Whitefish Winter Carnival names astronaut John B. Herrington as Grand Marshal

The Whitefish Winter Carnival is proud to announce that John B. Herrington, Ph.D., Commander, U.S. Navy (Ret.), and former NASA astronaut, will serve as Grand Marshal of the Grand Parade LXVII in partnership with the Whitefish High School Space Club.  

The Grand Parade is Saturday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. 

A beloved community tradition known for blending history, humor and spectacle, this year’s Winter Carnival has an outer space theme, making Herrington’s selection especially fitting. His career spans the ocean depths, the flight deck, and Earth’s orbit, embodying the spirit of exploration that has long defined both Carnival lore and scientific discovery.  

Herrington flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on the 16th assembly mission to the International Space Station. During the mission, he traveled more than 5.6 million miles, logged over 330 hours in space, and performed three spacewalks totaling nearly 21 hours. As an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, NASA recognizes Herrington as the first citizen of a federally recognized tribe to fly in space, marking a historic milestone in American spaceflight. Following his retirement from the U.S. Navy and NASA, Herrington continued his commitment to education and mentorship. He completed a 4,300-mile bicycle journey across the United States, visiting Native American reservations and NASA Explorer Schools to share his story and encourage young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. At age 52, he earned a Ph.D. in Education, focusing his research on the factors that motivate and engage Native American students in STEM fields.  

“John Herrington’s life story reflects curiosity, perseverance, and service,” said Winter Carnival organizers. “Honoring him alongside the Whitefish High School Space Club highlights the importance of inspiring the next generation while celebrating the wonder of discovery.”  

Now a resident of Northwest Montana, Herrington remains active as a speaker and author. He has written the children’s book, “Mission to Space,” and is currently working on his memoir. He lives in the mountains with his wife Danielle and continues to champion education, exploration and community engagement.  

The Grand Parade LXVII promises a memorable moment where hometown pride meets cosmic inspiration, reminding spectators that exploration begins with imagination, whether it starts on Central Avenue or far beyond Earth’s atmosphere. 

Prior to the parade, the penguin plunge is at City Beach at 11 a.m. and the pie social at St. Charles Borromeo is from 12:30 - 3 p.m. The post-parade social is at The Firebrand at 7 p.m. On Sunday, the pancake breakfast at Moose Lodge is from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

For full parade details, schedules and full Winter Carnival events, visit whitefishwintercarnival.com.