Sequim Irrigation Festival organizers continued their tradition of surprising their royalty this past weekend with the reveal of the 2024 float for the year’s parade season.
Queen Ariya Goettling and princesses Kailah Blake, Ashlynn Northaven, and Sophia Treece stood with their backs to the float as it drove underneath the carport of 7 Cedars Casino on Saturday, March 23.
A large crowd from the festival’s Kickoff Dinner and Auction, scheduled for after the unveiling, cheered as the girls smiled and shared looks of awe.
The float is largely based on this year’s logo by Sherry Scharschmidt, with mountains and birds above and water, boats, orcas and more below.
This year’s slogan is “2024 Mountains to Shore, Whatever You’re Looking For.”
Festival executive director Vickie Maples said this year organizers opted to send the float for construction to a firm and it returned with a lot of work to do, so former designer Guy Horton returned to complete a design by his wife Lynn.
“This was our biggest team ever,” Guy Horton said.
“We needed to come together and we nailed it. It was a lot of fun.”
He worked the last three weeks with Lynn, John Riley, Chris Overen, Daniel Goettling, Chad Williams, Justin Witherow, Carlos Jackson, Christina DeMatteis and Anne Marie Barni to finish the float in time for the unveiling.
Asked about their favorite parts, Ariya Goettling said “the fact that my family got to help with it and the design is so cool.”
Northaven said she likes the orcas, and Treece likes them too along with the float’s little boats, while Blake said she appreciates the flowers and moss.
Horton said crews continue to work on the float to add motorized movement to some pieces, more orcas, pebble tiles, and more.
“Make sure to come to the (Grand Parade at noon on May 11) to see the finishing touches,” Horton said. “It sparkles in the sun.”
The royalty and float are scheduled to appear in 14 parades, including the Tacoma Daffodil Parade on April 6.
Festival organizers said they’re looking for float builders next year with construction and design experience. Those interested can email to info@irrigationfestival.com.
The Kickoff Dinner and Auction is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the all-volunteer festival. Its festivities for the 129th year run May 3-11.
The Sequim Irrigation Festival remains the longest continuous running festival in Washington state. For more information, visit irrigationfestival.com.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim Irrigation Festival royalty, from left, Princess Ashlynn Northaven, Queen Ariya Goettling, Princess Kailah Blake, and Princess Sophia Treece see their float for the first time on March 23.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Princess Ashlynn Northaven, Queen Ariya Goettling, Princess Kailah Blake, and Princess Sophia Treece take a closer look at their float for the 2024 season.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash The 2024 Irrigation Royalty Float drives on March 23 in front of 7 Cedars Casino.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Photographer Keith Ross snaps photos of the Irrigation Festival royalty on March 23.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Princess Ashlynn Northaven, Queen Ariya Goettling, Princess Kailah Blake, and Princess Sophia Treece take a closer look at their float for the 2024 season.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ The 2024 Sequim Irrigation Festival royalty see their float for the first time on March 23.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Princess Ashlynn Northaven, Queen Ariya Goettling, Princess Kailah Blake, and Princess Sophia Treece take a closer look at their float for the 2024 season.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ The Sequim Irrigation Festival royalty await their float to come down the road.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Princess Kailah Blake climbs onto the royalty float for the first time on March 23. She and fellow Irrigation Festival royalty will go to 14 parades this year.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Queen Ariya Goettling climbs onto the royalty float for the first time on March 23. She and fellow Irrigation Festival royalty will go to 14 parades this year.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Executive Director Vickie Maples speaks to a crowd on March 23 during the royalty float unveiling.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crowd cheers for the new royalty float on March 23 at 7 Cedars Casino.
Photo by Eran Kennedy/Olympic Peninsula News Group Sequim irrigation Festival organizers honor Lynn Horton for her years of service as “royalty mom” at the March 23 Festival Kick-Off Dinner.
