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The appeal of lavender continues 30 years later

Published 5:30 am Wednesday, July 22, 2026

By Matthew Nash Sequim Gazette

Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher An aerial view shows visitors moving among vendor booths, gathering areas and the James Center for the Performing Arts during the Sequim Lavender Festival at Carrie Blake Community Park on July 18. This year mark’s the 30th anniversary of the festival that features shopping, food, activities and live entertainment.
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Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher

An aerial view shows visitors moving among vendor booths, gathering areas and the James Center for the Performing Arts during the Sequim Lavender Festival at Carrie Blake Community Park on July 18. This year mark’s the 30th anniversary of the festival that features shopping, food, activities and live entertainment.

Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher An aerial view shows visitors moving among vendor booths, gathering areas and the James Center for the Performing Arts during the Sequim Lavender Festival at Carrie Blake Community Park on July 18. This year mark’s the 30th anniversary of the festival that features shopping, food, activities and live entertainment.
Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash Destiny Henderson hands lavender to Aaron Smith on Saturday at Old Barn Lavender Company. The couple was visiting from Florida because Henderson loves everything purple, and Smith wanted to celebrate her graduating with a psychology degree from the University of Central Florida. Henderson said she thought she could only see lavender in France until she discovered Sequim online.
Photo courtesy Timecatcher Photography/ Sequim Lavender Festival Executive Director Kelly Iriye cuts a ceremonial ribbon on July 17 at the James Center for the Performing Arts’ bandshell courtesy the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce to commemorate the opening of the festival’s 30th year. Iriye is surrounded by Sequim dignitaries, farmers, business people, volunteers, Chamber staff, ambassadors and past and present board members.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Dani Berg of Sequim pushes daughter Aurora, 4, in a swing at Lit Lavender on July 19. Berg said they recently moved to the area and visited a few farms and Sequim Lavender Festival in the Park. Aurora said she thinks lavender smells really good.
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher/ Jessie Vegas raises a cellphone to take a selfie with Lisa Sanchez among the lavender rows at Graysmarsh during the Sequim Lavender Weekend. The women were part of a larger group visiting from the Philippines for a one-week vacation after online photographs of the Sequim Lavender Festival inspired the trip.
Linda Tilley of Port Townsend paints a lavender field at Olympic Bluffs Cidery & Lavender Farm on July 18 as one of several artists participating in the Olympic Peninsula Art Association’s first Sequim Plein Aire Paint Out.
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher Mark Hoppis and Jannelyn Cinco, both of Kingston, pose among the lavender rows at Purple Haze Lavender Farm on July 18 after becoming engaged at the farm earlier that afternoon. The couple chose the farm for their engagement because of their shared love of lavender and flowers.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Laura Brannon of Kansas City, Kansas, takes a moment to stop and smell the lavender at Meli’s Lavender booth on July 17 during the Sequim Lavender Festival in the Park in Carrie Blake Community Park.
Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash Averi Azar of Olympia smells an essential oil at Nelson’s Duckpond and Lavender Farm. This was her 15th year visiting all the farms. Her aunt, Gail Vose, on left, retired as a teacher in Las Vegas and suggested then they visit, and it’s become an ongoing tradition to come to Sequim Lavender Weekend.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Brandon Denham and Bonnie Toye of Port Angeles work together to make a lavender wreath at Meli’s Lavender. The couple moved to the area in January, they said, and they made a plan to visit many farms.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Maristella Donato of Ballard plays mini-golf at Lit Lavender on July 19 while visiting farms with Lukas Comstock and Isabella Jennings. Comstock said they like the idea of supporting small businesses and they’re all fans of lavender. It was the trio’s first time visiting the farm, they said.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth Sandra Bliss of San Antonio, Texas proudly poses with Juan Gonzalez, owner of Rancho La Morada Lavender Farm, during Sequim Lavender Festival in the Park.
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher/ Eddie Lu photographs Shirley Lu among the lavender rows at Graysmarsh on July 18. The Seattle couple visited during a weekend trip to pick berries and enjoy the farm’s lavender fields.
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher/ Sydney Caswell of Sequim, on left, and Kathy Baumhardt of Ohio, look at a cellphone together among the lavender rows at Graysmarsh. Baumhardt flew from Ohio to visit Caswell and experience the vibrant purple beauty of the lavender fields.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Mabel Lepping. 4, of Sequim, is all smiles holding lemonade after getting her face painted for the first time at Frida Haas’ face painting studio during the Sequim Lavender Festival in the Park.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Sean Samuelson and Linda Mach of Tacoma take a break at Olympic Bluffs Cidery & Lavender Farm as Charlie the dog takes a look out from Linda’s bag. Their visit was the first time they’ve ever been to a lavender farm, they said. They like to garden and they’re growing their own lavender, the couple said.
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher Erwin Ragel of Lakewood photographs the lavender fields at Purple Haze Lavender Farm on July 18. Ragel made the day trip for his third visit to the Sequim Lavender Weekend saying he was drawn by the colors, music, entertainment and lavender.
Dana Dawson assembles lavender wreaths while volunteering for Welfare for Animals Guild (WAG) at Purple Haze Lavender Farm. Proceeds from the wreath sales helped support dogs cared for by the Sequim rescue. Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher/ Jeni Ananth, Lakshmy Manoj, and Anu Subhakran, all of Seattle, take a selfie among the lavender rows at Graysmarsh on Saturday. The friends visited Sequim on a two-day Lavender Festival trip because they enjoy the flower’s colors and fragrance, and they stopped at the farm to see the lavender and pick berries.
Lizzy Shaw of Port Angeles sells lavender products and assists visitors while working her summer job at the Graysmarsh farm stand. Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher/ Lizzy Shaw assists Maira Komdo and Danilo Saito with a purchase at the Graysmarsh farm stand on July 18. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, and now living in Seattle, Komdo and Saito decided to attend the Sequim Lavender Festival for the first time after seeing photographs and videos online.
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher/ Festival-goers raise their arms while posing for a group photograph among the lavender rows at Purple Haze Lavender Farm.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Evelyn Shattuck, 8, from Renton smiles after having her face painted on July 17. She and her family come every year for the Sequim Lavender Festival, her family said.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Pink Moon Pottery, run by Marcie Connally, in center, has been making pottery for two years and was one of 200-plus vendors at Lavender Festival in the Park.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Tracy Krawczyk and Lindsey Nielsen of Bellevue make wreaths at the Sequim Lavender Festival in the Park’s activity tent.
Sequim Gazette photo by Tom Buscher/ Members of Vibrations of Particles n’ Waves perform for visitors at Purple Haze Lavender Farm on July 18. Audience members watch from shaded seating as the band provides live music during the farm’s annual festival.
Photo courtesy Kathryn Wilson/ Kathryn Wilson, who has lived in Sequim since 2013 after working and traveling all around the world for 40 years, said she loves the Sequim Lavender Festival and makes an annual effort to dress up in lavender colors to join the celebration.
Photo courtesy Sequim Sunrise Rotary/ Sequim Sunrise Rotary and Chef Chris Plemmons presented “A Taste of Provence – The Cuisine du Soleil” fundraiser to benefit local and international nonprofit efforts. Organizers said Saturday sold out and Friday only had five tickets left.
Photo courtesy Sequim Sunrise Rotary/ Sequim Sunrise Rotary and Chef Chris Plemmons presented “A Taste of Provence – The Cuisine du Soleil” fundraiser to benefit local and international nonprofit efforts. Organizers said Saturday sold out and Friday only had five tickets left.
Photo courtesy Sequim Sunrise Rotary/ Sequim Sunrise Rotary and Chef Chris Plemmons presented “A Taste of Provence – The Cuisine du Soleil” fundraiser, featuring meals, such as an onion tart, to benefit local and international nonprofit efforts. Organizers said Saturday sold out and Friday only had five tickets left.

Setup for Sequim Lavender Weekend started with a literal bang on Thursday with thunder, lightning and rain. Once the clouds parted by Friday afternoon, crowds congregated throughout Sequim and parking lots were filled at the lavender farms.

As tradition at the farms and Sequim Lavender Festival in the Park in Carrie Blake Community Park, visitors were a mix of newcomers, experienced lavender fans, and locals.

Averi Azar of Olympia said this was the 15th year in a row she’s attended with family. Her aunt Gail Vose of Las Vegas retired as a kindergarten teacher and wanted to celebrate, so Azar, her mom, and aunt visited Sequim, and it’s become a three-day annual tradition to stay in Sequim.

“We visit all the farms, go to the park, and enjoy the community,” Azar said.

Destiny Henderson and Aaron Smith came to Sequim from Florida for the first time to celebrate Henderson graduating with a psychology degree from the University of Central Florida. Henderson decorates her home and dresses in purple and goes by the name Purple Princess Palace online. She said she thought she could only see lavender in France until she discovered Sequim online.

A large group from the Philippines took a one-week vacation that included stops at lavender farms after they were inspired after seeing photographs online.

Zorah Kynaston of Sequim was one of many locals enjoying lavender too.

At Old Barn Lavender Company on Saturday, she cut a lavender bundle while her daughter Trillia and husband Micah played video games in the barn’s arcade.

Dani Berg recently moved to Sequim and said her family visited a few farms over the weekend. While being pushed in a swing near the Lit Lavender field, Berg’s 4-year-old daughter Aurora said she thinks lavender smells really good.

The weekend also featured new and continuing events.

Sequim Sunrise Rotary and Chef Chris Plemmons presented “A Taste of Provence – The Cuisine du Soleil” fundraiser to benefit local and international nonprofit efforts. Organizers said Saturday sold out and Friday only had five tickets left.

Olympic Theatre Arts continued its run of its Lavender Melodrama tradition with this year’s show “Lavender Liberty” written by the late David Herbelin, co-owner of Old Barn Lavender Company. It runs for one more weekend at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 24-25 and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26 with tickets available at olympictheatrearts.org and the show door.

The Olympic Peninsula Art Association also brought its first Sequim Plein Aire Paint Out to Olympic Bluffs Cidery and Lavender Farm on Saturday. Artists painted at the farm and judge Joyce Hestor gave first place to Lauren Karen, second to Izzy Rosane, and third to Rick Woods.

Festivals, farms, more

Now part of many events during Sequim Lavender Weekend, organizers of the Sequim Lavender Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary July 17-19.

It’s grown from a one day festival first held on Aug. 2, 1997 to three days and multiple farms.

Kelly Iriye, Sequim Lavender Festival executive director, said despite the eventful setup in the rain, this year was “probably the most peaceful festival I’ve been part of.”

For Lavender in the Park there were 213 booths and 13 food vendors in Carrie Blake Community Park along with music throughout the three days.

Iriye said organizers shifted the beer garden and had vendor booths better aligned so visitors could walk easier through the event.

“I had good reports about it overall being really good,” she said.

The Sequim Lavender Growers Association also launched a free phone app this year at lavenderfestival.com/app.

Joe Regalia, co-owner of Lit Lavender in Dungeness, helped develop the app, and said through Saturday night it had 10,000 users.

“I’m surprised at the wide demographic of people using the app,” he said.

Iriye said she’s heard from guests it’s been helpful for visitors to find additional information about lavender farms.

Regalia, who participated in the Sequim Lavender Festival for the second year, said the app has set up scavenger hunts, coupons, a rewards program and more for users.

He said this year, they’ve seen a lot of excitement for the festival’s 30th year.

“For us as new people, it does give you a lot of respect for what a lot of families have set up,” Regalia said.

He and many other farms want to continue giving people new reasons to visit with a collective goal to put the region on the map and make it an ongoing destination beyond the weekend.

Information about Sequim’s lavender farms, its groups, and happenings can be found through multiple websites, including sequimlavenderweekend.com, sequimlavenderfestival.com, and sequimlavender.org.

Sequim lavender farms

All farms are free to visit outside of Sequim Lavender Weekend, but operational hours vary through the summer and year. Visit their websites/social media pages for more information.

• B&B Family Farm, 5883 Old Olympic Highway; 360-504-2585, bbfamilyfarm.com.

• Fat Cat Garden & Gifts, 21 Fat Cat Lane; fatcatmeow21@gmail.com.

• Graysmarsh Farm, 6187 Woodcock Road; 360-683-5563, graysmarsh.com.

• Jardin du Soleil Lavender, 3932 Sequim-Dungeness Way; jardindusoleil.com.

• Kitty B’s Lavender Farm, 82 Cameron Acres Lane; kittyblavenderfarm.com.

• Lavender Connection, 1141 Cays Road; 360-681-6055, lavenderconnection.com.

• Lit Lavender, 1526 Marine Drive, lit-lavender.com.

• Meli’s Lavender, 62 W. Diane Drive; 360-461-9958, melislavender.myshopify.com.

• Nelson’s Duckpond & Lavender Farm, 73 Humble Hill Road; nelsonsduckpond.com.

• Old Barn Lavender Company, 9785 Old Olympic Hwy.; Oldbarnlavendercompany.com.

• Olympic Bluffs Cidery and Lavender Farm, 1025 Finn Hall Road, Port Angeles; 571-439-1311, olympicbluffscidery.com.

• Purple Haze Lavender Farm, 180 Bell Bottom Lane; 360-809-9615, purplehazelavender.com.

• Rain Shadow Lavender Farm, 1410 Kitchen-Dick Road, Sequim; rainshadowlavenderfarm.com.

• Rancho La Morada Lavender & Flower Farm, 1430 Marine Drive; 360-461-7679, facebook.com/Lavandamorada.

• Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm, 274154 U.S. Highway 101; 360-683-6453, sunshinelavender.com.

• Victor’s Lavender Farm, 3743 Old Olympic Highway; 360-681-7930, victorslavender.com.

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