The royalty is crowned, the kickoff is near and the Sequim Irrigation Festival is almost off to another year as Washington’s longest running consecutive festival in its 124th year.
Snow delayed the festival’s first event, the Scholarship Pageant, more than a month but its six contestants showed no nerves or rust for a fun two hours of music, jokes and elegance on March 14 in Sequim High School’s auditorium.
This year, judges selected Queen Emily Silva along with Princesses Brianna Cowan, Kjirstin Foresman and Shelby Wells.
“It feels amazing,” Silva said after being selected.
“I’m very proud myself, and listening to the other girls, they all did so good, too.”
See more photos from the pageant here.
Last year’s Irrigation Festival Queen Erin Gordon crowns Emily Silva as the 2019 Queen for the 124th year of the festival on March 14. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Cowan said she was “so excited” upon being crowned a princess and
Miss Congeniality for being supportive and kind to her fellow contestants.
“I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was little,” she said.
The royalty court was selected by a separate judge’s interview (35 percent), creative display (20 percent), two impromptu questions (15 percent each), and for their evening gown presentation (15 percent).
Silva spoke about running and what it means to her, Cowan shared a cheer and dance from cheerleading, Foresman played the xylophone and Wells played and sang a song.
Fellow contestants Ana Benitez spoke about a dress she sewed and Erin Rosengren shared a Native American dance she learned from her mother.
Soon-to-be crowned Queen Emily Silva explains her passion for running and how runner Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, influenced her. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
The new royalty won’t have much down time with the festival’s Kick-Off Dinner set for 5 p.m. Saturday, March 23, at 7 Cedars Casino where they’ll see their float for the first time.
The event also serves as a major fundraiser for the festival and the royalty to travel and stay across Western Washington.
This year’s festival theme is Sequim 124 — There’s No Place Like Home, with the festival set to begin May 3-12.
The Grand Parade on May 11 is one of 15 parades the girls will participate in. Tacoma’s Daffodil Parade on April 6 will be their first of the year.
Along with parades and local events, the royalty will look to share their personal platforms.
Silva looks to lead a team for Relay for Life to support breast cancer awareness and research, while Cowan looks to promote positive living for Type 1 diabetics, Foresman bring awareness to foster children programs in the area, and Wells support the Welfare for Animals Guild (WAG).
After serving on the court for a year, the queen receives a $1,250 college scholarship and each princess $750 in scholarships.
This year’s Irrigation Festival Junior Royalty, include, from left, Prince Cole Seamands, Princess Eva Lancheros Gillis, Prince Joshua Wakefield and Princess Maci Evans. They were crowned by last year’s royalty, from back left, Queen Erin Gordon, Princess Gracelyn Hurdlow and Princess Liliana Williams. Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash
At the Scholarship Pageant, the Junior Royalty also were crowned with Greywolf Elementary’s Prince and Princess — Cole Seamands and Eva Lancheros Gillis — and Helen Haller Elementary’s Prince and Princess — Joshua Wakefield and Maci Evans.
Last year’s royalty court of Queen Erin Gordon, Princess Gracelyn Hurdlow and Princess Liliana Williams also said goodbye through a skit and voiceover narration.
The 2018 royalty, from left, Princess Liliana Williams, Queen Erin Gordon and Princess Gracelyn Hurdlow dance and sing to their goodbye skit on March 14. They helped crown this year’s Sequim Irrigation Festival royalty court later in the show. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
For more information about the Sequim Irrigation Festival, visit www.irrigationfestival.com.
Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
Emily Silva receives a congratulatory hug from her mom Julianne Coonts on March 14 after being crowned queen of the 2019 Sequim Irrigation Festival. Previously, Silva said being on the court would mean a lot to her mom because she was a festival queen, too.
