Sequim Gazette staff

Several dozen Sequim Irrigation Festival board members and other onlookers broke out in applause Saturday afternoon, March 23, at the unveiling of this year’s Irrigation Festival float at 7 Cedars Casino.

The theme of the 118th festival, “Dancing Through the Valley,” was executed in cool colors of the 1950s: silver, black and turquoise, with the standout surprises of a pair of revolving disks bearing the logo, two video screens showing teens dancing a la “Bandstand” and LED lights pulsing to the beat of golden oldies. Guy and Lynn Horton designed the float, with construction help from Dan Rigg, construction coordinator, Guy Eldridge, Brant Parks and Brad Lato. The group has been working on the float since December. The first parade for Queen Angela Bentley, Princess Danyelle Wilson, Princess Lavee Hess and Princess Christie Honore will be the Tacoma Daffodil Festival on April 13, with a baker’s dozen more to follow.

Festival Director Deon Kapetan said of the kickoff dinner and auction, “Even with the economy still down, I felt we did very well, raising just short of $20,000.” Nearly 200 attended the dinner and auction.