SEQUIM — This Saturday, the annual Kickoff Dinner and Auction ushers in the 128th year of the Irrigation Festival, the oldest and most continuous running in Washington.
As the biggest fundraising event for the all-volunteer festival, proceeds help fund royalty court scholarships, float construction and its related travel expenses.
Remaining tickets to the event at 7 Cedars Casino, 270756 U.S. Highway 101, cost $85 at Kickoff2023.givesmart.com.
Non-attendees and attendees can bid on silent auction items through 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.
The live auction accepts in-person bids only, organizers said. For an offline ticket, contact Robin Bookter at 360-316-9235.
Dinner includes prime rib, with chicken or vegetarian options available upon request.
Parade float
As tradition before the dinner, organizers will unveil the float at 4:45 p.m.
It was designed and built by Guy Horton with help from David Blakeslee and John Riley.
They’ve been hard at work in recent months on the float based on this year’s theme, “128 Out the Gate” with multiple animations.
It will be about 13 feet tall.
“I think it’s going to play really well (at events),” Horton said.
“This year’s (royalty outfits) are rich. A lot of the float’s palette comes from their dresses.
“It’s absolutely spectacular.”
This year’s royalty features Queen Pepper Reymond, Princess Anne Marie Barni, Prince Fred Cameron and Princess Paige “Skylar” Krzyworz.
Supply chain issues hit particularly hard this year, Horton said, so crew members were more purposeful in using materials from floats from years before, including lumber and artificial grass.
For more information on upcoming events for the 128th festival, set for May 6-13, visit irrigation festival.com.
