Sequim Gazette Editorial and Letters to the Editor

Remember that old myth ... the one about the blue hole?

Well, it's come around again. I'm a newcomer. We moved here in the blustery month of March 1989. Before we moved here from California, I subscribed to a couple of local newspapers ... the Port Townsend Leader and the Jimmy Come Lately Gazette. I recall reading about airline pilots reporting a blue hole over the small farming community of Sequim, Washington. It's old news. But as recently as April 24, it was reported in the New York Times that "Pilots refer to Sequim, about 68 miles northwest of Seattle, as the "blue hole" .... The entire article can be viewed at nytimes.com, the title being "A Sunny Spot Amid the Clouds."

And while it's true we have more sunshine, this past weekend, which was the opening weekend of the 114th Irrigation Festival, Sequim's weather was true to form ... unpredictable.

Joe Borden, 2009 Sequim Irrigation Festival chairman, thought the gusts of wind blowing everyone around at the street fair on Saturday might have hit the 40-mph mark. Given that the wind was gusting up to 60 mph at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, he's not exaggerating.

While the weather might have been challenging, it was a big weekend and a great weekend according to Joe.

"The events this weekend were well-attended. The crowds braved the wind on Saturday and some of the Arts & Craft Street Fair vendors sold more on Saturday than they did on Sunday. I don't think the Hood Canal bridge closure affected the opening weekend's events that much. We had 64 vendors this year, which is only 16 less than last year. The Merchant Fair downtown went well, too. We lost a couple of canopies here and there, but you roll with what happens and deal with it."

Vicki Maples, executive director of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce, described the weekend:

"The 114th Irrigation Festival literally blew in with a flourish on Saturday! It was heartwarming to see families and friends enjoying the many activities taking place over the weekend. Carrie Blake Park was bursting with children, laughter and balloons during Saturday's Kids Day, community picnic and maypole celebration. Every direction you looked offered a new activity! Downtown Sequim was buzzing with the Arts & Crafts Fair, the Merchant Fair and two entertainment stages," Maples enthused.

"The Chamber of Commerce thanks the many volunteers and sponsors of the Irrigation Festival that make this truly a community event each and every year. We encourage everyone to join in this week's festivities - Crazy Daze Breakfast, fireworks, logging show, operetta, art show, carnival and parades!"

With the closure of the Hood Canal bridge, this year's festival may be more home grown than it's been in recent memory. And while attendance may be off slightly, it's almost imperceptible and hard to know if it's the bridge closure, the economy, the swine flu or the weather. Perhaps it's a combination of all these things. One thing is certain. It's an excellent time to celebrate the peninsula and enjoy the wonderful events, festivities and sights in our own backyard with smaller crowds and better parking.

Irrigation Festival has lots more to offer this coming weekend. The Sequim High School operetta, "Beauty and the Beast," opens Friday evening, May 9, and runs weekends through Saturday, May 16. If you haven't seen one of Christy Rutherford and Robin Hall's great annual productions, make it this year. They are a talented team who have produced and directed some wonderful shows over the years.

Here are some highlights of this weekend.

The Funtastic Carnival hits town Thursday night on the Sequim High green field, the Crazy Daze Breakfast kicks

off Friday at 7 a.m. at the Sequim Elks Lodge, the first of three great logging shows and the Marunde Strongman Competition are going on simultaneously Friday evening on Blake Avenue south of Carrie Blake Park. Friday is capped off with an even better fireworks show than last year, also at Carrie Blake. The show will have music to accompany it and the best seats in the house are the logging show bleachers.

Saturday morning the Kids Parade begins at 10 a.m. at Second and Washington. At 11 a.m. the car parade begins with hot rods and classic cars followed by the incredible and amazing Irrigation Festival Grand Parade at noon. Bring your lunch and a beach chair, come early to find a good spot along Washington Street and make a day of it. Car shows always are a kick and the Magical Cruzz Show 'n' Shine at the Walmart parking lot starts at noon and ends at 5 p.m. along with the carnival and later that day, the operetta.

Sunday is a quieter day with the annual Sequim Arts Juried Art Show continuing at St. Luke's Episcopal Church and the Olympic Theatre Arts BenchMark Project.

This just a peek at all that's going on. If you don't have the official 32-page Irrigation Festival program produced by the Sequim Gazette, feel free to stop by the Gazette

office, 142 W. Washington St., for a complimentary copy.

This year's theme of "A Magical Place" may be more fitting than just fun and fluffy. This place of blue holes and sunny skies is pretty special. While the bridge is closed, get out and see the Olympic Peninsula. It's big, broad and full of surprises ... oh, and don't forget your rain gear.

For those of you who work so hard and all year long to make this festival happen ... a big, warm thanks. It's a huge undertaking for the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce, the city of Sequim, the Sequim Irrigation Festival committee, all the committed volunteers and most especially the sponsors of this year's events.



Sue Ellen Riesau is publisher of the Sequim

Gazette.