Organizers of the Sequim Sunshine Festival hope its third year is a return to form and an opportunity for the area to shine with fun and excitement.

Set for March 4-5 across the City of Sequim, the Illuminated Drone Light Show, Sun Fun Color Run, music, food and more make up the festival focused on positivity, light and sunshine.

“I think people are ready to have some fun and are looking for an opportunity to get outside,” said Patsene Dashiell, City of Sequim’s marketing coordinator.

Find more about the festival at sequimsunshinefestival.com.

Drones, lights, run

Some events make their return after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the popular drone show. Firefly Drone Company will fly its 100 drones starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5 for a 15 minute presentation near Carrie Blake Community Park where the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Logging Show takes place.

Organizers say the show’s presentation is unique to the festival and free to view. Visitors are encouraged to bring chairs and watch from the park with parking available on the street, in the park and at Olympic View Church of God.

The Interactive Light Experience by artist Ross Brown also returns with new exhibits on March 4-5 at Pioneer Memorial Park. The light stations allow users to reflect, absorb or transmit light with switches and dimmers; it’s also free.

The Sun Fun Color Run’s 1k and 5k is full at 530 participants, organizer Victoria Jones said. There is no on-site wait list, but locals are encouraged to volunteer by signing up at runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/WA/Sequim/SunFunColorRun.

Further fun

Festivities open at 5 p.m. Friday, March 4 at the Sequim Civic Center with the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce hosting a ribbon cutting and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe sharing a presentation.

Dashiell said they “wanted to come out with a splash and welcome people coming back together.”

The evening also features the First Friday Art Walk in downtown and a musical jam session at the Civic Center Plaza with musicians invited to join in.

On both Friday and Saturday, the Interactive Light Experience is open, and locals can download and participate in the “Great Sun Hunt 2022” by downloading the free Goose Chase app and go on a scavenger hunt of “Sequim’s sunniest locations,” according to organizers. Paper versions of the game can be found at the Visitor’s Information Center, too.

On Saturday, events open at the Sunshine Market in the Guy Cole Event Center with 22 vendors inside, and most food vendors outside with some outdoor seating.

Dashiell said rather than hosting a ticketed event such as in the festival’s first year, they wanted it to be more inclusive and open it to all visitors to purchase food from vendors, including a beer and wine garden from the Sequim Valley Lions and treats inside from the Sweet Beginning Cafe.

Around the center, visitors are encouraged to participate in a street mural with paint, sun stencils and more that will last throughout the year. Artist Craig Robinson will be painting a new version of the “Be the I in Kind” sign, too.

From 2-4 p.m., visitors can pick up a free kit to make their own lanterns at the park’s gazebo near the center.

After the 1k/5k run, the Buck Ellard Band plays at the James Center for the Performing Arts from noon-1:30 p.m. on Saturday followed by the Craig Buhler Band at the park’s Picnic Shelter from 2-3:30 p.m. Tom Shindler plays guitar and banjo at the park’s gazebo from 4:15-5 p.m., and Black Diamond Junction plays from 5-7 p.m. in the picnic shelter prior to the drone show.

For health precautions, masks are required inside at the Sunshine Market and Interactive Light Experience, with masks and hand sanitizer available.

Schedule

Friday, March 4

• 5 p.m. Ribbon Cutting and Heritage Presentation by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Sequim Civic Center Plaza, 152 W. Cedar St.

• 5-8 p.m. First Friday Art Walk, throughout the City of Sequim

• 6-8 p.m. Music Jam at the Civic Center Plaza

Friday-Saturday, March 4-5

• 5-8 p.m. Friday, noon-6:30 p.m. Saturday, Interactive Light Experience, Pioneer Memorial Park, 387 E. Washington St.

• noon Friday-6 p.m. Saturday, The Great Sun Hunt 2022, Download the Goose Chase app for the non-competitive scavenger hunt, or find physical game copies at the Visitor Information Center, 1192 E. Washington St.

Saturday, March 5

• 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunshine Market, Guy Cole Event Center, 202 N. Blake Ave.

• 10 a.m.-dusk, Community Street Mural Project, Carrie Blake Community Park

• 11 a.m. Sun Fun Color Run, Albert Haller Playfields at Carrie Blake Park

• 2-4 p.m. Let Your Little Light Shine Luminary Workshop, Guy Cole Gazebo

• 7 p.m. Drone Show, Carrie Blake Community Park/Blake Property

Saturday music

• Noon-1:30 p.m. Buck Ellard Band, James Center for the Performing Arts at Carrie Blake Park

• 2-3:30 p.m. Craig Buhler Band, Picnic Shelter by Guy Cole Event Center

• 4:15-5 p.m. Tom Shindler on guitar and banjo, Guy Cole Gazebo

• 5-7 p.m. Black Diamond Junction, picnic shelter by Guy Cole Event Center

Through March 5

• Restaurant Romp, find a game card at the establishments below, get it stamped by visiting and making a purchase from at least five listed businesses, and turn your card in by March 8 at the Visitor Information Center for a prize drawing

• Barhop Brewing & Artisan Pizza, 845 W. Washington St.

• Essence Coffee Roaster, 461 W. Washington St.

• Nourish, 101 Provence View Lane

• Pacific Pantry, 229 S. Sequim Ave.

• Peninsula Taproom, 210 W. Washington St.

• Rainshadow Café, 157 W. Cedar St.

• Shadowline Burgers & Brew, 179 W. Washington St.

• Sweet Spot Frozen Yogurt, 609 W. Washington St., Ste. 11

• Tedesco’s Italian Fresh, 210 W. Washington St.

• Wildwood Coffee Lounge, 145 E. Washington St.

For more information, visit sequimsunshinefestival.com.

Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell Participants are covered in color during the 2021 Sun Fun Color Run. The event sold out its 1K and 5K spots last week but volunteers are still needed through the City of Sequim for the event on March 5 in the Albert Haller Playfields.

Artist Ross Brown brings back The Interactive Light Experience on March 4-5 at Pioneer Memorial Park. The light stations allow users to reflect, absorb or transmit light with switches and dimmers. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash