Irrigation Festival wraps up with solar and enjoyable

Irrigation Festival wraps up with solar and enjoyable

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 13, 2026

The climate held up properly for the final two weekends as one other Sequim Irrigation Festival rolled on to maintain the streak as Washington’s oldest, longest, continuous-running pageant.

For its 131st yr, the pageant featured Crazy Callen Weekend May 1-3 and the Grand Finale Weekend May 7-10 with the Trashion Show, “The Wizard of Oz” operetta, Grand Parade, Classic Car Show and extra. The Sequim Logging Show, now a separate nonprofit, ran May 8-9.

“We thought it was an excellent day,” mentioned the pageant’s Executive Director Michelle Rhodes about occasions on May 9.

See extra photographs on the Gazette’s web site.

The automobile present had 200 vehicles with plenty of volunteer assist from Scout Troop 90, she mentioned, and the parade, coordinated by the Sequim Sunrise Rotary, had 118 entries.

The parade noticed some new entries and teams that royalty have invited to take part after assembly them at different parades, Rhodes mentioned. A volunteer with the Rotary additionally referred to as a number of faculty districts to ask their bands to take part, she mentioned.

Olympic View Middle School Marching Band and Color Guard led to 200 college students from Mukilteo for the occasion and received first place for Middle School Band awards.

“We appreciate all the schools making the budget to come here,” Rhodes mentioned.

Along the parade route, many first-timers attended, together with infants and toddlers. Babies included Marie, who attended along with her mother, 2007 pageant queen Janaye Birkland.

Jasmine Whitney introduced her 20-month-old daughter Lily for the second time to the parade saying her then-baby surprisingly slept by means of all of final yr’s parade, together with when log vehicles blew their air horns.

KSQM radio additionally had 4 saying cubicles by means of the parade route, together with a brand new Spanish talking sales space in entrance of Jose’s Famous Salsa.

The Run Series that includes a two mile Bubble Run with foam on the finish from Strait Up Foam Fun didn’t have as many members as organizers hoped, Rhodes mentioned, however they’ll give it extra time.

“Those who did come seemed to have a really great time,” she mentioned.

Molly Bishop of Sequim mentioned the run was enjoyable and that she participated for the primary time after practising beforehand operating to and from Carrie Blake Community Park. Bishop mentioned she beat her private finest time.

As for Crazy Callen Weekend, organizers mentioned the Trashion Show featured greater than 20 costumes and crammed the Guy Cole Event Center with twice as many individuals. The Crazy Daze homicide thriller breakfast organized by Taylor Dowley additionally bought out.

“Like the Trashion Show, (Crazy Daze) has grown in popularity,” Rhodes mentioned. “It’s finding its niche.”

Despite the pageant ending, the royalty will journey in 14 extra parades, together with the Rhododendron Festival this weekend in Port Townsend.

This yr’s pageant tagline was “Let’s go Sequimming,” and subsequent yr’s shall be “2027 set down your roots and kick up your boots.” It’s set for May 1-9.

Volunteers will work on the pageant’s 2027 storyline by means of July, fee a brand in August and unveil it in October.