SEQUIM — The 117th Sequim Irrigation Festival launches today, and Deon Kapetan, in her second year as event chairwoman, said she believes the family-fun event will flow in the coming week like the steady stream of water in the more than 300 miles of Dungeness Valley irrigation ditches for which the big event is named.
“We plan it all year-round, and I have 37 board members and hundreds of volunteers, so it’s a team effort,” Kapetan said of all the preparations for the 10-day-long festival.
“There’s so much community support here. That’s probably why it has been around for more than 100 years,” she said, noting it is the longest continuing festival in the state.
This comes at a time when the economy is putting a pinch on festivals across the country, she added.
The festival celebrates the initiation, development and support of the irrigation ditches, which brought water to Dungeness Valley’s once-dry prairie.
The irrigation system helped farming settlers in the late 1800s till the soil and plant seeds across the valley, bringing abundance, fertile fields, lush crops and dairies.
With agriculture still a strong part of the Dungeness Valley’s identity, it is no coincidence that the theme for the 2012 festival is “117 & Still Growin’ Green.”
While the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Sequim is the key event today — timed just right to open the festival along with the Sequim Arts Juried Art Show — Saturday and Sunday likely will draw hopping-big crowds to mill about downtown.
The Arts and Crafts Fair will close off Bell Street between Sequim and Second avenues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
It will include hand-made items from crafters, food, and live entertainment.
Running simultaneously with the Bell Street Fair on Saturday will be the Merchants Street Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Washington Street between Sequim and Second avenues.
The Irrigation Festival’s royal court will be downtown at the Merchants Fair, showing this year’s float.
“They do sign autographed pictures for the kids, so it’s a lot of fun,” Kapetan said.
Then there’s the Sequim Open Aire Market, which opens for the season on Cinco de Mayo Saturday.
It will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Cedar Street between Sequim and Second avenues.
The many events this weekend “sets the scene to showcase our hometown businesses and local events,” Kapetan said.
Festival-goers can buy arts and crafts on sale Saturday at the show downtown, and food and other treats are cooked and ready-to-buy.
Many “mom and pop” business are selling their goods at these events as well, she said.
The Irrigation Festival’s Kids Day and Family Picnic will be held Saturday at Carrie Blake Park, 202 N. Blake Ave.
Kids Day events will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the Family Picnic set from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Kids Day activities will take place in and around the Guy Cole Convention Center.
Softball games, dog park activities, square dancing, a football camp, a petting zoo and a barbecue are among activities scheduled.
The Kids Day event includes the Coast Guard landing one of its rescue helicopters at Carrie Blake Park, which Kapetan said is quite a sight.
A Bicycle Poker Run on Saturday will begin and end at Carrie Blake Park.
The fourth annual Bicycle Poker Run will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Participants, who register at 9 a.m. at the Dog Park Pals’ Tent, will visit local farms and shops, and collect a five-card poker hand on the 40-mile route.
Entry fee is $20. Prizes will be awarded at 2 p.m.
The best hand will win 50 percent of the event’s pot. Last year, first prize was $330 in cash.
For more information about the poker run, phone Dave Neidhardt at 360-681-5373 or Tom Coonelly at 360-681-7053.
This weekend’s lineup kicks off the grand events for next weekend, Kapetan said.
Next Friday, May 11, will be the Crazy Days breakfast at the SunLand Golf & Country Club clubhouse.
Later in the day, festival-goers can check out the Strong Man Showdown and end with the Loggers Ball and a fireworks display.
The event reaches its crescendo Saturday, May 12, with the Grand Parade, Kids Parade, Car Show & Shine, Car Parade, Logging Show, carnival and River Center 5K Fun Run.
It’s not too late to purchase wrist bands for the carnival — which will begin Thursday and run through Sunday, May 13, at Sequim High School — available at an advance cost of $20 for all day ($25 the day of the carnival).
Wrist bands will be available until Wednesday at KeyBank, 120 N. Dunlap Ave.; Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce, 1192 E. Washington St.; Sound Community Bank, 541 N. Fifth Ave.; and Pacific Mist Books, 121 W. Washington St.
For more information and updates, visit www.irrigationfestival.com or www.facebook.com/SequimIrrigationFestival.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2390 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
