With the Hood Canal bridge closing the day before the Sequim Irrigation Festival begins, organizers have adopted the "No Bridge, No Problem" slogan and have gone one better.

"We're reinforcing the idea that this is a community festival," said Joe Borden, festival chairman.

To make that happen, organizers have added events the weekend of May 2-3 to bring out the hometown crowd. In addition to the Arts & Crafts Street Fair on Cedar Street, organizers are inviting people to the center of Sequim for a downtown merchants fair. Anyone who wants to rent curbside booth space for their business should contact John D'Urso at 808-3883 as soon as possible.

The biggest change during the first weekend is a Festival Family Picnic on Saturday at Carrie Blake Park - Bell Street Bakery, Cedar Creek Restaurant and Jeremiah's BBQ will have booths.

"The Irrigation Festival got started with a community picnic on May 1, 1896, to celebrate the ditches," Borden said.

That picnic drew townsfolk and farmers to D.R. "Crazy" Callen's farm, now at the junction of Sequim-Dungeness Way and Old Olympic Highway, and for many years, featured a maypole dance. Callen was the first to believe the Sequim-Dungeness Valley could be irrigated.

The maypole is back, Borden said, along with softball games, three-legged races, a dunk tank and many more activities for the young and young at heart. In keeping with the festive mood, there will be entertainment in the Guy Cole Convention Center, including banjo music and an "oompah" band. The Bicycle Poker Run returns with a 35-mile loop to six lavender farms.

Separate from the festival, Sequim Dog Park Pals is hosting its first "Woof & Walk" around the park, followed by dog demonstrations and a drawing. There is a $25 registration fee. Call 477-4208 for more information.

To get attendees between the downtown and park venues, Rocket Transportation is providing a free shuttle, making continuous loops. "The point is to get people to park once and take the shuttle," D'Urso said.

Festival organizers are excited about bringing the community together literally and figuratively during the 114th Sequim Irrigation Festival, the longest running event in the state.