SEQUIM – The groups who roamed inside the wafts of calming air of the lavender festival weren’t deterred by the gloomy weather, said Brigid Woodland, marketing director for the Sequim Lavender Festival.
The bad news was the festival had a cloud cover and occasional showers for visitors to the nine sites that were officially open for the festival.
The good news? Crowds – though as of yet unnumbered – still showed up and enjoyed an even more calming atmosphere without the heat of summer or huge concentrations of people.
No specific attendance numbers were available Sunday as the event was winding down.
“Because we sell tickets at all of the different venues, we’ll have to wait until we collect all of the remaining tickets and money before we will have any kind of an estimate,” Woodland said.
Last year’s festival drew about 30,000 people, Woodland said.
She said that numbers were up on Sunday from Friday and Saturday, but an official count wasn’t expected until after the tickets were picked up from the vendors today.
“There were still many people out, though it was maybe a little slower at times than at others,” Woodland said.
“But when it is slower it is pleasant because there is a little bit more room, and the rain is nice because we don’t have the heat that we’ve had to deal with in past years and worry about the guests being dehydrated and all.”
One primary reason that numbers weren’t down significantly is the number of people that come from out of town, she said.
“People who come from out of town come early and were already here and ready to go to the festival,” she said.
“There were here already – rain or no rain.”
The Lavender Festival ran Friday through Sunday in downtown Sequim and at farms across the Dungeness Valley.
Although composed primarily of eight lavender farms and the downtown area, other venues also informally set up shop and opened more than 50 lavender fields for viewing for the event.
In addition to picking the herb in the fields, businesses also offered up such concoctions as lavender martinis, cookies, soaps and other goodies.
A golf tournament, quilt show and two street fairs featuring a total of about 200 vendors added to the event.
