SEQUIM — A float that almost wasn’t built won the Governor’s Award at the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Grand Parade on Saturday.
In March, Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival President Christy Green said the festival would have no float; it couldn’t afford it.
By the end of the month, an anonymous donor had provided $1,000 for the float, and the Sequim Irrigation Festival had thrown open its float barn to the neighboring festival to allow volunteers to pick out materials.
120-participant parade
The float, which took third place in the judging, was one of several from the North Olympic Peninsula that won awards after it joined the 120-participant parade through Sequim’s downtown.
The grand sweepstakes winner was among those not from the Peninsula. The Marysville Strawberry Festival float took that award.
Also, the Puyallup Daffodil Festival took the President’s Award — or second place — the West Seattle Hi-Yu took the Mayor’s Award, and the Mason County Forest Festival won the Chairman’s Award.
Judges’ special awards went to Port Orchard’s Fathoms of Fun, first place; Clallam County Fair, second place; and Makah Days, third place.
The winners are . . .
Commercial winners were a float by The Fifth Avenue retirement center and The Lodge at Sherwood Village, first place; Sherwood Assisted Living, second place; and Dominion Terrace Home Owners Association, third place.
Noncommercial winners were the Clallam County Master Gardeners, first place; Snap, second place; and the North Olympic Library System, third place.
The award for the most patriotic went to the Forks Fourth of July float.
“Everything went very smooth,” said Deon Kapetan, Sequim Irrigation Festival chairwoman, as the two-week festival came to a close Saturday.
“It was like the hometown community event. Everybody came out to the festival.”
In its 116th year, the Sequim Irrigation Festival celebrated the flowering of the Dungeness Valley with amazing feats, fireworks, food, crafts and a downtown parade.
What went on
The festival ended with the 23rd annual logging show, a Kids Parade, a car show and the Grand Parade on Saturday.
On Friday were the strongmen competitions in the axle lift, arm-over-arm truck pull, log press, tire flip, stone stack, dead lift and car lift, followed by fireworks.
