Irrigation Festival postpones kick-off, May events

Organizers look to reschedule this year to keep 125-year tradition

By Matthew Nash • March 18, 2020 1:30 am
The Sequim Irrigation Festival’s royalty float unveiling, seen here in 2019, won’t be happening on March 21 as planned due to new regulations for event gatherings due to COVID-19. Organizers look to reschedule the entire festival for later this year. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell
The Sequim Irrigation Festival’s royalty float unveiling, seen here in 2019, won’t be happening on March 21 as planned due to new regulations for event gatherings due to COVID-19. Organizers look to reschedule the entire festival for later this year. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell

To keep its streak as Washington’s oldest continuing festival, the Sequim Irrigation Festival is being pushed out from its typical May start date.

Organizers sent out the announcement on Monday that its first event, the Kick-Off Dinner/Auction and royalty float unveiling on March 21 at 7 Cedars Casino was postponed because of new regulations surrounding the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

All the festival’s events set for the 125th consecutive year on May 1-10, including the Grand Parade, Logging Show, Sequim High School Operetta and many more events are awaiting new dates, too.

“Obviously, it’s disappointing because there’s a lot of work that goes into the festival from the community,” said Deon Kapetan, the festival’s executive director.

“But right now, it’s about keeping our community well, so we can have a 126th year and 127th year and beyond.”

In the press release, festival organizers said its board of directors and members have been in daily contact with multiple agencies about the virus.

“In following the ever-evolving guidance of the CDC, and their latest recommendations communicated on (March 15), we are making this announcement in the best interest of our community, volunteers, participants, and attendees of the Sequim Irrigation Festival,” organizers said.

Kapetan said the festival board plans to host the festival this year, but the date is undetermined because they are awaiting on available dates for the carnival and other key elements of the festival.

When the festival happens depends on “the then current state of global, national, regional, and local circumstances would permit,” organizers stated.

This year’s festival royalty of queen Lindsey Coffman, prince Logan Laxson, princess Alicia Pairadee and princess Olivia Preston were selected on March 7 at the Scholarship Pageant prior to event cancellations beginning to occur across Sequim and the Olympic Peninsula.

The new royals were set to see their new float on March 21 and travel with it to their first parade at the Daffodil Festival’s Grand Floral Parade in Tacoma on April 4. However, organizers for that parade announced its cancellation and it won’t be rescheduled — the first time it hasn’t run since World War II, organizers said.

Kapetan said tentative to potential regulations, they hope to unveil the float possibly on May Day (May 1) and park it in downtown Sequim at the corner of Washington Street and Sequim Avenue so people can drive by and see it.

“If things clear up, we want it to debut in Sequim before another town’s parade,” she said.

“The key thing is that we’re postponing, not cancelling the festival,” Kapetan added.

For updates on the festival and events, visit www.irrigationfestival.com.