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. 📧

Opening night at Shoestring Circus is just around the corner! Save your seats to Bellingham's favorite big top and catch the incredible new circus acts and story for 2026!

This show run has sold out every season, so save your seats today!

With spring blooms everywhere you look, it’s time to join a garden club. And you’re in luck! 😜 The Birchwood Garden Club meets tonight, May 6, in the Rotunda Room at the Whatcom Museum’s Old City Hall building.

Nita-Jo Rountree, past president of the Northwest Horticultural Society, and current board member of the Bellevue Botanical Garden, will give a presentation about hydrangeas. “The program will include illustrations of the latest and greatest, tried and true, and rare and unusual cultivars; how to care for them including pruning techniques, how to dry flowers, and how to use them in the garden.” The meeting starts with a 6:30 pm social time followed by a business meeting and Nita-Jo’s presentation. It’s free and open to the public. 🌼🌻

A few days ago the Whatcom Museum announced that tickets are now on sale for the 2026 season of the popular Summer Sunset Cruises. I have yet to jump on one of these tours but I hear wonderful things. 🌆

“This season features returning favorite Kolby LaBree of the Good Time Girls sharing local history and Bellingham Bay lore, plus two special cruises: a geology cruise with WWU's Colin Amos, Ph.D., and a family storytelling cruise honoring Coast Salish tradition with Julie Trimingham, Tammy Cooper-Woodrich, and Angela Letoi.”

The cruises set sail each Tuesday at 6:00 pm from the Bellingham Cruise and Ferry Terminal. You can reserve online, or purchase tickets at the Whatcom Museum store by noon the day of the cruise.

A number of parents with young children in Bellingham have reached out to me with concerns about the possible closure of elementary schools. This potential stems from the work of the Facility Planning Task Force which is convened every five-ish-years to review enrollment trends, facility conditions, and the programmatic needs of the district. Unfortunately, this cycle, the task force is wrestling with a projected loss of approximately 1,000 students between 2018-2028.

Strong feelings are held by advocates on both sides, and to be honest, I’ve avoided this topic like the plague. That is, until now. And ONLY because I stumbled upon a thoughtful interview with Superintendent Greg Baker on KMRE, recorded following an April 23 school board meeting where many concerns were raised during public comments.

Dr. Baker is in the unenviable position of charting a path forward despite falling enrollment projections, diminishing birth rates, and a tightening budget. This is a topic that impacts many families so I appreciate the candor he brought to this interview. It’s worth a listen. 👍

LOCAL READS

In the Garden with Kelle: May is always so ‘bee-zy’
By Kelle Rankin-Sunter · The Northern Light
Spring pollinators are active across Whatcom County gardens, with native mason bees emerging alongside thousands of other species that support flowering plants and crops. Kelle explains that mason bees can pollinate more efficiently than honey bees and rely on tube-like nesting sites and nearby mud to reproduce. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

From Lapwai to leadership: WCC’s new president
By Tidricus Williams · The Horizon
Whatcom Community College’s new president, Justin Guillory, brings more than two decades of experience in Native-serving higher education, including 12 years leading Northwest Indian College. Tidricus reports that Guillory emphasizes student belonging, drawing on his upbringing on the Nez Perce Reservation and his focus on culturally grounded education. Read more →

CIVIC CORNER

Thursday
Greenways Advisory Committee, 7:00 pm, Pacific Street Operations Center
Whatcom County Council Community Conversations, 3:00 pm, Fairhaven Library

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday
Lakeway Community Garden: Join the city in tending to community spaces at Lakeway Community Garden. Register
Stream Team: Help Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) maintain older sites that need love. 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. Register

Friday
Nooksack Cirque: Join the Washington Trails Association for logging out the trail using chainsaws. Register

Saturday
Memorial Park: Join the city, Rotary Club of Bellingham and the Sunnyland Neighborhood Association to clean up the memorials and park grounds for Memorial Day weekend. Register
NSEA Nursery Plant Potting: Join NSEA potting native trees and shrubs to restock their native plant nursery. Register

Sunday
Maritime Heritage Park: Join Re-Sources at the fish hatchery at the end of C Street, then peruse the park and creek banks for any trash and plastic pollution. Register

I got a note this week from Urania Shaklee, designer and proprietor of the much beloved downtown boutique Cute But Crazy Socks. It sounds like she and her fabulously fun-looking team have new adventures in store. I’ll let her describe these in her own words:

“After nearly 15 years downtown, we’re closing Cute But Crazy Socks on May 17. It’s not a “downer” story though. My partner and I bought Nelson’s Market in York a few years ago, and we have decided to focus our energy there. I’m also continuing to design my sock brand ModSocks, which we launched from Bellingham in 2013. Our small staff is joining us in these remaining ventures. More info here.“

Urania said she’s hoping people will stop by to say goodbye and pick through the store-wide closing sale to snag some rad socks!

Beach Cat: South Paw
Stand-up Night (comedy) | Thurs

Mount Baker Theatre
Ben Miller (comedy) | Thurs

Bellingham Circus Guild
Cascade Juggling Festival (circus) | Fri

Nooksack Valley High School
Footloose (theatre) | Thurs-Sat

Blaine High School
Legally Blonde (theatre) | Thurs-Sat

iDiOM Theatre
All Our Tragic (theatre) | Sat, Sun

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

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

Dale James Pratt joins Ireland Woods at Honey Moon Mead on Thursday, May 7 from 8 to 10 pm. A multidisciplinary artist, Pratt brings a singer-songwriter approach that blends original material with select covers, drawing on influences that range from classic country to grunge and blues.

KMRE 88.3 FM is celebrating its 20th anniversary with Whatcom in Food & Stories, a one-night gathering at the Ferndale Events Center tomorrow, May 7 at 6:30 pm. The event brings together local chefs, food artisans, and storytellers for an evening that reflects the region’s cultural and culinary landscape. Tickets

Every Thursday through May, join Cheryl Hodge for Happy Hour Jazz from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at Amendment 21 inside Hotel Leo. Indulge in a cocktail and ease into the evening with smooth sounds and good company! It’s the perfect way to unwind and let the night begin.

Haruna Walusimbi and Mark Stone take the stage tomorrow, May 7 at 7:30 pm in WWU’s Performing Arts Center Concert Hall for a free performance exploring East and West African music. Walusimbi brings a practice that includes singing, dance, and multiple traditional instruments, while Stone contributes a background in world percussion and composition.

Alexandre Dossin Piano Recital, WWU Performing Arts Center Concert Hall – A 7:30 pm solo piano performance by Brazilian pianist and University of Oregon professor Alexandre Dossin, featuring a program of classical repertoire.

Marc Fryt Author Talk – The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing, Village Books – A 6 to 7 pm reading and discussion with author Marc Fryt exploring urban fly fishing, its accessibility, and the role of local waterways in city life. Reserve a seat

Flower Market – North Sound Flower Cooperative, Ohio Street Work Studios – A weekly Wednesday market from 9 am to 12 pm featuring locally grown, seasonal flowers from regional farms, open to both the public and floral professionals.

Wednesday Music & Trivia →

Whatcom Literacy Council’s 30th Annual Trivia Bee, Aslan Depot – A 6 to 8 pm team-based trivia fundraiser featuring a phone-based gameplay format, wide-ranging questions, and a live big-screen experience, with proceeds supporting adult literacy programs. Register

Thursday Music & Trivia →

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