Through intermittent rain, snow and sleet, the Sequim Sunshine Festival shined for many residents and visitors in its inaugural year.
“I think everyone was really happy with the results; it all went off without a hitch,” said Barbara Hanna, Sequim’s communications and marketing director.
Events on March 6-7 ranged from an illuminating drone show to a Sun Fun Color Run both in Carrie Blake Community Park and a 3-D chalk art display in downtown Sequim to an interactive light experience at Pioneer Memorial Park.
Hanna said they sold out the fun run at 450 participants.
Runners participating in the 5k race sprint out at the start of the Sequim Sunshine Festival Sun Fun Color Run at the Albert Haller playfields on March 11. Ben Sorensen (second from left, tag 235) would later go on to win the men’s section of the race. Sequim Gazette photo by Conor Dowley
“Our plan was hoping to sell enough for 400 and to sell out at 450 in our first year … we’re pretty happy,” she said.
A beach party in the Guy Cole Event Center almost sold out with 157 people participating.
Firefly Drone Shows’ Saturday night show took off from the Blake property south of Carrie Blake Community Park, and Hanna estimated that hundreds of people spread out in the area to see the 15-minute show.
The snow was unusual for March 7 compared to past years, she said, but “the sunshine held out for all the big events.”
When Saturday afternoon’s storm came through, Hanna said some musicians moved inside venues and a band cancelled its show in a gazebo in Carrie Blake Community Park.
The open jam session at Centennial Plaza on the northeast corner of Sequim Avenue and Washington Street ended an hour early.
“We had a great group for about an hour,” she said.
Naomi Haverland’s 3-D chalk art was done and covered by the time the weather came through, she said.
3-D chalk artist Naomi Haverland brings a bit of sunshine to kick off the Sequim Sunshine Festival last week. Sequim Gazette photo by Lara Stanton
The art will last on the pavement of Centennial Plaza for about a month for people to take photos.
As for a second Sunshine Festival, Hanna said there are a lot of unknowns right now, but she said organizers plan to meet this week to see what worked well.
Discussions for the Sequim Sunshine Festival have been in the works for about two years with the aim to create an event for Sequim’s offseason.
“Overall, everyone had a great time,” Hanna said.
Growing concerns for spreading the coronavirus, or COVID-19, didn’t seem to hamper any events either, she said.
For various events, they provided hand sanitizer, extra hand washing stations and at the beach party organizers made an announcement about practicing good hygiene and encouraging those who felt ill to stay home.
Sequim Mayor William Armacost cuts the ribbon for the Sequim Sunshine Festival on Friday afternoon to usher in the event on March 6-7. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
DeLeon takes first Sun Fun Color Run title
Kynzie DeLeon of Port Angeles won the first Sun Fun Color Run 5k on March 6 with a time of 20:51, edging Ben Sorensen of Sequim, the top male finisher, by two seconds.
The Sun Fun Color Run took place at Albert Haller Playfields in Carrie Blake Community Park with 450 participants filling the park to participate in 5k and 1k (non-timed) events.
The color run included eight color blast zones for the 5k and three color blast zones for the 1K; when participants ran through the color blast zones they got sprayed with different colors of powder.
“It was a beautiful morning for the color run; an amazing and colorful time was had by all,” said Race Director Victoria Jones.
She said the race featured participants from ages 1 to 77, with more than 70 volunteers on hand.
For those interested in more information about the Sequim Sunshine Festival or to volunteer, visit www.visitsunnysequim.com/263/Sequim-Sunshine-Festival or email Hanna at bhanna@sequimwa.gov.
Reporter Conor Dowley contributed to this report.
Madelyn Freeman, 3, of Sequim, shows off her Sequim Sunshine Festival Sun Fun Color Run medal after the 1k race. Photo by Heart and Passion Films
Artist Craig Robinson paints with UV paints during the Interactive Light Experience curated by artist Ross Brown in Pioneer Memorial Park’s clubhouse. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
An illuminating drone show at Carrie Blake Park lights up the Sequim sky on March 7. Photo by Barb Hanna/City of Sequim
Jeri Sanford, co-owner of Over the Fence, gets an artistic lift from chalk artist Naomi Haverland’s Sequim Sunshine Festival-inspired artwork outside the downtown Sequim business this past weekend. Submitted photo
