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

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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This May, YWCA Bellingham is launching Sunset Serenade, a new annual event dedicated to supporting womxn and children in local housing programs. Hosted in the Chuckanut Bay Distillery ballroom, the 21+ evening will bring the community together to celebrate connection, care, and the power of showing up for our neighbors.

Enjoy dinner, handcrafted cocktails, performances from local womxn of all ages, and a raffle and auction throughout the evening. Proceeds support YWCA housing programs that help families find safety, stability, and a place to land when they need it most.

Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival kicks off today, bringing three days of birding trips, wildlife talks, and family activities in Blaine, Birch Bay, and Semiahmoo. Now in its 23rd year, the festival highlights the variety of birds that gather each spring along Drayton Harbor, Birch Bay, and Semiahmoo Bay, as an important stop along the Pacific Flyway.

The weekend includes guided field trips on land and sea, including boat cruises across Boundary and Semiahmoo bays, walking tours along shoreline trails, and bus excursions to major birding areas such as Fir Island in Skagit County.

You can also opt to visit staffed bird viewing stations along the Blaine Marine Park Trail where experienced birders provide spotting scopes and will help you identify species found in the bays and tidal marshes.

Saturday centers around a daylong birding expo at the Blaine Community Center Pavilion where you’ll find wildlife speakers, art vendors, exhibits, and live raptor presentations. For families there’s a full slate of activities including nest box building, bird themed crafts, story walks along the waterfront trail, and hands on learning sessions about bird behavior and habitat. Many of these activities are free and designed for all ages, with additional guided outings and cruises available through registration. All the feathery details.

LOCAL READS

Plover’s future uncertain beyond 2026
By Nolan Baker · The Northern Light
Blaine officials say the historic Plover ferry may stop operating after 2026 as maintenance, insurance, and staffing costs continue to rise. Nolan details how the vessel will shift to short tours in Semiahmoo Bay while council debates whether the program remains sustainable. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Sumas Lake Restoration Story
By Liam Walsh · Whatcom Watch
Sumas Lake once covered much of the Sumas Prairie and supported salmon runs, migratory birds, and Indigenous food systems before it was drained through dikes and pumps in the 1920s. Liam details how researchers now see restoring the lake as both a climate adaptation strategy and a step toward rebuilding habitat and Indigenous stewardship in the region. Read more →

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Saturday
Native Plant Nursery: Help the city prepare its native plant nursery for another year of restoration projects. Volunteers will pot bare-root plants and tidy the Parks Native Plant Nursery. Register
Smith Creek: Plant native trees and shrubs with Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association along Smith Creek, a tributary of the Nooksack River. Register

Sunday
Whatcom Humane Society’s Division St. Shelter: Join Whatcom Million Trees Project in planting native trees in the dog-walking field to provide shade and support the nearby wetland. Register

St. Patrick's Day Parade, Cornwall Ave (Sun 12 pm)
The 16th Annual Bellingham St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns to downtown Cornwall Avenue, bringing bands, community groups, and a sea of green to celebrate local public safety workers in a family-friendly spring tradition.

St. Patrick’s Weekend, Uisce Irish Pub (Fri-Sun)
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Runnin’ O’ the Green, Stones Throw Brewery (Sat 10 am)
The annual 5K and 8K community run returns with a new Fairhaven route, festive costumes, and a post race gathering with live music and a beer garden at Stones Throw Brewery.

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy and The Celtic All-Stars, Mount Baker Theatre (Sat 7:30pm)
Fiddling powerhouses Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy bring their high-energy Celtic music tour to Mount Baker Theatre with an ensemble of acclaimed musicians and dancers.

Parade After Party, Beach Cat South Paw (Sun 1:15 pm)
An all ages parade after party with Irish music, dancers, food trucks, and festive drink releases just steps from the downtown St. Patrick’s Day parade route.

Young Dubliners, Bar Two Eleven (Fri 8pm)
The Celtic rock band Young Dubliners bring their blend of traditional Irish sounds and modern rock to the stage as part of their ongoing tour and upcoming album release.

8894 Giles Rd., Blaine (Open Sat 10:30-12 pm)
I’m just fascinated how much farther a dollar goes in real estate as you look north. This huge home is a great example, with 3300 square feet of living area on 5 acres. Plus tons of garage and shop space. Nice! Listing.

302 S Forest Street (Open Sat & Sun 12-3 pm)
I love everything about this home. It’s got a cute mid-century vibe, an amazing view, sweet interior, and an ideal location between downtown and Fairhaven. What’s not to love! 😍 Listing

iDiOM Theatre
The Roommate (theater) | Thurs-Sat

New Prospect Theatre
Seasons and Celebrations (cabaret) | Sat, Sun

BAAY Theatre
The Wizard Of Oz (theater) | Sat

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Dance Fusion - BSAC - Sat 10:30 am
Contra - Fairhaven Library - Sat 7 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 6:30 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Belly Dance - Karate Church - Sun 1 pm

Folk duo The Lowest Pair perform at New Prospect Theatre tonight, March 13 from 7:30 to 9:30 pm to celebrate the release of their eighth album, Always As Young As We’ll Ever Be. Musicians Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee are longtime collaborators known for banjo and guitar arrangements paired with poetic songwriting.

Electronic bass producer Shlump plays at the Buffalo tonight, March 13 at 9 pm. Bay Area musician Michael Petzel combines drum loops, recorded guitar textures, and dubstep rooted bass production into his live sets.

Trio Azura performs at Sehome High School tonight, March 13 from 7 to 9 pm as part of the Bellingham Festival of Music Play it Forward Chamber Residency. The ensemble, violinist Duncan McDougall, cellist Yejin Hong, and pianist Yanfeng (Tony) Bai, was formed at the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles and won the Grand Prize and Gold Medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

Bellingham group Ladies of Lindsay bring a St. Patrick’s weekend performance to Stones Throw Brewery on Saturday, March 14 from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. The four piece ensemble plays Celtic music, drawing from Irish, English, Scandinavian, and Quebec folk influences. Their arrangements feature violin, cello, guitar, mandolin, banjo, whistles, and percussion alongside vocal harmonies.

Friday the 13th Part 2: The Revenge Flash Event, Empress Tattoo (Ferndale) – A 12 to 5 pm Friday the 13th flash tattoo event featuring designs from shop artists, with flash sheets posted ahead of the event.

Rising Tide Speaker Series with Aaron Asis: Public Impact of Public Art, Paper Whale – From 7 to 10:30 pm, artist and filmmaker Aaron Asis speaks about collaborative public art projects, with live jazz by the Mark Hunter Trio, community talks, a Q&A, and a DJ set following the program. Tickets

Friday Music & Trivia →

Writing on the Fly Poetry Workshop, Bellingham Public Library Conference Room – A 3:30 to 5:30 pm workshop hosted by the Salish Sea Poetry Festival and led by Whatcom Poetry Series president Daniel Canham, using poetry improv exercises to help participants generate new work for the Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest.

Bellingham Firefighters Ball, Stemma West – From 6 to 11 pm, Bellingham firefighters host an evening social with music, dancing, and time to gather with colleagues, friends, and family (21+). Tickets

Saturday Music & Trivia →

Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa in conversation with Candace Wellman: The Teachings of Mutton, Village Books Readings Gallery – A 2 to 3 pm author event exploring the history and cultural significance of the Coast Salish Woolly Dog, with discussion of the research behind the book The Teachings of Mutton. Tickets

Sunday Music & Trivia →

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