History
The Sequim Irrigation Festival celebrates the work that D.B. "Crazy" Callen and his partners did to design and develop the Irrigation Ditches that brought water from the Dungeness River to the parched prairie. The first headgate on the Dungeness River was lifted on May 1, 1895. On May 1, 1896 the first celebration took place at Crazy Callen's farm. This was the start of a tradition that would become the oldest continuing festival in Washington state. 2008 will be the 113th Sequim Irrigation Festival.
You can read more about this history of the festivals and how they have evolved in the Festival History page.