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

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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What happens when science, engineering, and adventure come together? At Ocean Technology Camp, kids grades 4-7, investigate the unique ecosystems of the Salish Sea and learn how scientists use technology to study the ocean. Then they put their knowledge into action by designing, building, and testing their own remotely operated vehicles.

This hands-on camp blends Western science with traditional ecological knowledge from Coast Salish communities while developing critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and stewardship. Part of Otter's Den's Technology Camp Series, alongside Wind Technology Summer Camp, it's perfect for curious kids who love asking questions, making things, and discovering how the world works.

If you’re looking for something fun to do this Saturday that will leave you feeling hope for humanity, wiggle down to the Bellingham Circus Guild building in Fairhaven at 2:00 pm where you’ll find Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY) celebrating their annual Summer Bash.

The fundraiser is in its third year and includes games, activities, food and drinks for purchase, and performances drawn from the past year of BAAY productions, along with a few special guests.

They describe the Bash as “a party with a purpose.” BAAY serves more than 1,500 children each year through its downtown campus and school programs across Whatcom County, and provides more than $80,000 annually in tuition waivers and discounts. This year’s Summer Bash goal is to raise $10,000 for student scholarships. Admission is by donation, with proceeds going to BAAY’s student scholarship fund.

The Bellingham Bike Swap is this Sunday, June 21, at Fishermen’s Pavilion at Zuanich Point Park. It’s a chance to turn over used bikes and bike gear in the morning and shop the swap all afternoon. Gear drop-off runs from 7:30 to 10 am, and the public shopping window is 1 to 4 pm. You can bring bikes, apparel, parts, accessories, and other usable bike gear. Helmets, water bottles, chamois, and broken equipment are not accepted.

The swap is organized by Shifting Gears, with 30% of each sale supporting its outdoor programs. As a seller, you set your own prices. Unsold gear and checks can be picked up from 6 to 7:30 pm. For shoppers, it a bonanza of used bikes, spare parts, or the odd piece of gear you’ve been hankering for.

The Whatcom Horticultural Society’s 36th Annual Tour of Private Gardens is this Saturday, June 20, with six private gardens open from 10 am to 5 pm. This year’s stops range from a formal garden surrounding an 1892 Victorian, complete with clipped hedges, rock walls, and a three-tiered fountain, to cottage-style yards filled with dahlias, bulbs, pollinator plantings, and native shrubs.

Tickets purchased online are priced at $20 for members and $25 for the general public. Day-of tickets are $25 for members and $30 for the general public. After purchasing, you’ll receive a map with garden addresses and can start at any garden on the tour.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Saturday
Little Squalicum Beach: Join RE-Sources at Little Squalicum Beach to help clean up the shoreline and keep pollution out of Bellingham Bay. Register
Beach Sweep Paddle: Join the Community Boating Center’s monthly Beach Sweep paddle where they kayak to a nearby shoreline areas to collect debris and help keep the coastline clean. Register

Sunnyland Hood (Sat 9 am)
Looks like this weekend is the annual Sunnyland Neighborhood garage sale. If it’s anything like past years, be prepared for dozens of sales, plus fun extras at participating businesses. 🙂

The Bellingham Dockside Market is open tomorrow (Saturday), from 10 am to 2 pm at GATE 5 in Squalicum Harbor.

Dockside Market’s lineup this weekend, includes live spot prawns from Big Shrimp’n, right off the boat and possibly their only market appearance of the year. Jean C Family Fisheries will have fresh coastal fish, including lingcod, black cod, halibut, Dover sole, and live Dungeness crab, while Crab Bellingham brings frozen-at-sea albacore, Pacific herring, and surf smelt. Plus a few deals, with Fish Fed Foods selling Bristol Bay sockeye portions for $10, Icy Fresh Seafood running shrimp specials, and Sea to Shore Seafood restocked with this season’s frozen Alaskan salmon and halibut.

2205 W North Street (Open Sat 11-1 pm)
I’ve walked past this home a thousand times. It’s adorable, and located right by the roundabout on West. You get all the sweet neighborhood perks that come with living in Columbia, plus Squalicum Park just yards away. Listing

2635 Patton Street (Open Fri 4-6 pm, Sat 2-4)
I affectionately think of homes like this as squat-craftsman. All the lovely features you expect from a craftsman, but with a shallow-sloped roof. This one is gorgeous. Built in 1910, it has a rad carriage house. Listing

The Claire Theatre
Cinderella (theatre) | Wed-Sun

Bellingham Theatre Guild
Next To Normal (theatre) | Wed-Sun

The Pier, Pt. Roberts
Comedy Night (comedy) | Fri

DUG Theater
Problematic Word Play (reading) | Fri

Lux Radio Theatre & Midnight Mystery Players
@ Unity Spiritual Center
My Man Godfrey (theatre) | Fri, Sat

Bellingham Theatre Guild
LUYE- Exit, Pursued by a Bear (reading) | Sat

The Pickford on Grand
Respect the Rez: Inside the Lummi Blackhawks’ Title-or-Bust Season (film) | Sat

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Ballroom, Swing, Latin - The Majestic - Fri 6:30 pm
Cuban Dance and Musicality Workshops - Karate Church - Sat 2-6 pm
Casa del Sabor Latin music dancing - Blue Room - Sat 8:00 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 8:00 pm
Beginner Ballet - Karate Church - Sat 10 am
Beginner Contemporary - Karate Church - Sat 11:30 am
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sun 10:30 am

Russian Blue headlines a three-band bill at The Shakedown tonight, June 19, joined by Full Color Dream and Disaster Queen for an evening of alternative, indie, and post-punk music. Russian Blue is an eclectic indie group hailing from the PNW blending synthetic post-punk and dance rock with a flair for the dramatic.

An eclectic lineup of Northwest musicians comes together for The Golden Jubilee at Chuckanut Bay Distillery on Sunday, June 21, from 4 to 9 pm. Presented in The Ballroom, the event features performances by The Hot Tomatoes, Buddy Mac & His Ten-Gallon Troubadours, Dumpster Joe & The Boys, Hot Damn Scandal, and Alder Street. Tickets

Stones Throw Brewery hosts the monthly Neighborhood Songwriter Showcase tonight, June 19, at 6 pm. This month’s performers include Chad Henry, whose songwriting grew from a search for honesty after corporate burnout; CJ Kwiatkowski, whose recent work was inspired by a trip to Ireland; Kaeley Pruitt-Hamm of KPH & The Canary Collective; and guitarist David Weiss.

It’s a Solstice Splash at the Community Boating Center today, June 19 from 4:30 to 8 pm, a summer fundraiser supporting youth boating programs on Bellingham Bay. Experience the waterfront through guided sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and keelboat rides led by CBC youth sailors and instructors, plus, live music, food from Sammies, lawn games, raffle prizes, and the organization’s first dunk tank. Tickets

Fan Zone Watch Party: USA vs. Australia, Trackside Beer Garden – A free all-ages watch party beginning at 12 pm featuring a large screen with stadium-style sound, beers garden, prizes, giveaways, and a gathering of hamsters to watch the USA take on Australia.

Friday Music & Trivia →

Gale Pfueller Track Classic, Civic Stadium – From 10 am to 1 pm, runners of all ages can take part in relay races, mile runs, and track events during this Greater Bellingham Running Club meet honoring longtime club founder Gale Pfueller.

Night of A Cappella, Fairhaven Village Green – A free outdoor concert from 6 to 7 pm featuring performances by Harmony Northwest Chorus, The Squares, Lookin Sharp, GLEAM, Study Hall, and the Toppers All Voices Pop-Up Chorus.

Block Party, Whatcom Family Village – A free community celebration from 2 to 4 pm marking Whatcom Family Village’s second anniversary with sensory play, family yoga, community art, local vendors, crafts, pop-up photography, coffee from Iconic Coffee, and raffle drawings for family and parent getaway packages.

Juneteenth Celebration, Maritime Heritage Park – A free community celebration from 2 to 6 pm featuring live music, performances, food trucks, local vendors, games, guest speakers, face painting, and family activities in recognition of Juneteenth.

Kids Kite Festival, Birch Bay State Park – A free family-friendly festival from 11 am to 5 pm featuring kite flying, crafts, educational activities, food vendors, and local artisans.

Fairy Day!, Garden Spot Nursery – From 11 am to 3 pm, families can enjoy flower crown making, face painting, live animals, a scavenger hunt, games, and a fairy parade led by the Fairy Queen, with costumes encouraged for children and adults alike.

Saturday Music & Trivia →

Father’s Day Car Show, Bellewood Farms – From 9 am to 3 pm, approximately 250 classic and modified cars and trucks will be on display, with live music from DJ Big Daddy DeVille, food and drinks from Bellewood Farms, prize drawings, trophy presentations, and proceeds supporting several local nonprofit organizations.

Bike Swap, Fishermen’s Pavilion at Zuanich – Drop off used bikes and gear from 7:30 to 10 am, then shop a community marketplace from 1 to 4 pm featuring pre-owned bicycles, cycling equipment, and outdoor gear.

Sunday Music & Trivia →

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