SEQUIM — The small city of Sequim has been nominated in two categories of this year’s USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice Awards.
Sequim received nominations for “Best Small Town for Shopping” and “Best Small Town Cultural Scene” from a panel of travel writers and bloggers.
No other city on the North Olympic Peninsula was nominated in the six “small town” categories. In 2018 and 2016, Port Townsend was nominated for “Best Coastal Small Town.” In 2017, it was nominated for “Best Northwestern Small Town,” coming in fourth.
In 2017, Sequim won “Best Northwestern Small Town” over cities from six states. It came in third for “Best Small Town for Shopping” last year.
Locals and fans of Sequim are encouraged to vote daily on the awards through May 6 at www.10best.com/awards/travel/.
Winners will be announced May 17.
For each category, Sequim competes against 19 other cities/towns across the nation.
Voting is fierce.
As of Thursday morning, Sequim was in fifth place for “Best Small Town for Shopping” against 19 other cities/towns with populations at or less than 25,000 residents. It was in first place on Tuesday and in third on Wednesday.
Panelists said these cities/towns are “perfect destinations for some retail therapy,” with eclectic boutiques, art galleries, antiques stores and farmers markets as examples for shopping.
For “Best Small Town Cultural Scene” with a population of no more than 30,000, Sequim had fallen to 11th place by Thursday morning after coming in at eighth place on Wednesday and third place on Tuesday.
Cities with the best cultural scene host museums, art galleries, performing arts and busy event calendars, panelists say.
For both categories, Sequim is described as “an old mill town on the Olympic Peninsula (that) enjoys a walkable downtown filled with gift shops and cafes, and punctuated by a historic grain elevator. This unusually sunny small town (at least by Washington standards) is famous for succulent Dungeness crab, as well as the fields of fragrant lavender at its outskirts.”
Previously, Barbara Hanna, the city of Sequim’s communications and marketing director, said the contests helped with marketing and served as a nod to local merchants.
Business leaders agreed saying it helped serve as a boost for businesses.
Look for updates on the contest with the city of Sequim via www.sequimwa.gov or its Facebook page or Twitter page.
