SEQUIM — The logo and storyline for the 2026 Sequim Irrigation Festival have been announced.
Both were unveiled during an event Oct. 18 at The Oasis Bar and Grill.
Designs from three artists were presented anonymously to the membership, and the logo submitted by Amber Tjemsland was chosen as the winning entry during a September meeting.
Tjemsland’s logo includes a lighthouse inspired by the iconic New Dungeness Lighthouse.
“The morning fog lifted as the ship drifted near the New Dungeness Lighthouse, its beacon slicing soft gray into gold,” said Michelle Rhodes, director of the Sequim Irrigation Festival. “Suddenly, the waters boiled — and from the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the mystical Kraken surfaced, eyes twinkling like rubies.
“‘Fear not,’ the Kraken boomed, tentacles curling around the hull in a gentle protective embrace. ‘I am Sequim’s guardian, and you’ve arrived just in time!’”
The storyline continues with sailors clinging to the rails, as an air of calm settles over the ship. Their fear and anxiety wanes with the Kraken’s welcome.
“‘It’s the 131st Sequim Irrigation Festival,’ the Kraken continued, voice echoing across the waves. ‘Long ago, Sequim’s fields flourished because of clever irrigation, and every year we celebrate with parades, music and merriment. ‘Let’s Go Sequimming!’ means reveling in every joy Sequim offers — sunshine, community, festival magic, and adventure!’”
With a final flourish, the Kraken slipped beneath the waves, leaving behind laughter and a festival invitation shimmering on the air, Rhodes said.
The boaters cheered, “Let’s Go Sequimming,” the tagline for the 2026 festival. The tagline was determined by membership in November 2024.
Once the tagline for the state’s longest-running festival is been determined, the storyline can be created, and that inspires the logo.
The logo and storyline will inspire the theme of the float and other events throughout the festival.
The Irrigation Festival will take place May 1-9, 2026.
