Site Logo

Joy shines at Sunshine Festival

Published 3:30 am Wednesday, March 11, 2026

By Sequim Gazette staff

Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth Enthusiastic youngsters participate in the annual Sun Fun Color Run on Saturday, March 7 at Carrie Blake Community Park.
1/12

Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth

Enthusiastic youngsters participate in the annual Sun Fun Color Run on Saturday, March 7 at Carrie Blake Community Park.

Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth Enthusiastic youngsters participate in the annual Sun Fun Color Run on Saturday, March 7 at Carrie Blake Community Park.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ For the first time, the Sunshine Festival featured Shine On, Sequim! - a competition showcasing local talent. It was the first time Blaine Griffin, 13, performed in front of an audience. He won the youth award for his performance of the John Denver hit “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Twelve-year-old Sawyer Bushy took First Place in the Sun Fun Color Run 5K. It was his first time to participate in the event.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Anderson Williams and others cheered on Sunshine Festival talent competition performer Blaine Griffin.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth Luna Maynock, 4, has some fun with bubbles during Sequim’s annual Sunshine Festival on Saturday, March 7.
Photo courtesy Silas Crews, City of Sequim Members of Clallam Mosaic dance to “This is Me” from “The Greatest Showman” during the Shine On, Sequim! talent competition. Audiences voted for them to win the adult category of the contest.
Photo courtesy Silas Crews, City of Sequim/ Family and friends cheer for Blaine Griffin at the Shine On, Sequim! talent competition.
Photo courtesy Silas Crews, City of Sequim Blaine Griffin is surprised at winning the Shine On, Sequim! youth award at the new talent competition during the Sequim Sunshine Festival.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sisters Clara and Paige Cerfogli of Sequim enjoy the Glow Zone at the Sequim Sunshine Festival where they drew pictures on paper with bright markers underneath black lights.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A lighthouse, a crab, and a Sasquatch were some of the many items depicted hovering over Carrie Blake Community Park during the Sequim Sunshine Festival’ drone show.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A family enjoys the Illuminated Drone Show on March 7 from the parking lot of Greywolf Veterinary Hospital, just south of Carrie Blake Community Park.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth Sir Dudley Dooright stands with his owner Darla Campbell on March 7 after winning the pet costume contest.

The rain held out and the fun ensued for the seventh Sequim Sunshine Festival.

Organizers with the City of Sequim said festivities were well attended throughout the day and night on Saturday, March 7, including the Sun Fun Color Run surpassing last year’s record total of participants for the 1K and 5K around Carrie Blake Community Park.

Twelve-year-old Sawyer Bushy won the 5K with a time of 22:36.75 to lead all runners while Gretchen Krause, 31, of Sequim led all women with a time of 23:56.27; she was fourth overall.

All participants were greeted with splashes of colors at stations around the park.

See full results here: https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/84486.

A new talent competition, Shine On, Sequim!, saw music, dance, acrobatics, comedy, and poetry in the afternoon with the audience voting for the winners.

Clallam Mosaic won the adult competition with their dance to “This is Me” from “The Greatest Showman” and Blaine Griffin, 13, won the youth award for his performance of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

Griffin, who saw supporters show up with signs, said it was his first performance in front of an audience and that it was a “wonderful experience.”

A few of the many other amenities included the Sunshine Market, a dance party with DJ Robotix, an Interactive Light Experience, and Glow Zone for children inside the Guy Cole Event Center.

People lined the park at 7 p.m. for the Sequim-centric illuminated drone show from Firefly Drone Company with appearances from a Dungeness crab, the Dungeness Railroad Bridge, a Sasquatch and many more familiar sights from the area.

For more about the festival, visit sequimsunshinefestival.com.

You Might Like