🐹 Firewise Gardens 🔥🔥

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

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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

There are two presentations over the next couple of days that caught my attention, both featuring local speakers sharing their knowledge and experience. 👇 Both look very cool.

Washington Native Plant Society meets tonight, March 18 at 7 pm in the Sustainable Living Center education room at the ReStore. Marlene Finley will present on how planting choices can reduce the risk of burning embers igniting homes, outbuildings, or surrounding landscape during a wildfire.

Marlene brings decades of experience, including work as a forest manager for the U.S. Forest Service and a park ranger with the National Park Service, where she worked on wildland fires and fuel reduction efforts. Now based in Anacortes and active in the Master Gardener community, she focuses on practical steps homeowners can take, from plant selection to routine maintenance, to reduce fire risk around their homes.

Then tomorrow, March 19, the focus shifts from firewise gardens to waterfront history with a Tide Talk at the Community Boating Center. Local historian Kolby LaBree, of Bellinghistory with the Good Time Girls, will present on the history of Harris Bay, sharing “early stories of waterfront life on the shores of today's Fairhaven Historic District.” The talk runs from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and is offered by donation.

With rain forecast for much of the week, the National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for Western Washington, including Whatcom County. It goes into effect this afternoon and continues through Friday.

The current flood level forecasts show rising levels at all three Nooksack gauge locations, Saxon Bridge, North Cedarville, and Ferndale), with only Ferndale expected to reach levels that may require mitigation.

As we saw earlier in the winter, flooding on many smaller creeks and feeder streams can impact Whatcom roadways, so it’s handy to bookmark the county’s road closures & restrictions map as a reference before venturing out into the rain.

Parent, thespians, anyone interested in supporting an incredible youth theatre, the Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY) is currently recruiting new board members.

The board works behind the scenes with BAAY leadership to provide oversight, stability, and long-term planning. Members attend monthly meetings, serve on at least one committee, and act as BAAY ambassadors by promoting awareness and support of the organization in our larger community.

“BAAY is at an exciting inflection point as it enters its third decade. There are important decisions to be made about the direction and scope of BAAY’s future. The board is looking for new members with fresh energy and ideas to help shape BAAY’s next act. Passion, curiosity, and commitment are more important than experience (although experience is great, too!).”

Visit the board webpage for more information, or email [email protected].

LOCAL READS

Mary Davenport Engberg Made Music History in Bellingham
By Jennifer Crooks · WhatcomTalk
In 1912, violinist Mary Davenport Engberg organized and conducted a symphony orchestra in Bellingham, recruiting local musicians and training them herself when instruments and players were scarce. Jennifer explains that the mixed-gender orchestra was unusual for the time and became the foundation for today’s Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Read more →

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Meet Blue Moon and Eddy Fitz: WWU students get to name a pair of the Salish Sea’s Humpback Whales
By Ava Nicholas · WWU News
Western Washington University students in a Salish Sea studies course named two newly identified humpback whales, Blue Moon and Eddy Fitz, based on tail markings and a historical reference. Ava reports that the whales are part of a catalog of more than 1,000 individuals tracked as humpbacks return to regional waters after decades of decline. Read more →

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CIVIC CORNER

Wednesday
City of Bellingham Meet-and-Greet, 5:30 pm, Bellingham Cruise Terminal Dome Room

Thursday
WTA Board, 8:00 am, WTA's offices at 4011 Bakerview Spur
Community Engagement Workshop for the Justice Project, 6:00 pm, Lynden City Annex Chamber

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Thursday
Beach Clean-up near Roeder Ave: Spend the morning caring for the shoreline by removing litter to keep plastics and microplastics out of local waterways. Register

Saturday
Mayflower Bridge: Join the city and NSEA for Whatcom Creek and trail stewardship work, including planting, weeding, and mulching near the Mayflower Bridge, Whatcom Creek, and WeGrow Garden. Register

Sunday
Whatcom Humane Society’s Division St. Shelter: Join Whatcom Million Trees Project in planting native trees in the dog-walking field to provide shade and support the nearby wetland. Register

New Prospect Theatre
5 Micro Plays Near the End and Building Self-Esteem (theater) | Thurs-Fri

iDiOM Theatre
The Roommate (theater) | Thurs-Sat

Bellingham TheatreWorks
Firebringer (theater) | Fri-Sat

New Prospect Theatre
Children’s Puppet Slam (theater) | Sat

New Prospect Theatre
The War of the Worlds (theater) | Sat, Sun

BAAY Theatre
The Wizard of Oz (theater) | Sat

Bellingham Circus Guild
Springtime Scandal (circus) | Sat-Sun

Mount Baker Theatre
The M Factor 2.0 (film) | Sun

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Flow Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Potluck & Square Dance - Fairhaven Library - Sat 6 pm
Dance Fusion - BSAC - Sat 10:30 am
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 6:30 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Belly Dance - Karate Church - Sun 1 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sunday 10:30 am

The Alger Rhythms play at Stones Throw tonight, March 18 from 6 to 8 pm. The Bellingham group describes their style as “dad rock” with covers from 70s, 80s, 90s and their own originals. What’s not to love. 🙂

The Motet performs at the Wild Buffalo tomorrow, March 19 at 8:30 pm. The Colorado-based group brings a long-running mix of funk, soul, and disco shaped by more than two decades of touring and recording. This current lineup features vocalist Sarah Clarke, whose addition marks a new chapter for the band and is central to their latest album, Love Time, their first full-length release with her on lead vocals.

Karate Church hosts Stereosity tonight, March 18, for a stop on the band’s ’26 Spring Tour, with Dear Cincinnati and Harbor Day opening the show. Their sound is described as dynamic math rock 🤷 and midwest emo.

Catch a combined concert featuring the Whatcom Wind Ensemble and the Squalicum High School Concert Band tomorrow, March 19 at 7 pm at Squalicum High School. The performance includes a mix of established wind ensemble repertoire, with pieces by composers such as Karel Husa, Richard Wagner, Aaron Copland, and Jack Stamp. They will also perform a Camille Saint-Saëns piece with the Squalicum Concert Band.

Blue Drinks Q1 2026, Beachcat South Paw – Join the Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition from 5:30 to 7 pm for a public waterfront meetup featuring a talk from WA Maritime Blue’s Quiet Sound program, along with informal discussion about local waterfront work.

Archive & Print Club, Quicksilver Photo Lab – A free 6 to 8 pm monthly gathering to work through photo archives, including prints, slides, and negatives, with space to organize, digitize, and get guidance on personal photo projects.

Wednesday Music & Trivia →

Whatcom YMCA Puzzle Night, Whatcom Family YMCA – From 6 to 8:45 pm, this free event (everyone welcome) offers community puzzling time and a puzzle swap table. Whether puzzling for speed, or just for the joy of it, you'll find your people here.

Thursday Music & Trivia →

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