Brynn writes:
Every summer Sequim turns into Washington’s destination for all things lavender. This summer is no different, but there are some changes to how this year’s annual Sequim Lavender Festival will run. And, there’s a second festival that’s planned for the same weekend that includes lavender farms that for the past 14 years were part of the Sequim Lavender Festival.
This year’s festival is planned for July 15-17. It will feature a self-guided driving tour of some of Sequim’s small lavender farms. The Sequim Lavender Farm Faire will also take place that weekend and will take over hosting the Lavender Farm Tour, which showcases the area’s large lavender farms. The farm faire also has a new event this year, Lavender in the Park, which will become the meeting place for people loading buses to tour the farms and a gathering place for people to purchase lavender items on sale.
Here’s some details on the day from a news release sent by the Sequim Lavender Farmer’s Association:
This is not your “usual faire” – it’s actually 7 festivals in one with more than 60 acres of lavender on 7 farms, more than 80,000 lavender plants in the ground, and 200,000 lavender plants for sale, plus crafts, food, beverages, music, family concerts, workshops, demonstrations, community groups, and more.
The depth and breadth of the Sequim lavender experience begins for locals and tourists alike with the LAVENDER FARM TOUR where farmers make their living growing lavender! These farms are the classic and beautiful destination farms of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley. Each farm, visually distinctive and reflecting the vision of its owners and the surrounding environment, is its own festival featuring U-pick lavender, workshops, demonstrations, landscape designers’ gardens, craft artists, music, food, beverages, and fields of lavender! The farms have plenty of free parking as well as shuttle bus service from Lavender in the Park. These legacy farms represent more than 100 years of lavender farming experience and set the standard world-wide for quality and fragrance.
The LAVENDER FARM TOUR hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Farm Tour tickets provide unlimited admission, free parking at the farms, and free shuttle bus service from LAVENDER IN THE PARK. Advance tickets are $10 and are available at the Farms, at local ticket outlets, and online at www.brownpapertickets.com. Tickets during the weekend are $15 per person. Tickets for active duty military personnel and their dependents are $10 per person. There is no admission charge for children age 12 and under. New this year is our PASSPORT PROGRAM. Visit three or more farms plus LAVENDER IN THE PARK, get your passport stamped and be entered into a drawing for some great prizes.
LAVENDER IN THE PARK, located at Carrie Blake Park, will be a highlight of the lavender weekend. This beautiful and spacious park features the James Center Amphitheatre with great lawns and lovely gardens that provide a relaxing and open area for the entire family.
LAVENDER IN THE PARK includes premier lavender and lavender products from the members of the Sequim Lavender Farmers Association plus fine craft artisans, agricultural and rural life programs and demonstrations, international foods, Northwest wine and beer, live music, local nonprofit organizations, family programs, and more. The family concert on Friday night brings one of the Northwest’s finest Beatles tribute bands, Crème Tangerine, to the park; and Saturday night we host an American “Barn Dance” with Cort Armstrong. Olympic Gentle Paws provides our unique dog-sitting service so you can leave your dog in good hands while you visit the farms (dogs are not allowed on the farms).
LAVENDER IN THE PARK is open from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, and admission is free. Spend a family-friendly weekend at the park with food, our wine garden, and our evening concerts both Friday and Saturday from 7 – 9 p.m.
Lavendar farms participating in the Faire include: Cedarbrook Lavender & Herb Farm, Jardin du Soleil, Olympic Lavender Farm, Port Williams Lavender, Purple Haze Lavender Farm, Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm and Washington Lavender.
