SEQUIM — The royalty is crowned, the kickoff is Saturday and the Sequim Irrigation Festival is almost off to another year as Washington’s longest running consecutive festival in its 124th year.
Snow delayed the festival’s first event, the scholarship pageant, for more than a month but its six contestants showed no nerves or rust for two hours of music, jokes and elegance last Thursday evening in Sequim High School’s auditorium.
This year, judges selected Queen Emily Silva along with Princesses Brianna Cowan, Kjirstin Foresman and Shelby Wells.
“It feels amazing,” Silva said after being selected.
“I’m very proud of myself, and listening to the other girls, they all did so good, too.”
‘So excited’
Cowan said she was “so excited” upon being crowned a princess and Miss Congeniality for being supportive and kind to her fellow contestants.
“I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was little,” she said.
The royalty court was selected by a separate judge’s interview (35 percent), creative display (20 percent), two impromptu questions (15 percent each), and for their evening gown presentation (15 percent).
Silva spoke about running and what it means to her, Cowan shared a cheer and dance from cheerleading, Foresman played the xylophone and Wells played and sang a song.
Fellow contestants Ana Benitez spoke about a dress she sewed and Erin Rosengren shared a Native American dance she learned from her mother.
The new royalty won’t have much down time with the festival’s Kick-Off Dinner set for 5 p.m. Saturday at 7 Cedars Casino where they’ll see their float for the first time.
The event also serves as a major fundraiser for the festival and the royalty to travel and stay across Western Washington.
This year’s festival theme is Sequim 124 — There’s No Place Like Home, with the festival set to begin May 3-12.
The Grand Parade on May 11 is one of 15 parades the girls will participate in. Tacoma’s Daffodil Parade on April 6 will be their first of the year.
Along with parades and local events, the royalty will look to share their personal platforms.
Silva looks to lead a team for Relay for Life to support breast cancer awareness and research, while Cowan looks to promote positive living for Type 1 diabetics, Foresman bring awareness to foster children programs in the area, and Wells support the Welfare for Animals Guild (WAG).
After serving on the court for a year, the queen receives a $1,250 college scholarship and each princess $750 in scholarships.
At the Scholarship Pageant, the Junior Royalty also were crowned with Greywolf Elementary’s prince and princess — Cole Seamands and Eva Lancheros Gillis — and Helen Haller Elementary’s prince and princess — Joshua Wakefield and Maci Evans.
Last year’s royalty court of Queen Erin Gordon, Princess Gracelyn Hurdlow and Princess Liliana Williams also said goodbye through a skit and voiceover narration.
For more information about the Sequim Irrigation Festival, visit www.irrigationfestival.com.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
