“Where History Flows and Futures Grow” — That’s the tagline for the 130th year of the Sequim Irrigation Festival, set for May 2-10, 2025.
Michelle Rhodes, the festival’s new executive director, shared the new slogan along with the festival’s storyline and Sherry Scharschmidt’s new logo on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Rhodes and about 65 people attended the unveiling in the Oasis Bar and Grill that featured giveaways from the festival, and lunch sponsored by the restaurant.
The tagline is meant to honor the community and festival’s past along with volunteers’ efforts to invest in the future and promote Sequim, Rhodes said.
The festival started with a picnic on May 1, 1896, after D.R. Callen — later dubbed “Crazy Callen” — and three other men developed and implemented the innovative concept a year prior to irrigate Sequim by diverting Dungeness River water via gravity-driven ditches. Since then, it’s grown to feature a Grand Parade, Family Fun Days, Logging Show and much more.
The festival continues to be all-volunteer, and Washington’s oldest and most continuous-running festival.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Michelle Rhodes, executive director of the Sequim Irrigation Festival, reveals the new logo and tagline “When History Flows and Futures Grow” for the 130th festival on Oct. 12 at the Oasis Bar and Grill. Sherry Scharschmidt designed the logo for the second year.
Next year’s festivities begin on Feb. 22 with the royalty pageant at Sequim High School, followed by the festival’s kickoff dinner and float reveal on March 22 at 7 Cedars Casino.
This year’s royalty court has attended 60 events, including 11 parades, since February, and will next appear at the Sequim Prairie Grange’s Trunk or Treat on Oct. 26, and Sequim’s Hometown Holidays on Nov. 30 in downtown Sequim.
Rhodes, who takes over for Vickie Maples as festival director, has held a number of roles with the organization since starting eight years ago. She said leading up to the festival, they look to try new efforts to raise awareness, including a “Where’s Sid (Sequim Irrigation Dude)?” yard sign promotion.
They continue to seek new volunteers for day-of events and ongoing support, along with sponsorships, Rhodes said.
Those interested can email info@irrigationfestival.com, or visit irrigationfestival.com, or facebook.com/SequimIrrigationFestival.
Image courtesy of Sequim Irrigation Festival/ Sherry Scharschmidt designed the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s logo for the second year. The 130th festival features the tagline “When History Flows and Futures Grow.”
