Water was definitely in abundance for the first weekend of the Sequim Irrigation Festival.
While sunny skies are forecast for the festival’s Grand Finale Weekend May 9-11, locals seemed to have fun anyway on Crazy Callen Weekend in the rain playing games at the Family Fun Days, singing along to familiar tunes, and taking in the Trashion Show.
See more photos from the first weekend here.
Siblings Mylee Beeter and Braylen Williams won the Grand Prize award on May 4 after the Kids Parade for their Snow White and Dopey costumes. They’ll get to ride in their own dedicated car for winning the contest at the Grand Parade on May 11.
In the festival’s Run Series, Matthew Wolpert of Sequim won the half-marathon with a time of 1:25:07, while Joey Belanger of Port Angeles narrowly edged Tod Jones of Sequim in the 5K run/walk by three seconds (23:01, 23:04). In the 1 mile run/walk, Kaitlin Marknofsky of Port Angeles won with a time of 9:34. Find full results at hub.enmotive.com/results-and-photos.
At the Trashion Show, co-organizer Libby Ballard said the recycled fashion show on May 4 was bigger than its first year in 2023, and fellow organizers anticipate it being even bigger in 2025.
“People should start thinking about what they want to next year,” she said.
An encore performance of the show is set for 1 p.m. Sunday, May 12 at Studio Bob in Port Angeles.
Organizers held four workshops, with more planned for next year, Ballard said.
Cherry Bibler of Sequim won with her design “My Scraps of Denim Dream” that used upcycled scraps of denim. She said the look was a collaborative effort with friend and model Sonja Hess-Ranelius. They started on it in February with Bibler saying it’s a lot of fun.
“(Upcycling clothes is my) most favorite thing I do in my life right now,” Bibler said. “The fashion show is icing on the cake.”
Bibler encourages people to participate, noting, “you don’t have to know how to sew — get some trash and drape it.”
Along with Bibler and Hess-Ranelius, designer Nancy Watts and model Hillarie Strong of Port Angeles won second for “Old School” featuring sheet protectors and transparencies, while Marissa Meek won third for her repurposed outfit with lamp shades.
During the Innovative Arts and Crafts Fair, a Re-Use Showcase featured visitors voting for their favorite re-used, recycled and/or repurposed piece of art, with George Gamble winning first for the amateur adult category for “Metal Guitar,” Sarah Tucker for professional adult with a bag made of trash bags and bouquet of trash. Chris Allen won the vendor category and a free booth at the 2025 festival.
For more about the Sequim Irrigation Festival, visit irrigationfestival.com.
Mother-daughter runners Julia of Sequim and Jennifer King of Kent finish the 5K in Carrie Blake Community Park on May 4 as part of the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Run Series. They said it was their first time participating in the event, and Jennifer suggested it as she was looking for 5K events to run with her mom.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Murphy Taylor, 6, brightens up the Kids Parade on May 4 by the Albert Haller Playfields dressed as the sun. He sits on his dad Buddy’s shoulders as he speaks with festival volunteer Michelle Rhodes. Buddy said Murphy really wanted to be the sun for the event.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Irrigation Festival junior royalty, from left, princesses Ruby Sly-Hobson, 9, Dulce Villegas, 9, and Olive Gockerell, 9. wave to the crowd during the Kids Parade on May 4.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Bryant Volker smiles for Irrigation Festival photographer Keith Ross during the Kids Parade awards with help from festival Princess Kailah Blake. He won first place for his bicycle float.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sister and brother Mylee Beeter, 12, and Braylen Williams, 9, win the Grand Prize during the Kids Parade on May 4 with Princess Ashlynn Northaven giving them the ribbons for their Snow White and Dopey costumes. They’ll appear in the Grand Parade on May 11, and Mylee said she hopes to be on the royalty court someday.
Nine-year-old Thomas Bagley of Sequim extends up to catch a ball from Juggle Jaw, a robot built by the Sequim High School’s Robotics Club. The team made it to district championships this school year, students said.
Bennett Castell, 9, an Irrigation Festival junior royalty member, runs fast with an egg during a relay race at Family Fun Days on May 4.
Kylynn Hibbard, 7, receives a fire hat from Lori Coleman, an executive assistant with Clallam County Fire District 3, during Family Fun Days as Kylynn’s mom Maria and sister Ryah, 8, look on. The family came to see their friends and fellow dancers from The Dance Center perform, they said.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Holly Bliss of Sequim made her Trashion Show sweater from five different dogs’ hair. She estimates it took her about a month to make.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Hillarie Strong of Port Angeles models the second place winner “Old School” at the Trashion Show. It was designed by retired teacher Nancy Watts who used sheet protectors and transparencies sewn and glued on. Strong said she saw the event advertised on Facebook and wanted to try something new. “I definitely had fun and I’d do it again. It was very, very cool,” she said.
Marissa Meek, wearing “You light up my life” at the second Trashion Show, speaks with judge Jennifer Rose with Around Again as fellow judge Emily Underwood with Over the Fence looks on. Meek said her mother had some old, unused lamp shades and she loved how decedent they felt. She plans to use the cloak in a film she’s making for a class at Peninsula College.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Mother and son Stef and Mason Anderson, 8, of Sequim look to finish the 5K with the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Run Series. Mason said he’d consider running it again but he’d need to keep practicing on a treadmill.
Two-year-old Ozzie Herbert sits in a fire engine courtesy Clallam County Fire District 3 as his dad Teddy watches him.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Ruby Miller, 6, carefully cuts along the edges of a crown she makes on May 4 during the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Family Fun Days.
Ava Fuller and Ozzie Hernandez as Morticia and Gomez sing with the ensemble the opening number of “The Addams Family” operetta on May 4 during the Irrigation Festival’s Family Fun Days. The show runs May 9-11 at 7 p.m. in Sequim High School’s auditorium.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Teacher Sarah Castell leads students from the Helen Haller Elementary Kindness Squad in the Kids Parade on May 4.
Rain or shine, many children, including 6-year-old Lila Richards enjoy Strait Up Foam Fun on May 5 during Family Fun Days. It was Lila’s first time in the foam, her mom said.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Zahra Hill, 7, of Sequim makes a floral arrangement for her mom on May 5 during Family Fun Days. She visited the Irrigation Festival with her dad Justin and wanted to return after having fun last year.
