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

That did not feel like February yesterday! I took a noontime walk and left the house in standard PNW winter layers. By the time I reached the end of the block, I was peeling off my hoodie and hat like they were going out of style. Not unwelcome, but so bizarre. 🌤

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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

Cotton, linen, and hemp shape everything from the clothes we wear to the textiles in our homes. In this four-session course, explore how plant-based fibers are grown, processed, spun, and woven into the fabrics that define comfort, craftsmanship, and sustainability. Learn why these breathable, biodegradable materials matter more than ever in today’s global textile landscape.

Through videos, study samples, hands-on weaving or knitting, and a field visit to a local textile mill, you’ll gain practical insight into the journey from raw plant to finished fabric. Led by textile historian and handweaver Susan Torntore, this small-group class blends history, sustainability, and creative practice.

Today marks the start of the 2026 Wild Women Week, a community event organized by Shifting Gears that, despite its name, runs for two full weeks this year. Two weeks, packed with 40 events taking place across Whatcom and Skagit Counties in partnership with more than 30 local businesses and organizations.

The schedule, available online, includes something for everyone. It includes everything from bike rides and paddling sessions to creative and social gatherings, including line dancing at Lost Giants Cider Co, yoga at Bow Sanctuary, bingo at Terramar, and a design-your-own-adventure tote workshop at LOAM. Most events are free or low cost, and many are hosted by women-owned businesses.

Tonight, Wild Women Week begins with a kickoff party and film night at Lost Giants Cider Company. 👇 Doors open at 5:30 pm, with a series of short films starting at 6:30 pm, “featuring connection, community, stoke, and stories that celebrate what it means to be a wild woman.”

The two-week run will conclude on March 8 with an International Women’s Day gathering at Stones Throw Brewery, where the annual Wild Woman of the Year (nominations here) will be announced.

There was exciting news over the weekend as the new stewards of the Boundary Bay Brewing brand announced plans to open a nanobrewery in the former Time and Materials space on State Street. The concept called Boundary on State is described as “a rotating and carefully curated food menu, along with wine, signature cocktails, and the Boundary Bay beers you know and love.“

The old Depot Market location had a warmth that was built over decades, the kind that comes from familiar tables where friends meet over pints time and again. The State Street space has a different feel, cooler and more industrial. I’ll be interested to see how they bridge the two vibes.

CIVIC CORNER

Monday
Blaine City Council, 6:00 pm, Council Chambers, agenda
Bellingham City Council, 7:00 pm, City Hall Council Chambers, agenda, YouTube

Tuesday
Everson City Council, 7:00 pm, City Hall Council Chambers, agenda
Bellingham Tourism Commission, 3:30 pm, Mayor’s Boardroom, agenda
Whatcom County Council, 6:00 pm, Council Chambers, agenda, watch online
Bellingham Historic Preservation Commission, 6:00 pm, City Hall, Zoom

Thursday
Geothermal Energy Community Workshop, 5:30 pm, WCC Syre Student Center, details

Friday
Sunset Pond Loop Opening Celebration, 3:00 pm, Sunset Pond

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday
Stream Team: Help Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) maintain older sites that need love. Meet at NSEA’s campus by 8 am and your group leader will shuttle everyone to the site. You can expect to be back to NSEA at 12 pm. Register

Saturday
Hundred Acre Wood: Join the Bellingham Parks Department and Whatcom Land Trust for National Invasive Species Awareness Week as they restore wildlife habitat and protect wetlands in this serene forest on the south side of Bellingham. Register
North Fork Nooksack River: Join Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association along the North Fork Nooksack River as they return to a property to continue cutting back Himalayan blackberry and replacing it with native trees and shrubs. Register

Sunday
NSEA Native Plant Nursery: Help Whatcom Million Trees Project get a shipment of bare-root native tree seedlings and plugs safely into pots, so they can survive and grow until it’s time to plant them in their permanent home somewhere in Whatcom County. Register

Step into a ten-month journey of learning the plants of Washington through direct experience in the field. Meeting one weekend each month in diverse landscapes, from Mount Baker to the Olympic Peninsula, this immersive course explores seasonal identification of over 200 plants, ethical harvesting, fermentation, and traditional craft while gaining a deeper understanding of local ecosystems. Individual weekends are available for those who want to participate in select sessions.

Designed for both beginners and experienced students, the course blends hands-on instruction with community connection. Class size is limited to ensure meaningful guidance and time outdoors. Join the 2026 cohort and grow your relationship with the land in every season.

The Bellingham Chamber Music Society invites young musicians from Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, and Island counties to apply for its second annual Harmony Chamber Music Festival. This two-day Youth Chamber Music Weekend on April 18–19 offers intermediate and advanced strings, winds, brass, and pianists the opportunity to work closely with local performing artists and music faculty in an immersive, collaborative setting.

Students may apply as individuals or pre-formed ensembles. Financial assistance and pay-what-you-can tuition are available to ensure access for all accepted participants. A separate chamber music competition follows in May, featuring live performances and cash prizes.

Uisce Irish Pub
Guffawingham (comedy) | Mon 8:30 pm

ʻOno Kitchen & Bar
Sam Miller (comedy) | Wed 7:00 pm

The Shakedown
Variety Show (burlesque) | Thurs 9:00 pm

Larrabee Lager Co
Laughs at Larrabee (comedy) | Fri 8:00 pm

Lynden High School
The Prince of Egypt (theater) | Fri-Sun

Bellingham High School
Sister Act (theater) | Fri-Sat

Wink Wink
Love Sucks: A Vampire Valentine's Day Revue (theater) | Fri-Sat

Blaine Community Theater
Closer to Home (theater) | Fri-Sun

Mount Baker Theatre
The Dance Studio Winter Showcase (dance) | Sat

Silver Reef
3 Sisters Comedy (comedy) | Sat

iDiOM Theater
The Plague (theater) | Fri-Sat

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Salsa & Bachata - Viking Union - Mon 7 pm
Bellingham Embodiment Collective - Majestic Ballroom - Mon 6:30 pm
Contact Improv - Aikido Peace Education Center - Mon 7 pm
Cuban Salsa - Cof& - Tues 6 pm
B’ham Hop - Crystal Ballroom - Tues 8 pm
Taster Tuesdays (hip hop) - Lost Giants Cider Co - Tues 6 pm
Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Flow Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Hip Hop, House, Shuffle - Lost Giants Cider - Fri 6 pm
Dance Fusion - BSAC - Sat 10:30 am
Contra - Fairhaven Library - Sat 7 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 4:00 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Belly Dance - Karate Church - 1 pm

Big Door Prize brings its John Prine tribute to The Admiralty Lounge tomorrow, February 24 from 7 to 9 pm. The group features Dave and Shelly Lyon alongside Collin Topolski on upright bass, focusing on songs written by John Prine with special attention to the duets he recorded with artists such as Iris DeMent, Nancy Griffith, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, and Brandi Carlile.

Tonight, from 7 to 9 pm, the FireHouse Arts & Events Center hosts Concert & Cruises, an evening that pairs classical piano with travel insight. Not sure either, but I’m curious. 🤷‍♂️ Pianist Robert Poortinga performs selections by Debussy, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, and Strauss, inspired by Europe’s river routes and cultural centers.

Good Neighbor Night with The Millie Project, Stones Throw Brewery – Between 5 and 9 pm, a portion of sales benefits The Millie Project, which funds medical, behavioral, and enrichment programs for dogs at Are You My Human?, Bellingham’s community-based rescue dog lounge.

Monday Music & Trivia →

Law Advocates Presents: Game Night, Stemma West – A monthly gathering from 5:30 to 7:30 pm on the last Tuesday of the month offers trivia, bingo, and Family Feud, with donations going to Law Advocates and its community legal services.

Tuesday Music & Trivia →

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