July 1 and 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 5.

The ban syncs with the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation's ban of alcohol at North Beach on Payette Lake during the holiday weekend. Previous Independence Day celebrations at North Beach have drawn as many as 2,500 people, triggering numerous arrests and citations for rowdy and/or drunken behavior. A total of 27 citations were issued by Idaho State Police for underage drinking over the Fourth of July holiday last year and ten motorists and one boater were also charged with DUI.

McCall officials said they're planning a publicity campaign, particularly focusing on the Boise area, to caution visitors about the new rules.

Do you agree with the alcohol ban? Will it affect your Fourth of July holiday weekend plans?