🐹 Fetching Pumpkins 🎃🎃

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

Another foray into the foothills over the weekend resulted in skillet full of chanterelles, and, best of all, a sighting of my favorite mushroom, the sparassis (Sparassis radicata), aka the cauliflower mushroom. 👇️ 

Too old and woody to harvest in this case, but so beautiful to find growing out of the damp litter on the forest floor. 🥰 

Also, with the growth of this newsletter’s readership has come increased platform costs. I try not to “pledge drive” y’all too often, but please consider supporting The Wheel if you’re in a financial position to do so. Every little bit helps. 🙏 The donation and membership page can be buggy on some mobile phones so open it on a laptop if you’re having issues.

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

Tag @bellinghamsterwheel on Instagram or reply to this email to get your photos in The Hamster Wheel.

Weather Forecast

Monday: 61°F 🌡️ 40°F | ☀️ Sunny | 🌧️ 2% | 💨 NNE 15 to 18 mph

Tuesday: 63°F 🌡️ 40°F | ☀️ Sunny | 🌧️ 1% | 💨 N 8 mph

Moon Phases

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

Fetching Pumpkins for a Good Cause

Bellingham’s dog-friendliest bar, Paws For A Beer, is giving Halloween traditions a charitable twist with the launch of its Pacific Northwest Pumpkin Rescue. They invite visitors to adopt a pumpkin, each one sourced from Alluvial Farms in Everson, with every dollar directly benefiting the Pacific Northwest Cattle Dog Rescue.

"I’ve personally met each of these unique pumpkins. They’re sweet, they’re plump, and they’re ready for adoption." said Rylan Schoen, Owner of Paws For A Beer. "Every pumpkin deserves to be somewhere safe, and maybe next to a cute dog on the porch. We’re just here to make sure no pumpkin gets left behind. When you rescue a pumpkin, you save a dog.”

The Pumpkin Rescue runs throughout October, culminating in a carving and decoration party on October 26, where you can enjoy local brews, and cider, while perusing seasonal merchandise, stickers, t-shirts, and donation packages.

In other news…

📚️ Local Read: Hamster Wheel reader and local author Brenda Miller has a beautiful new essay, Silent Disco, published in The Sun Magazine. In it, she describes the unexpected transcendence of stumbling upon Bellingham’s weekly Sunset Silent Disco at Zuanich Point Park. Brenda’s piece moves from apart-ness to connection, describing how dance, reflection, and a silently swaying community gently braid together in the glow of a Bellingham sunset. Read Brenda’s essay Silent Disco, and find the schedule for Sunset Silent Disco here.

❄️ Winter is coming to higher elevations in Whatcom County. 🥶 

The National Weather Service Seattle (NWS) warns that snow levels will lower to 3500 feet today, bringing snowfall to higher elevations in the North Cascades. The snowfall forecast below 👇️ indicates we may see 4-6” at Artist Point, and up to 18” at the Mount Baker Summit.

NWS reminds us that “precipitation combined with colder temperatures will result in an increased risk of hypothermia for those not prepared for the conditions.” So, be sure to wear extra layers if you’re heading into the foothills in search of those ever-elusive chanterelles. 😉 

⛔️ Driving north out of Ferndale is going to be a messy business during evening hours this week. WSDOT has warned of northbound and southbound lane closures between 8 pm and 5 am nightly, alongside shoulder and ramp closures which may affect daytime commutes. This work will continue through Friday.

⛏️ Volunteer Opportunities This Week:

• NSEA Stream Team: Help NSEA maintain older sites that need love this Wednesday, October 15. 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. All tools and instructions needed will be provided. Register to attend.

🏙️ The Bellingham City Council meets today, October 13, at 1 pm, for a special meeting to discuss the 2026 budget and the Bellingham Plan. The agenda is available online. The 1 pm budget discussion will be held in the Mayor’s Boardroom, followed by a presentation about the Bellingham Plan in the Council Chambers. To view online, visit the City’s YouTube channel.

🚢 The Blaine City Council meets today, October 13, in the Council Chambers. The council will meet at 4 pm for a budget discussion, followed by a 5:30 pm town hall, and a 6 pm council meeting.

🌾 The Lynden City Council meets today, October 13, in City Hall's 1^st floor conference room at 4 pm. The council will discuss a 0.01% sales and use tax increase for criminal justice purposes.

Food & Drink

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

LIVE ARTS & FILM

Uisce Irish Pub
Guffawingham (comedy) | Mon 9:00 pm

Bellingham Circus Guild
Vaudevillingham | Wed

iDiOM Theater
DRACÜL | Wed-Sun

BAAY Theatre
 Zombie Dance Showcase | Wed-Sun

WWU, College of Fine and Performing Arts
Tartuffe | Wed-Sun

FireHouse A&E Center
Bobby Peep's Lost Generation | Thurs

Larrabee Lager Co
Laughs at Larrabee (comedy) | Thurs

New Prospect Theatre
OBSCURA | Fri, Sat

The Blue Room
Laughing Hamster Comedy Festival Finale (comedy) | Sat

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances.

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Salsa & Bachata - Viking Union - Mon 7 pm
Line Dancing - Corner Taphouse - Mon 6:30 pm
Bellingham Embodiment Collective - Majestic Ballroom - Mon 6:30 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
Dance Fusion - Senior Activity Center - Sat 10:30 am
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 6:00 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

Monday nights are no longer boring. 👯 Local dance instructor Tierney O’Keefe now leads weekly line dancing sessions every Monday at 6:30 pm at the Corner Taphouse in Fairhaven. Slip your boots on and shuffle on down to the Southside tonight!

Bellingham SeaFeast presents a special screening of Fish War, a documentary chronicling the fight for Indigenous fishing rights in the Pacific Northwest. The film explores the legacy of the Boldt Decision, the strength of Tribal communities, and the continuing effort to protect treaty rights and salmon for future generations. Hosted at the Silver Reef Casino tonight, October 13, 6 pm.

Bellingham Alternative Library’s annual Fall Renegade Show brings the Saharan desert rock trio TAKAAT—featuring members of Mdou Moctar—to an undisclosed outdoor location in Bellingham, revealed after ticket purchase. Blending Tuareg guitar traditions with punk energy and raw improvisation, TAKAAT delivers an electrifying mix of noise, rhythm, and rebellion. Tickets.

Portland-based singer-songwriter Kendall Lujan brings her soulful blend of jazz, folk, and indie rock to Odd Fellows Temple Room for an intimate evening of live music. Fresh off her European tours and the release of her debut album Lucky Penny, Lujan has earned acclaim from NPR, MTV, and Rolling Stone Germany for her introspective lyricism and rich, emotive voice. She’ll perform songs that explore love, loss, and the beauty of finding one’s place in the world. Tonight, October 13, 8–11 pm. Presale tickets are available.

MONDAY

Laughing Hamster Comedy Festival, Uisce Irish Pub – Bellingham hosts its first-ever stand-up comedy festival, running October 13–18 with seven shows across local venues including Uisce, Rumors Cabaret, The Upfront Theatre, and The Blue Room. The festival features comics from across the region, and starts tonight with Guffawingham at Uisce Irish Pub at 8:30 pm.

Monday Music & Trivia →

TUESDAY

Chuckanut Radio Hour, Lairmont Manor – Village Books presents mountaineer Melissa Arnot Reid, the first American woman to summit and descend Everest without supplemental oxygen, discussing her new memoir Enough: Climbing Toward a True Self on Mount Everest. The evening includes an interview with Alyssa Young and music by Andre Carrao. Reserve a seat.

Laughing Hamster Comedy Festival, Rumors Cabaret – Night two of stand-up comedy in the Laughing Hamster Comedy Festival. This night, look forward to AJ Norris and Allison Fine at 8 pm.

Best Buds Bingo, Cheba Hut – Bingo gets a twist with comedy, chaos, and toasted subs at this lively weekly night hosted by Mario and Chris. Expect laughs, unpredictable prizes from local sponsors like The Upfront Theatre and Third Eye Cinema, and The Pickford. Roll down to Cheba Hut at 7 pm for the bingo, stay for the buzz.

Tuesday Music & Trivia →

Advertise in the #1 Newsletter in the Ham 
Want to include a note in the Wheel? Learn more.

Hakuna matata

To All Our Readers

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, or if you’d like to send me a love note. 💘 

Have a great Monday!!