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

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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

Action League of Bellingham welcomes you to the annual Yule Boutique, a cherished tradition where old friends gather year after year and new faces are warmly welcomed into our festive celebration.

Discover handcrafted holiday treasures, homemade cookies and cakes. For a cozy winter meal, you will find eye-catching dry soup mixes, packaged beautifully. Every corner is arranged with thoughtful details, handmade items and creative gift displays that makes our Yule Boutique a favorite holiday destination.

As you shop, enjoy the sounds of the season with live holiday music performed by talented local high school students.

Every purchase you make matters: all the money goes to support our community programs including gifts for care center residents with no family or friends nearby. Thank you for helping us bring warmth, joy, and the spirit of Christmas to our local seniors this season.

Saturday, November 7th - 9:00 am - 2 pm
Grace Center, 2408 Cornwall Avenue, Bellingham

I think it’s the carpenter in me, but I’ve always thought woodburning was one of the radder art forms. There’s that great bitter smell as the oils in the wood evaporate, and the contrast between pale grain and dark char make an impact. On Thursday, artist Tatiana Wagner is teaching an introduction to pyrography at Cordata Gallery, using a jellyfish as the subject while covering the basics of temperature, line work, shading, texture, and other effects.

The class is part of Bellingham SeaFeast’s artist series accompanying the Creative Currents exhibition and is designed for complete beginners. It is also small, capped at just five students, so there should be plenty of hands-on instruction. The $100 class fee includes all materials and, notably, a woodburning tool to take home afterward.

Musician Alert: I couldn’t find a lot about this one online, but it sounds like a blast. WCC music faculty Kian Dye will be holding a three part folk music workshop starting tonight, October 14, introducing: learning tunes by rote, arranging for a group and improvising. It’s a BYOI (bring your own instrument) gathering, and best of all it’s FREE! 😁 The only complication… there’s no listed time. You might need to call WCC to find the details.

Barkley Village is leaning into the winter months tomorrow evening, October 15, with a new event called Barkley Basecamp. It’s basically a little preseason gathering for all y’all who spend winter looking uphill. From 5 to 8 pm, the area around Newmarket Street will fill with local makers, outdoor groups, winter recreation programs, and DJ Kraymer G Dot. Mt. Baker Ski Area will also be opening up its new Bellingham retail shop, giving you a first look at the space before the snow starts frosting the foothills.

The outdoor side of the evening includes folks from Mt. Baker Snow School, Komo Kulshan Ski Club, Northwest Avalanche Center, Backcountry Essentials, WWS Boardshop, and others, alongside artists selling ceramics, jewelry, apparel, and seasonal goods.

Barkley will also be collecting clean new or gently used coats and gloves for Vamos Outdoors Project, which helps get more local kids and families outside. The event is free, and there will be food and drink specials around the neighborhood.

LOCAL READS

Wetland wonders: WWU students discover a sense of place through plants
By Jennifer Nerad · WWU News
WWU students spent eight field days learning to identify wetland plants across seven Whatcom and Skagit County sites, from Craft Island salt marshes to a protected alpine fen. Jennifer details how touch, smell, field measurements and plant stories help students recognize species while building practical stewardship skills. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Resolved: Debate is vital for students and for democracy itself
By Laura Livingston · Cascadia Daily News (free)
Bellingham United Speech and Debate Team serves students from four local high schools, teaching research, argument development and public speaking while competing beyond Whatcom County. Laura explains why the team sees those skills as preparation for civic participation and is seeking more adult volunteers to support students. Read more →

CIVIC CORNER

Wednesday
Greenways Comm. & Parks & Rec. Adv. Board, 7:30 am, PSOC – Pacific Street Ops Center – Room 114
Ferndale City Council Committee, 8:00 am, City Hall
Education Funding Town Hall & Candidate Forum, 5:30 pm, Horizon Middle School
Ferndale Planning Commission, 6:00 pm, City Hall Annex

Thursday
WTA Board Meeting and Board Workshop, 8:00 am, WTA offices
Bham Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors, 4:00 pm, Location TBD
Port of Bham Int. Airport Advisory Committee (BIAAC), 4:00 pm, ARFF Station
Whatcom County Community Conversations Event — District 3, 5:00 pm, Deming Library
Bham Planning Commission, 6:00 pm, City Hall

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday
Galbraith - Stick (Pig 2): Join Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition to build and maintain trails. You will help keep the local trail system running. Register

Saturday
Birchwood Park/Squalicum Park: Join Recreation Northwest Trails Coalition and its partners for trail stewardship near Birchwood Park and Squalicum Park. You will help care for the Bay to Baker Trail as part of the fall work parties. Register
Cordata Park: Join Bellingham Parks Volunteer Program at Cordata Park. You will remove invasive plants and plant native trees and shrubs near East Bear Creek to support riparian and meadow restoration and celebrate Orca Recovery Day. Register
Lower Kenny Creek: Join Whatcom Land Trust, Whatcom Conservation District, and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association to plant native trees and shrubs that build a riparian buffer and support healthy Chinook salmon habitat. You will also mulch the plants and remove invasive species, helping improve conditions for the salmon that Southern Resident orcas depend on. Register

Sunday
Whatcom Humane Society Wildlife Rehab Center: Join Whatcom Million Trees Project to plant trees at the Whatcom Humane Society Wildlife Rehab Center. You will help continue a multi-year reforestation project on a 12-acre former hayfield and plant a future forest. Register

Arntzen Hall
Comedians of WWU (comedy) | Wed 7:00 pm

Honey Moon
Opera Night (opera) | Wed 6:30 pm

Lucas Hicks Auditorium
Stand Up for a Cause (comedy) | Thu

Lucas Hicks Auditorium
Laughing Hamster Comedy Festival Finale (comedy) | Sat

Mainstage Theatre, Western Washington University
Masks Play III: Return of the Masks (theatre) | Fri, Sat, Sun

Mount Baker Theatre
Randy Rainbow: National Freakin' Treasure (comedy) | Fri

Mount Baker Theatre
Maria Bamford (comedy) | Sun

Bellingham Circus Guild
Vaudevillingham (circus) | Thu

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

B’ham Hop Swing - Hotel Leo - Wed 7 pm
Intermediate Hip Hop - Lost Giants - Wed 6 pm
Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Revolution Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Dance for people with PD and other neurological conditions - Firehouse Arts Center - Thurs 11 am
Ballroom, Latin and Swing - Cordata Senior Center - Fri 6:30 pm
Foundations: Hip Hop, House, Shuffle - Lost Giants - Fri 5:45 pm
Ballroom, Swing, Latin - The Majestic - Fri 6:30 pm
Square Dance - CTK Downtown (Norway Hall) - Sat 6 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 5:30 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

Affinity Trio performs at the FireHouse Arts & Events Center tonight, October 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm as part of the Jazz Center of Bellingham series. Eric Jacobson on trumpet, Clay Schaub on bass, and Pamela York on piano play without a drummer, giving their mix of Great American Songbook standards, bebop, and originals a leaner, more conversational feel. Tickets are $20 general and $10 for students.

Lightweight Champion and Hannah Wyatt play at Honey Moon Mead tomorrow, October 15, from 8 to 10 pm. Seattle and Port Townsend-based Lightweight Champion pairs indie songwriting with an alt-country edge, while Bellingham singer-songwriter Hannah Wyatt brings darker Americana and indie-folk into the mix.

Colors of the Mind brings North Indian classical music to the FireHouse Arts & Events Center on Thursday, October 15, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Sarode player David Trasoff and tabla player Vikas Yendluri will perform Hindustani ragas and talas, building the music through improvisation rather than a fixed setlist. Trasoff studied for decades with sarode master Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, while Yendluri began tabla at age five and later studied with Ustad Zakir Hussain. Tickets are $15 to $20.

Izaak Opatz, Devin Champlin, Serafima & The Shakedowns, The Shakedown – A three-act bill starts at 8 pm, featuring Izaak Opatz’s wry, nostalgia-soaked songwriting alongside Devin Champlin and Serafima & The Shakedowns.

Flood Preparedness Open House, Nooksack Valley Middle School – From 5 to 7 pm, Whatcom County staff, emergency responders, and community partners will share flood hazard maps, preparedness guidance, mitigation updates, and practical information for reducing flood risks.

Music Bingo, Beach Cat – Free music bingo starts at 6:30 pm with song-based rounds, prizes, and a food truck on site.

Trivia, Kulshan Roosevelt Taproom – Weekly trivia from 7 to 9 pm with teams of up to six, a $2 buy-in per person, cash prizes, and themed rounds announced on Instagram.

Trivia Night, Schweinhaus Biergarten – A 7 to 9 pm trivia game features teams of up to six, a $2 buy-in per player, food prizes each round, and a cash pot awarded to the winning team.

Wednesday Music & Trivia →

Jodi Picoult: Hollow Bones Book Tour, Bellingham High School Performing Arts Center – Jodi Picoult discusses her 30th novel, Hollow Bones, from 7 to 8:30 pm, with each ticket including a signed copy of the book and a photo opportunity.

Open Haus Jam, Schweinhaus Biergarten – A weekly open jam starts at 7 pm with guitars, bass, percussion, and mics provided, no sign-ups required, and all skill levels welcome.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, Aegis Taphouse – Free live trivia starts at 6 pm with prizes up for grabs throughout the night.

Thursday Music & Trivia →

Advertise in Bham’s #1 Newsletter
Email me to include a note in The Wheel

Thanks for reading today’s edition. If you found something helpful, please share it with a friend and encourage them to click here to subscribe. 🙏

Reply to this email if you have news to share, an event you’d like me to know about, or to send me a love note. 💘