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

I’ve been taking my morning coffee down to one of our waterfront beaches for the past few weeks, and it’s been lovely and a little astonishing how many avian visitors I’ve had. Close encounters with cormorants, mergansers, goldeneyes, loons (I think), and one VERY curious gull. Sit quietly long enough and they eventually go about their morning as if you’re just another piece of driftwood. 😁

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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

Mount Baker Theatre invites you to belt out your favorite songs from Wicked on the big screen, guided by emcee Lauren O’Neill, during this high-spirited sing-along screening. From “Popular” to “Defying Gravity,” lyrics will be on screen as Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande bring Oz to life in the 2024 film adaptation.

Wicked tells the story of Elphaba and Glinda, two unlikely friends whose paths diverge amid ambition, power, and self-discovery at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. Part musical celebration, part communal movie night, this event offers a joyful, interactive way to experience the story together.

Did you survive Valentine’s Day in one piece? Yeah? If so, it’s time to shake off that love hangover and refocus your brain on two really cool events.

First up is a film festival fundraiser supporting the new Bellingham Waterfront Skatepark, happening tonight at Structures Brewing on Holly Street. The CVRRENT Film Fest runs from 5 to 9 pm and features surf, snow, and skate films. Admission is $15, and $1 from every pint sold goes toward building the new skatepark. Organizers promise “dank films, good vibes, and a hang with an excellent crowd.” 🤙 Love it!

On Tuesday night, one for my fellow bird nerds. Award-winning photographer Paul Bannick presents A Year in the Life of Woodpeckers at the Whatcom Museum’s Old City Hall Rotunda Room from 6:30 to 7:45 pm. Drawing from his new book, Bannick shares images and stories that follow North American woodpeckers through the seasons, from the Arctic to southern Mexico. The event is hosted by Whatcom Land Trust, North Cascades Institute, and North Cascades Audubon Society. Tickets are $17, with check-in beginning at 6 pm.

Last week, I received a note from reader Beck Littlefield, who shared that she’ll be co-hosting a Death Doula Panel as part of tonight’s Death Matters meeting, formerly known as the Whatcom County Death Café. If you’re unfamiliar, Death Matters is a monthly community gathering that creates space for open, thoughtful conversations about mortality, often over cake and tea. The group meets every third Monday from 6:30 to 8 pm in the Old Parish Hall of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Walnut Street.

Tonight’s program features four local death doulas, including Beck, offering perspectives on advance care planning, ceremony, VSED education, and holistic grief support. The evening begins with a brief overview of what a death doula is, followed by a panel discussion and time for audience questions.

CIVIC CORNER

Tuesday
Port of Bellingham Commission, 4:00 pm, Harbor Center, YouTube
Whatcom County Council Annual Retreat, 9:30 am, Council Conference Room, agenda, zoom
Lynden City Council, 7:00 pm, Council Chambers
Ferndale City Council, 5:00 pm, City Hall Annex and Council Chambers, agenda
Bellingham Public Library Board of Trustees, 3:30 pm, Central Library Lecture Room

Wednesday
Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission, 6:30 pm, Mayor’s Board Room at City Hall, zoom

Thursday
Bellingham Planning Commission, 6:00 pm, City Council Chambers, agenda, zoom
WTA Board, 8:00 am, WTA's offices at 4011 Bakerview Spur, zoom
Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors, 4:00 pm, Carver Gym, zoom

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday
Galbraith - High Life & Bottle Opener: The only thing better than being on a beautiful trail, is knowing you helped build and maintain it. Join WMBC in maintaining Galbraith trails. Register to participate.

Saturday
Cornwall Park (South): The forest understory in one of Bellingham's oldest parks needs some help. Work with the city to protect and restore this critically important habitat by planting native trees and shrubs! Register to participate.
Galbraith: The only thing better than being on a beautiful trail, is knowing you helped build and maintain it. Join WMBC in maintaining Galbraith trails. Register to participate.

Ever wonder why you make poor financial decisions when you “know better”? Or why spending money causes anxiety even though the spreadsheet shows you have enough? These aren’t math problems. They’re story problems. The stories we learned about money, worth, and what we deserve. The stories we've picked up and stockpiled since childhood.

I’m Susan Fee, a Certified Financial Therapist™. Financial therapy is a process that combines therapeutic and financial skills to help people think, feel, communicate, and behave differently with money. I help clients get to the root of their money stories, so they tell better ones.

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

WCC Heiner Theatre
Alabama Story (theater) | Thurs 7 pm

Mount Baker Theatre
Matt Mathews (comedy) | Fri

New Prospect Theatre
APHRODITE (cabaret) | Fri-Sat

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

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

Bellingham Circus Guild
My Circus Valentine (circus) | Fri-Sun

Mount Baker Theatre
Wicked Sing-Along (film) | Sat

New Prospect Theatre
The Plight of a Woman (theater) | Sun

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
Beginning 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
Int. Cuban Salsa - Cof& - Tues 7:15 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
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Belly Dance - Karate Church - 1 pm

Cherub brings its Everything Changes and That’s OK Tour to the Wild Buffalo tomorrow, February 17, joined by Seattle indie artist LCN!. The Nashville electro-indie duo, known for “Doses & Mimosas,” returns with new material and their signature high-energy, genre-blending live show.

D’vas Trio brings their blend of covers and originals to the FireHouse Arts & Events Center tonight, February 16, from 3:30 to 5 pm. The trio, Dianne Ardourel, Darcy Haughian, and Diane Leigh, share vocals and instrumental duties, weaving together guitar, bass, piano, and layered harmonies in an eclectic set that spans folk, pop, and beyond.

The Mighty Bayou Opossums host a Mardi Gras Party at The Odd Fellows Temple Room tomorrow, February 17, from 7–10 pm, with music starting at 7:30. Expect a night of New Orleans–inspired sounds, dancing, and festive ambiance at Bellingham's coolest jazz club.

🗽 Presidents' Day 🗽
A few of my favorite biographies of presidents to start reading: The Path to Power (by Caro. You’ll want to read the whole series. It’s long, but so good!), John Adams (by McCullough), The River of Doubt (by Candice Millard). Reply with your recs. 👍

Monday Music & Trivia →

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper & Trivia Night, Faith Lutheran Church – A breakfast-for-dinner pancake feast followed by a pub-style trivia game begins at 6 pm, offering a relaxed gathering to mark the eve of Lent.

Pour It Forward Benefiting United Way, Kulshan Sunnyland – Stop by the Sunnyland Taproom and raise a glass for a good cause. Ten percent of all sales will be donated to United Way of Whatcom County, supporting local nonprofit partners who help neighbors build stability and find a path out of poverty.

Tuesday Music & Trivia →

Advertise in Bham’s #1 Newsletter
Include a note in the Wheel! Learn more

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. 💘