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Festival fun in the sun and on the runway

Published 5:30 am Wednesday, May 6, 2026

By Matthew Nash

Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash Avani Welch, 4, celebrates winning the Grand Prize for the Kids Parade on May 2 for her Kraken/mermaid cart and costume. She was chosen by the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s royalty, from left, princess Emma Rhodes, prince Brayden Baritelle, princess Caroline Caudle, and queen Tilly Woods. Welch will ride in the Grand Parade on May 9.
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Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash

Avani Welch, 4, celebrates winning the Grand Prize for the Kids Parade on May 2 for her Kraken/mermaid cart and costume. She was chosen by the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s royalty, from left, princess Emma Rhodes, prince Brayden Baritelle, princess Caroline Caudle, and queen Tilly Woods. Welch will ride in the Grand Parade on May 9.

Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash Avani Welch, 4, celebrates winning the Grand Prize for the Kids Parade on May 2 for her Kraken/mermaid cart and costume. She was chosen by the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s royalty, from left, princess Emma Rhodes, prince Brayden Baritelle, princess Caroline Caudle, and queen Tilly Woods. Welch will ride in the Grand Parade on May 9.
Bruce Henry Pinnell, 2, walks dressed as the Hungry Little Caterpillar for the Kids Parade on May 2. He won first place for his “Storybook Costume.” His mom Jennifer Wilson dressed as Carmen Miranda.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ At the Trashion Show, Cynthia LeRouge with Team Trailer Trashers wears a Victorian-inspired swim outfit called “The Proper Lady’s Post-Consumer Swimwear.” She designed it with Evette Allerdings using trash bags, twine, cardboard, plastic bottles, and more. They won first place at the show.
Sisters Bevyn and Payton LaTourette release butterflies in Sequim Botanical Garden on Saturday during the Family Fun Days. Dungeness Kids Co. sold kits for families to grow caterpillars and release the painted lady butterflies in the garden.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Landon Thompson, 2, participates in the Kids Parade as a lavender plant. His mom Chantell said when she heard about the “All about Sequim” category, she thought of lavender. He won first place for his costume.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth Lillian and Amber Freeman wear recycled outfits for the Trashion Show that they call “Where the Tide remembers.” They reused food and cereal boxes, plastic bags, netting, cans, and more.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth The Sequim Valley Lions brought their hot dog booth to Family Fun Days.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sawyer Coburn, 6, makes a crown in the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s activity booth. It was his first time attending and his family plans to make a return trip.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Patty Hansen, 6, makes bubbles during the Family Fun Days courtesy the Olympic Peninsula YMCA.
Paddy Brooks and Max Brouillard, both Sequim High School freshmen in the band, play tunes during the Kids Parade.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim Irrigation Festival junior royalty and button design winners march in the Kids Parade on Saturday.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Adele Duval-Saffold, 6, walks in the Kids Parade sporting a sunhat and matching mask she made. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Adele Duval-Saffold, 6, walks in the Kids Parade sporting a sunhat and matching mask she made.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Lily Tjemsland, the Tin Girl, and Trinity Devlin, as Dorothy, walk in the Kids Parade promoting the operetta “The Wizard of Oz.” It continues May 8-10 with shows at 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Cora Bond, 2, waves as she rides along dressed as a deer. She won second place for the “All about Sequim” category in the Kids Parade as “Deerly Loved Sequim.”
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Harrison Wahlberg, 6, claps for winners of the Kids Parade on May 2. He dressed as Sonic the Hedgehog.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ The Sequim Irrigation Festival’s royalty, from top, prince Brayden Baritelle, princess Caroline Caudle, queen Tilly Woods, and princess Emma Rhodes pose for a photo in the Sequim Botanical Garden shortly before butterflies were released by families.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Sugar & Spice mini-doughnuts was one of several food vendors available during Family Fun Days.
Sequim Gazette photo by Monica Berkseth/ Quinn Pierce, 2, enjoys bubbles at the Olympic Peninsula YMCA’s Family Fun Day’s station on Saturday.

The first weekend of the Sequim Irrigation Festival, under the Crazy Callen Weekend banner, featured the Kids Parade, Trashion Show, dozens of family activities, musicians and acts, a butterfly release party, and more.

The Grand Finale Weekend runs May 7-10. See a schedule at irrigationfestival.com.

For the Kids Parade, Avani Welch, 4, came out as the Grand Prize winner with her Kraken-inspired outfit and cart following the festival’s theme “Let’s Go Sequimming.” She was chosen by the festival’s royalty. She’ll ride in her own car for the Grand Parade on May 9.

For the Trashion Show, entrants made outfits with at least 75% reused materials for the show on Saturday night, May 2 in the Guy Cole Event Center.

This year’s winning designers were Cynthia LeRouge and Evette Allerdings with Team Trailer Trashers. LeRouge wore the Victorian-inspired swim outfit called “The Proper Lady’s Post-Consumer Swimwear.” It used trash bags, twine, cardboard, plastic bottles, and more.

Second place went to Nancy E. Watts’ “Gorgina,” and third to Cherie Kopp’s “Orange you a Cutie” modeled by Sofia Keefer.

Three judges’ awards went to “Power Ranger” by Clallam Mosaic, Sam Brastad, Baillieu Lewis, and Rose Fredson, modeled by Bob Talbot,“Bubble Rappers” by Cherry Bibler and modeled by her grandchildren Filson and Cora Crane, and “Dormant” by Aja Alexander.

Among the Family Fun Days entries, Dungeness Kids Co. had recently sold 50 butterfly kits for families to grow caterpillars and release them in conjunction with the Sequim Botanical Garden adjacent to the festival. The business also donated extra caterpillars to a few teachers, a play group, a childcare center, and a Girl Scout troop.

Garden volunteers helped place nectar plates throughout the garden to help the painted lady butterflies flourish in the garden. She said people can reuse their kits next year and purchase caterpillars to experience it again.

Cora LaTourette released butterflies with her sisters and cousin and said they loved it and it was her first time holding a butterfly.

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