🐹 Batten The Hatches 🌬️🌬️

Good morning, Bellingham. This is your Wednesday update from The Hamster Wheel.

Batten down the hatches friends. The national weather service is predicting a windy day with gusts up to 50 mph. Things should settle down around 7 pm tonight.

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

Or, hit reply to send me photos via email. 📧

Ever wondered what would happen if you strapped a tent to your bike and kept pedaling, there’s a new local community for that. BIKE Beyond is Sarah Burch’s latest project, building on her BIKE Bellingham self-guided tours that we looked at a few months back. Think overnight camping trips, family adventures, or even longer journeys.

The idea is to keep curiosity rolling through the year, with winter storytelling and films, spring skill-building, summer trips, and opportunities to share what you’ve learned in the fall. The events calendar already includes cycling craft circles, bag-making workshops, and a January screening of Reveal the Path with a virtual Q&A with director Mike Dion. At the center of it all is the Winter Inspiration Series, bringing riders together at the FireHouse on January 28, February 18, and March 25, 2027, for travel stories, questions, and conversations.

And if you’ve already taken a bicycle adventure, Sarah would love to hear about it. Story proposals are open until noon on December 4, with selected storytellers sharing short presentations or films during the winter series.

Shutterbug Alert: A few days ago, the city announced that the 2026 Essence of Bellingham photo competition is open. They invite you to share the people, places, wildlife, and everyday moments that make Bham feel like home. Last year’s top honor went to Paul Brennan’s Laid back contemplation, the relaxed raccoon. 👇 The City and Whatcom Museum welcome photographers of all ages and experience levels.

Entry is free, and you have until December 31 to submit your photos. All entries become part of the Whatcom Museum’s historic photo archives, and submitted images may also appear in City publications, online, or on BTV. You can browse the recent uploads for inspiration.

LOCAL READS

Azzurra Shop, Old-World Charm meets Modern Refinement
By Lauren Brigolin · I Love Bellingham
Lauren Brigolin takes us inside Azzurra, a Fairhaven shop filled with jewelry, gifts, fragrances and cards. Her visit offers a peek at the details that give the shop its charm. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

A moment to savor, but not rest
By Ron Judd · The BellingHammer
Ron reflects on this week’s election results and the work he believes still lies ahead, from holding leaders accountable to strengthening democratic institutions. He also considers what greater Northwest influence in Congress could mean for the region. Read more →

CIVIC CORNER

Thursday
Whatcom County Public Health Advisory Board, 7:00 am, What. Co. Health Department & online
Port of Bellingham Bond Financing Public Hearing, 11:00 am, Harbor Center
Whatcom County Council Community Conversations, 4:30 pm, Stemma Brewing
Bham Community Development Advisory Board, 6:00 pm, City Hall
Ferndale Planning Commission, 6:00 pm, City Hall Annex & Council Chambers

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday
Galbraith Mountain, Straw (Pig 1) Trail: Join the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition for trail building and maintenance. Register

Saturday
North Fork Nooksack River: Join the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association to restore streamside habitat by cutting back Himalayan blackberry and planting native trees along the river. Register
Lowell Park: Help Bellingham Parks, WWU’s Ecological Restoration Club & WWU’s L.E.A.D. program remove invasive plants from this green space near campus. Register
Galbraith Mountain, Swirlz Trail: Volunteer with the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition to help maintain the trail. Register

Sunday
Jensen Family Forest Park: Help expand the park’s forest habitat by planting trees with the Whatcom Million Trees Project. Register

Mount Baker Theatre
Waitress (theatre) | Tue, Wed
Warren Miller’s Days Off (film) | Sun

Bellingham High School PAC
Never After Happily (theatre) | Thu, Fri, Sat

Blaine High School Black Box Theater
A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of the Great Lakes (theatre) | Thu, Fri, Sat

BAAY Theatre
High School Musical JR. (theatre) | Fri, Sat, Sun
Robin Hood (theatre) | Sat, Sun

Sehome High School Theater
Hamlet (theatre) | Fri, Sat

Meridian Highschool
Fall Showcase: LOVE AT FIRST ACT! (theatre) | Fri, Sat 7 pm

Judson Hall
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (theatre) | Fri, Sat, Sun

Mount Baker High School
James and the Giant Peach (theatre) | Fri, Sat, Sun

New Prospect Theatre
Family Furniture (theatre) | Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun

Nooksack Valley High School
Much Ado About Nothing (theatre) | Fri, Sat

Squalicum High School Forum
Radium Girls (theatre) | Fri, Sat, Sun

Dancing for Joy, The StrongBox
CRITTERS! (dance) | Sat, Sun

FireHouse Arts & Events Center
Rising Through the Fray (film) | Sun

The Cirque Lab
Vaudevillingham (circus) | Sun

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

B’ham Hop Swing - Hotel Leo - Wed 7 pm
Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Revolution Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Square Dancing (Chuckanut Squares) - Bellingham Senior Center North - Thurs 6:30 pm
Dance for people with PD and other neurological conditions - Firehouse Arts Center - Thurs 11 am
Contra - CTK Downtown (Norway Hall) - Sat 7 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 4:00 pm
Beginner Ballet - Karate Church - Sat 10 am
Beginner Contemporary - Karate Church - Sat 11:30 am
Dance Fusion - BSAC - 10:30 am
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sun 10:30 am

Smile Aisle plays Stones Throw Brewery tonight, November 11, from 6 to 8 pm. Led by Bellingham guitarist Ben Meyer, the jazz group focuses on instrumental deep cuts from the Pat Metheny Group, with an emphasis on melody and arrangements suited to small spaces. The show is free and all ages, and you’re welcome to bring outside food.

Steph & Company brings original songs and close harmonies to New Prospect Theatre tonight, November 11, at 8 pm. After years of performing in cover and tribute acts, Steph began developing her own songs with Jenner Fox and Jeremy Elliott, a collaboration that grew out of singing on their album The Moon That Moves the Sea. Advance tickets are $23.58 including fees.

Lolo Wawa, the solo project of Bellingham songwriter Lauren Wallach of Bellflower, joins Liv Victorino at Honey Moon tomorrow, November 12, from 8 to 10 pm. Wallach’s songs draw on the trees, water and mountains around her, with a gentle folk sound. The show is 21 and older, with a $5 cover.

Bellinghome School of Music celebrates its tenth anniversary at the FireHouse Arts & Events Center tomorrow, November 12, from 5 to 9 pm. Kids, adults and teachers will share what they’ve been working on across three one-hour recitals. Admission is free, and the performances are open to everyone.

Nature Trivia, Zeek’s Pizza – Wild Whatcom’s scholarship fundraiser runs from 5:30 to 8 pm, with teams of two to six and a $5 entry fee per person. Sign up on arrival.

Bellingham Plunge Club, Taylor Street Dock – A free gathering at 7 am brings locals together for a cold-water dip.

Competitive Catan League, Aegis Games & Taphouse – Check-in starts at 6 pm, with games at 6:30 pm and a $10 entry fee.

Music Bingo, Beach Cat Brewing – A free round of music bingo starts at 6:30 pm.

Trivia at K2, Kulshan Roosevelt – Teams of up to six compete from 7 to 9 pm, with a $2 entry fee per person.

Trivia Night, Schweinhaus Biergarten – Trivia runs from 7 to 9 pm for teams of up to six, with a $2 entry fee per person.

Survivor Wednesdays, Stones Throw Brewery – A free watch party runs from 8 to 10 pm.

Wednesday Music & Trivia →

Navigators’ Night, Bellingham Cruise Terminal – The Community Boating Center’s fundraiser runs from 5 to 8 pm, with tickets listed at $100.

Dance for People with Parkinson’s and Other Neurological Conditions, FireHouse Arts & Events Center – A free dance class runs from 11 am to noon.

Think & Tinker, Whatcom Museum Family Interactive Gallery – An afternoon of tinkering runs from 2 to 4 pm. Museum admission applies.

Let’s Read! Middle Grade Book Group, Central Library – Readers in grades five through eight meet from 4 to 5:30 pm. Registration information.

Hunger Games Trivia, Aslan Depot – A free trivia night tests your knowledge of The Hunger Games from 7 to 9 pm.

Weekly Ginger Trivia, Stemma West – Trivia starts at 6:30 pm, with a $2 entry fee.

Trivia Night, Beach Cat Bellingham – A free trivia night starts at 6:30 pm.

Thursday Music & Trivia →

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