- The Hamster Wheel
- Posts
- 🐹 Geoduck Chowder 😋😋
🐹 Geoduck Chowder 😋😋
Good morning, Bellingham. This is your Friday update from The Hamster Wheel.
Friends, please be careful at that Guide Meridian roundabout in front of Dark Haggen. So many close calls and so much confusion. Not sure what the city was thinking with that one. 🤦
Have fun, and stay safe out there!
Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP
Photos From the Hoods
Mt Baker from Table Mountain - 📷 by Paulee Offerson
Lake Ann - 📷 by Chuck Loos
Wild Blueberries and Mount Baker - 📷 by Sandi Heinrich
Tag @bellinghamsterwheel on Instagram or reply to this email to get your photos in The Hamster Wheel.
Weather Forecast
Friday: 67°F 🌡️ 56°F | 🌧️ Chance of Rain | 🌧️ 58% | 💨 S 7 to 12 mph
Saturday: 67°F 🌡️ 53°F | 🌧️ Rain Likely | 🌧️ 58% | 💨 ENE 6 mph
Sunday: 69°F 🌡️ 54°F | ⛈️ Chance of Rain And Thunderstorms | 🌧️ 72% | 💨 S 2 to 6 mph
Moon Phases
Events, Updates & News Around Town
Get off the Hamster Wheel
Celebrating Seafood From The Salish Sea
With the onset of fall comes another installment of Bellingham’s fishiest festival. Bellingham SeaFeast runs through the weekend, bringing delicious local seafood, live music, and a slew of activities that celebrate Bellingham’s maritime history and culture.
With over 25 vendors in this year’s lineup, there’s bound to be something for every palate, but standouts for us last year were the buttery and tender pan-seared scallops from the Alaska Weathervane Scallop Truck, and the not-to-be-missed Fish-On-A-Stick BBQ Salmon from Lummi Seafood Market’s Čha•k’os 🔥 Fire Pit BBQ. This year the Fire Pit menu includes Geoduck Clam Chowder, Dungeness Crab, Salish Sea Prawns, Fried Bread, and Coho, King, and Sockeye Salmon. 😋 I’m slipping into my happy seafood coma already.
Most of the festival is open admission, there are a few ticketed extras. San Juan Cruises will be offering rides around the bay. There’s an industry tour at All American Marine, which I think would be fascinating to see. And last but not least, there’s an enamel buoy earring making workshop that sounds amazing. You can find the full schedule here. See you at the waterfront!
In other news…
🦀 The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced this week that both Marine Area 7 North, and South, will reopen for recreational crabbing seven days a week starting on October 1, with the season running though December 31.
Marine Area 7 North includes Blaine, Birch Bay, and Lummi Bay. Marine Area 7 South includes Bellingham Bay, Padilla Bay, and the San Juan Islands.
🏙️ This week, the City of Ferndale announced the start of construction on Ferndale’s new Civic Campus, “a two-story, 19,000 sq. ft. facility that will house City Hall, Municipal Court, City Council Chambers, and administrative offices,” located on Main Street next to the Ferndale Public Library.
The project, awarded to Dawson Construction, is expected to impact parking at the existing city hall complex and library. Temporary parking will be available at the gravel lot to the west of the library. 👆️
📸 Award-winning local photographer Carol Sheppard is holding a class this Saturday called Discovering the Botanical Macro World through your Lens, for adults and seniors wanting to master Macro Photography on their DSLR or mirrorless camera.
“With both lecture and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn the guidelines, tips and tricks to great macro photography, along with accessories that enhance your macro photography. You will then put your new knowledge into action using a variety of indoor macro set-ups with one-on-one help from the instructor.” Email [email protected] to register.
🎉 The Hamster Wheel is free! 🎉
However, voluntary contributions to support our ongoing efforts are appreciated! Make a one-time contribution or join a member level to make a small monthly patronage. Your support helps keep The Wheel rolling!
Garage & Estate Sales
Your Source For Vintage Can Openers
1396 Woods Point Loop, Ferndale (Fri, Sat, Sun 10 am)
An estate sale bursting with treasures, from Lenox crystal stemware and a KitchenAid mixer to over 200 souvenir spoons! Look for high-quality household goods, power tools, camping gear, and bedroom sets. map
1801 W. Bakerview Rd. (Sat, 10 am)
Wood Stone employees are hauling out their household treasures this Saturday for a massive parking lot group sale. No Wood Stone equipment or supplies, just great garage sale goodies. map
Food & Drink
Hamsters Gotta Eat
Because it’s fun to be a lookie-loo
Crash an Open House
903 13th Street (Open Sat 1-3 pm)
Purple is my favorite color, so I couldn’t help myself with this one! Bold and beautiful. 😁 It’s a unique historic home on a corner lot on the southside. Wild second-story ceiling lines are part of the charm in these older Bellingham homes. This 1915 beauty is a great example. I love it! Listing.
3111 Vallette Street (Open Sun 1-3 pm)
This one was submitted by a reader, and it’s hitting the market this morning! On one of my favorite nook-neighborhood streets in all of Bellingham, it’s a darling mid-century home directly across from Cornwall Park, which places you in the heart of the northside! At 1650 square feet, with 3 beds, and 2 baths, it’s a gem. Listing. …also, this street has one of the sweetest community garage sales each year. 🎉
Performance Arts This Week
Dance of The Hamsters
The Play That Goes Wrong
LIVE ARTS & FILM
iDiOM Theater
No Man's Land | Thurs, Fri, Sat
Bellingham Theatre Guild
The Play That Goes Wrong | Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
New Prospect Theatre
The Shark Is Broken | Fri, Sat, Sun
The Claire
Matilda, The Musical | Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
The Upfront Theatre
Various performances.
PARTICIPATORY DANCE
Flow Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Dance Fusion - Senior Activity Center - Sat 10:30 am
Contra - Fairhaven Library - Sat 6 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Movement - Presence Studio - Sun 10:30 am
Help Spread The Word
Refer three Bellingham friends to join our newsletter community and we’ll include a birthday callout to one person you specify on their B’day 🎂. Get your referral link here. Your current referral count is: 0. You’re so close!.
Events & Nightlife
Spinning Into The Night
Feature an Event. Reach out.
FEATURED
Wiggle your hips down to the the Karate Church tomorrow night, September 27th, from 3 pm to 5:30 pm, for the Bellingham Belly Dance Hafla, organized by BELLYham. The hafla will include a costume swap & shop, and a dance party.
Catch Bellingham’s own Cuarto Sueño at the Firehouse this Saturday for a night of high energy flamenco guitar, modern Latin jazz, and creative arrangements of familiar classics. Cuarto Sueño is comprised of BJ Block and Jacob Seyer on acoustic guitars, Tom Anastasio on bass, and Steve Jones on percussion. For this special performance they will be joined by local guest percussionists. Tickets are going fast.
Don your finest 1920's to 1950's cocktail attire and enjoy a night of dancing and cabaret at Rhythm Belles and Cocktails on Saturday. Dance lessons (6:30 to 7 pm), are included with admission, followed by an open dance until 9 pm with performances by the Rhythm Belles, and Chorus Girl Academy dancers interspersed throughout. Grab tickets and shake a leg.
Slip into your best ‘80s threads and hit the dance floor at Trackside Beer Garden’s Homecoming for Housing on Saturday, September 27, from 6 to 10 pm, supporting Lydia Place’s mission to end homelessness. DJ Aireekah spins retro hits, a costume contest adds flair, and raffle prizes sweeten the deal. Groove for a great cause!
FRIDAY
Raise the Roof Auction for Habitat for Humanity, Bellingham Cruise Terminal - Celebrate housing, hope, and heart at the 23rd Annual Raise the Roof Auction for Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County. Enjoy a plated dinner from PaellaWorks, take part in exciting live and silent auctions, and try your luck with games and raffles—all while supporting Habitat's mission to build homes and hope in Whatcom County. A few individual tickets are available.
Art, Access & Absinthe Soirée, Whatcom Museum - This years gala celebrates the bold spirit and enduring influence of French modernist visionaries like Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse. Enjoy an evening of inspired experiences and cuisine that honors art’s revolutionary spirit while supporting the Whatcom Museum’s mission at this critical moment. Grab tickets.
Author: David Beaumier, Village Books in Fairhaven - Meet Bellingham’s own David Beaumier as he discusses his new book The Mourning Fields, a collection of Greek myths retold as dark fictions in the modern day. Reserve a seat.
Laughs @ Larrabee Comedy Night, Larrabee Lager Co - A night of big laughs, tasty pizza and handcrafted brews, starring Gib Strange, featuring Alex Svarez, also with Meghan Cherry and Rose Forsgren. The evenings host is Nikki Kilpatrick & Venus Comedy Productions. Tickets.
SATURDAY
Black Noise Record Fair & Swap, Aslan Depot - Join Black Noise Records at the Depot for a record fair with performances through the day, thousands of records, vendors from Bellingham, Seattle, and beyond! Admission is free and all ages are welcome from noon to 5 pm.
Show & Share Potluck, Bellingham Makerspace - A potluck dinner and Maker Show & Tell. Dinner starts around 6, with community announcements at 7 pm and Maker Show & Tell at 7:15 pm. All are welcome, including members of the public and families with small children. Hang out and chat, or show off something you've made. Details and registration.
Patch-Making Workshop, Make.Shift Art Space - A fun, all-ages patch-making workshop from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, led by Moon Blomgren. Learn simple hand-sewing and fabric techniques to create patches for jackets or bags, no experience needed. Register to patch up.
SUNDAY
Mount Baker Rock & Gem Club Rockhound Rendezvous, Pioneer Pavilion Community Center - Club members sell or swap their rocks, jewelry, tools, and other rock-related items. The public is invited to come shop. You’re sure to make a deal here. Sales will usually be by cash and are made directly to the club member. Details.
SoundStation, Skylark’s Café - Help Skylark’s Café celebrate its 30th birthday and the end of the beer garden season for 2025. Catch SoundStation from 1 to 4 pm, a high energy Bellingham 5 piece cover band playing an eclectically curated mix of classic, indie and pop rock n roll.
Advertise in the #1 Newsletter in the Ham
Want to include a note in the Wheel? Let’s Chat.
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 🙏.
You can reply to this email if you have something we should know about or want to send us a love note.
Have a great weekend!!