At 123, Irrigation Festival still going strong
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 2, 2018
The streak as Washington’s longest running festival continues this weekend as the Sequim Irrigation Festival begins its 123rd year on May 4.
The two weekend event with the tag line “Come to Sequim with Me” runs through May 13 starting with Crazy Callen Weekend May 4-6.
The Crazy Daze Breakfast kicks off the festivities with fun skits and songs from community members at 7 a.m. Friday in Sunland Golf & Country Club’s clubhouse. Costumes are encouraged with tickets available at the door and in advance from Gateway Mortgage Group, First Federal (Sequim Avenue), Sound Community Bank, and the Sequim Visitor’s Information Center. Cost is $10 per adult and $ 8 per child with breakfast included.
The Sequim High School Operetta’s “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” opens that night too at 7 p.m. in the Sequim High School Auditorium with a $12 opening night special. It runs for three weekends.
Other events are free to attend over the weekend including the Innovative Arts & Crafts Fair at the Sequim Civic Center Plaza, First Friday Art Walk, Family Fun Day and more.
Deon Kapetan, festival executive director, said the first weekend continues to run well and interest continues to grow especially in the Family Fun Day on Washington Street between Sequim Avenue and Second Avenue.
She said this year they have 34 booths with child-oriented activities including s’mores made in the Dream Catcher balloon, a chance to interact with the high school’s robotics team and much more.
At 1 p.m. children can make crowns with the festival’s royalty, too. The Kid Parade begins at 9 a.m. to start the Family Fun Day followed by an awards ceremony at 9:30 a.m. and actors in the operetta briefly performing at 9:45 a.m. at the Innovative Arts & Crafts Fair stage.
“The first weekend really helps kid to get ready for the second weekend so that they’d be more apt to get excited and participate in the Grand Finale Weekend for events like the Grand Parade,” Kapetan said.
Crazy Callen Weekend:
• Crazy Daze Breakfast, 7 a.m. Friday, May 4, Sunland Golf &Country Club, 109 Hilltop Dr.
• Olympic Peninsula Art Association Show, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 4-5; 5-8 p.m. Friday, May 4; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, May 6, in the Sequim Civic Center, 152 W. Cedar St.
• Innovative Arts and Crafts Fair, 5-8 p.m. Friday, May 4; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 6; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, May 7, Sequim Civic Center Plaza
• First Friday Art Walk, 5-8 p.m. Friday, May 4, downtown Sequim
• “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” operetta (See story, B-1).
• Family Fun Day, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, May 5, Downtown Sequim
• Kids Parade, 9 a.m.-9:15 a.m. (staging), 9:15 a.m.-9:30 a.m. (parade), 9:30 a.m.-9:45 a.m. (awards ceremony) Saturday, May 5, meet first at Washington Federal, 191 W. Washington St. and go to the Innovative Arts & Crafts Fair Stage off Bell Street.
• Driftwood Art Show, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 5, Pioneer Park, 387 E. Washington St.
Next week, The Grand Finale Weekend May 11-13, continues with multiple events including the carnival, Logging Show in its 30th year, Grand Parade and more.
Kapetan said for this year’s Fun Run on Saturday, May 12, they’ve added a 1-mile walk that happens at the same time as the 5k, which starts at 10 a.m. with registration at 8:30 a.m. in the JCPenney parking lot. The run follows the festival’s Grand Parade route along Washington Street. Cost is $30. For more information or to register, call 360-582-7039 or email get_results_cpt@yahoo.com.
Carnival wristbands are on sale now for unlimited rides at Sound Community Bank, KeyBank (Sequim/Port Angeles), Dungeness Kids Co., and the Visitor Information Center for $22 through May 9 and $27 at the event.
For even more about the festival, visit www.irrigationfestival.com.
