🐹 Crafty Kiddos 🎨🎨

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

Hi friends, I’m over a week behind on responding to emails at the moment. If you’ve emailed and not hear back please be patient as I try to catch up. There’s so much happening I’m drowning in all the fun. 😁 

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

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Weather Forecast

Friday: 70°F 🌡️ 55°F | ⛅ Partly Sunny | 🌧️ 11% | 💨 SSW 9 mph

Saturday: 71°F 🌡️ 54°F | 🌤️ Mostly Sunny | 🌧️ 2% | 💨 SSW 2 to 7 mph

Sunday: 73°F 🌡️ 54°F | ☀️ Sunny | 🌧️ 2% | 💨 SSW 2 to 7 mph

Moon Phases

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

Sand & Sun in Birch Bay

This Saturday, the 42nd Annual Birch Bay Sand Sculpture Competition returns to Birch Bay Beach Park from 8:00 am–4:00 pm—and it’s free!

Teams and individuals of all ages—from solo sculptors to family crews—will transform the tide flats into creative sand art masterpieces. Enjoy live entertainment throughout the day including Whiplash Rodeo (11 am–2 pm), and the Big Bubble Show (9–11 am). Explore crafts, games, food offerings like Sahara Pizza, Kona Ice, and treats from Friends of Birch Bay Library, and nine local breweries offering beachside refreshments in the beer garden (10  am–4  pm).

Participation is free and fun for all—just register and dive in! A WECU People’s Choice Award lets visitors vote for their favorite creations, and there are prizes for outstanding artistry. A free WTA shuttle service makes it easy to get to the beach from multiple stops. The full scoop.

In other news…

🖼️ Crafty kiddos will be gathering at Lee Memorial Park (Central Library) today, July 25th, for the first of two Children’s Craft Fairs. Each Craft Fair will have a maximum 50 booths, and all items will be handmade by kids.

Bring small bills – all sales are cash only. All items will be priced at $5 or less. The festive events are fun for the whole family.

🌻 There are FIVE fun looking summertime markets this Saturday, July 26th.

• York Yard Crawl run from 4 pm to 8 pm. York residents will host Yard Things featuring art, yard sales, music and activities for kids of all ages, all set among a backdrop of Victorian homes on tree-lined streets. Details.

• Front Street Arts Festival runs from 10 am to 3 pm at the Jansen Art Center in Lynden. The festival brings a vibrant celebration of creativity to downtown featuring local artists, live music, and hands-on activities. Stroll through and enjoy unique artwork, and experience the joy of community and culture. See the vendor list.

• Samish Island Arts Festival runs from 10 am to 4 pm at the Samish Island Community Center. Prepare for a day of creativity, inspiration, and fun in a beautiful setting at the Samish Island Arts Festival, where art enthusiasts, foodies, and families alike can discover one-of-a-kind treasures from over 40 local artists and makers, savor delicious bites from Union Block Bistro, enjoy craft beverages in the Beer and Cider Garden from Terramar Brewstillery, groove to live music by Grizzly Troubadour and Mudflat Ramblers, and let kids explore hands-on in the Children’s Art Activity Area.

• Sudden Valley Fair run from 10:30 am to 3 pm. You can expect crafts, vendors, a classic car show, food trucks and a beer garden, alongside games and music. Learn more.

• Chair 9 Summer Maker’s Market runs from noon to 6 pm. Shop for local handmade artwork, pottery, and jewelry before your enjoy a local hike.

Garage & Estate Sales

Your Source For Vintage Can Openers

4915 Samish Way Unit # 108 (Fri, Sat 9 am)
Someone built up an amazing collection of beautiful items over the years. Antique hats, lots of buttons, old oil lamps, early children’s games, antique lady’s boots, quilts, wall art, amazing large bird cage, Children’s books, wicker stroller (as is), dolls, wind-up clockwork toys, some vintage clothing, some antique glass, some Christmas, early dolls clothes, early hemp sheets from France, who knows what else. Fun! map

York Yard Crawl (Sat 4 pm)
The York Yard Crawl is a neighborhood-wide art walk/yard sale/music festival/garden party in Bellingham’s finest neighborhood. York residents host Yard Things featuring art, yard sales, music and activities for kids of all ages, all set among a backdrop of Victorian homes on tree-lined streets.

• 1079 Ross Road, Fri, Sat, Sun, 9 am, map

• 1200 Lincoln St Unit 432, Fri, Sat, 10 am, map

• 4915 Samish Way #110, Fri, Sat, 9 am, map

• 7955 Woodland Rd, Fri, Sat, 9 am, map

• 7012 Mt Baker Hwy, Fri, Sat, Sun, 8 am, map

• 357 pacific Hwy, Fri, Sat, 10 am, map

• 2900 W. Connecticut, Sat, Sun, 10 am, map

• 3610 Taylor Avenue, Sat, 9 am, map

• 1535 Humboldt Street, Sat, 10 am, map

• 2104 Birch Circle, Sat, Sun, 10 am, map

• 1008 Northshore Dr.. Sat, noon, map 

Food & Drink

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Because it’s fun to be a lookie-loo

Crash an Open House

2625 Kulshan Street (Open Sat Noon-1, Sun 1-3 pm)
This craftsman bungalow is in one of my favorite nook neighborhoods in town. The lovely row of homes lining Kulshan St between Northwest Ave and Meridian. Just around the corner from Goods. And, this one is adorable! Listing.

9468 Samish Island Road (Open Sat 12-3 pm)
This is one of those rare properties where you’re buying a piece of PNW history along with a sweet waterfront home. Checkout the photos in the listing for a better look at the historic cannery building perched over 110 acres of deeded tidelands. Cute home, your own cannery, views for miles. Nice!! Listing.

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

LIVE ARTS & FILM

New Prospect Theatre
Mary’s Wedding | Fri-Sun 7:30 pm

iDiOM Theater
Strange Birds | Fri, Sat 7:30 pm

WWU Performing Arts Center
Hotshots screenplay reading | Fri 2pm

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances.

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 8:00 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Movement - Presence Studio - Sun 10:30 am

Events & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

Feature an Event. Reach out.

FEATURED

The Bellingham Belly Dance Hafla, organized by BELLYham, is tonight from 6 pm to 8:30 pm at the Karate Church. The hafla will include a costume swap, a potluck, and belly dancing.

Bellingham’s First and Only Festival For and By Punks of All Ages. Catch a BONKERS lineup, featuring: Face To Face, Strung Out and Teenage Bottlerocket! Also... Warp Detour, Broadway Calls, All Hype, Cat Valley and Living With a Bear. Flash Tattoos All Day. Hair color and mohawks. Aslan Brewing Beer Garden. Games, Giveaways, Contests and a bunch more surprises! Saturday at Evil Bikes. Tickets.

Jeremy DesChane will play Brahms Variations and Fugue on a Theme By Handel, Op. 24 Beethoven Sonata No. 28 Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 36 at this free piano recital at the FireHouse Arts and Events Center this Sunday. Reserve your free seat.

FRIDAY

Whatcom Old Settlers 129th Pioneer Days Celebration, Pioneer Park - This annual event, also known as the Old Settlers Picnic, is a long-standing Whatcom County tradition. The celebration includes cabin tours, food and craft vendors, live music, a parade, and a classic car show. Check the schedule.

Michael Dayvid, Lake Padden Golf Course - Featuring the music stylings of Michael Dayvid, who plays all the top songs. Full-service restaurant (Coyote Grill) will be serving up food and drink specials all night. This is a FREE, family-friendly event for people of all ages. Starts at 5:30, no pets.

Friday Music & Trivia →

SATURDAY

Flavors of Community, 300 4th Street, Lynden - Hosted by Racial Unity Now, Flavors of Community is a free multicultural celebration of the diverse cultures in our region—through food! Enjoy appetizers and dessert samples from a variety of heritages including Dutch, Mexican, Venezuelan, Indian, and more! This is an open-house style potluck event, so stop by anytime between 5 and 7 while supplies last! Bring your friends, your family, and your appetite

Daylily Bloom Exhibit, Hovander Homestead Park - Warm sunny days bring daylilies planted around the historic home at Hovander Homestead Park to peak bloom. Visitors to the WSU Whatcom Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens at Hovander will be treated to a special daylily bloom exhibit. Come and stroll the daylilies and then vote for your favorite bloom. Stop to smell the flowers from noon to 2 pm.

Saturday Music & Trivia →

SUNDAY

Birch Bay Rollback Weekend Car Show, Birch Bay Beach Park - Cruise on down to the 11th Annual Rollback Weekend Car Show and enjoy a spectacular display of classic and custom cars along the beautiful Birch Bay shoreline! 8 am to 3 pm.

Boulevard Beats: Sunset Sessions, Boulevard Park - This isn't some stuffy concert where you stand in assigned spots. We're talking live DJ sets with genres that'll keep everyone happy - from your dance-loving teenager to your rhythm-appreciating grandpa. It's the kind of event where families actually want to hang out together. Tunes kick off at 6 pm.

Miles Ebony and The Deep Cuts, Sam Astra, and Aefec, Boundary Bay Brewery - One of Bellingham’s most sought-after bands, having frequented amazing venues such as Beats on the Bay and the Wild Buffalo, Miles Ebony & The Deep Cuts are making their return to the Boundary Bay beer garden stage! Music starts at 8 pm.

Sunday Music & Trivia →

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