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

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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The Bellingham Circus Guild's annual Halloween show opens TONIGHT! Step into their beguiling circus garden and experience hilarious tricksters, crazy feats of acrobatics, jaw-dropping jugglers, shocking shadow puppets, and aerial shenanigans that will leave you howling. All Ages & 21+ showtimes available!

*Hamster Wheel subscribers can get 20% off opening weekend Adult GA tickets with promo code spookyhamsters 🎃

Woodstock Farm already has the bones 🦴 of a good Halloween setting. The 16-acre property off Chuckanut Drive was established in 1905 by Bellingham civic leader Cyrus Gates, and its Craftsman-era farmhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. This weekend, Gabriel’s Art Kids and Bellingham Parks & Recreation are putting those buildings to appropriately spooky use with Spooktacular, a two-night haunt spread through the farmhouse, barn, and grounds.

Tonight and Saturday nights include a Haunted Fun House winding through the old farmhouse, a lantern-lit Witch Walk, Halloween games and art projects, and a séance room with special effects. Friday gets a rotating crew of zombie dancers, while Saturday shifts the action into the barn for a black-light Halloween dance party. The event is aimed at ages 6 and up, with the haunted house itself recommended for ages 8 and older. Proceeds support Gabriel’s Art Kids’ year-round art education programs in Bellingham.

A few notes about logistics. Admission includes a ride on the Spooky Van, which leaves Fairhaven Park every half hour and is the primary way into the event. Friday and Saturday run from 6:30 to 9 pm; tickets are $25, or $20 each for groups of four or more, and advance registration is required. Also, because this is a historic property, the grounds have uneven paths, gravel, steps, and low lighting and are not fully ADA accessible.

Whatcom Ready shared this photo on facebook a couple days back. A fabulously fun shot of a new drivers training car in front of the Sumas-Nooksack High School circa 1948.

“Handing over the keys to the new driver's training vehicle at Nooksack High School. The car appears to be a 1948 Plymouth, supplied by Mades Chrysler Plymouth in Everson.”

If your ballot is still sitting on the kitchen counter, Whatcom County has made returning it a little easier this year. Two new official drop boxes have been added for the Nov. 3 general election, one at Bellingham Technical College, in the parking lot in front of College Services at 2605 Nome Street, and another at the Nooksack Indian Tribe’s Sulwhanon Community Building, 2515 Sulwhanon Drive near Everson. That brings the countywide total to 25 official drop boxes, all of which remain open until 8 pm sharp on Election Day. The County says boxes are locked and sealed, collected by teams of two election workers, and ballots are transported directly to the election center in sealed containers.

If you are not sure which box is closest, the County has a very handy interactive map that lets you search from an address and see nearby locations throughout Whatcom County.

Mushroom season is in full swing around Whatcom County. I had the pleasure of a good friend’s company for a productive chanterelle hunt last weekend, and the picking was good! If you’re looking for a way to get out there, Raven’s Roots Naturalist School is offering a Fall Mushroom Walk this Sunday with instructor Jack Batteiger.

The three-hour walk will cover the basics of mushroom identification, including which features to look at, the language mycologists use to describe them, and how fungi fit into the larger forest ecosystem.

The class runs from 11 am to 2 pm this Sunday, Oct. 25, with about two miles of walking and a short lunch break along the way. Learn more and register.

LOCAL READS

We don’t have a bear problem, as much as we create problems for bears
By Susan Kane-Ronning · Cascadia Daily News (free)
Whatcom County bears can consume up to 20,000 calories a day before hibernation, and drought has pushed some to lower elevations in search of food. Susan explains how unsecured garbage, fruit trees, bird feeders and off-leash dogs can turn ordinary bear activity into dangerous encounters. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

From Famous to Forgotten
By George Cox · Klipsun Magazine
Western’s medieval collection includes 13th-century Bible leaves, a 15th-century land agreement and a facsimile of “The Canterbury Tales,” all available for students and members of the public to examine. George explains how seeing parchment, quills, revisions and ornament firsthand reveals the labor behind books made centuries before modern printing. Read more →

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Saturday
Connelly Creek Nature Area (South): Join Bellingham Parks Volunteer Program and NSEA to restore wildlife habitat and protect wetlands at Connelly Creek Nature Area (South). You can help with planting, ecological restoration, invasive species removal, and litter pickup. Register
Cloud Mountain Farm Center: Join Whatcom Land Trust and Growing Veterans to remove invasive blackberry along the stream at Cloud Mountain Farm Center. You will help stabilize stream banks and filter water while protecting salmon habitat as the farm transitions to its future permanent owners. Register

Sunday
Whatcom Humane Society Wildlife Rehab Center: Join Whatcom Million Trees Project to plant trees at the Whatcom Humane Society Wildlife Rehab Center. You will help continue a multi-year reforestation project in a 12-acre former hayfield. Register

Bellewood Farms & Distillery, Lynden (Wed-Sun 9-4)
Bellewood’s fall setup combines a U-pick pumpkin patch with apple picking, a free corn maze, farm store, bakery, cafe, and plenty of cider doughnuts. The pumpkin patch stays open through Oct. 31, and general admission is free.

Cramer's Western Town, Lynden (Fri-Sun 10-5)
If simply picking a pumpkin feels insufficiently Western, Cramer’s adds draft-horse wagon rides out to the patch, pony rides, a petting zoo, hay maze, tractor train, and other farm games. They grow more than 30 pumpkin varieties and are open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in October.

Stoney Ridge Farm, Everson (Fri 12-5, Sat 10-5)
Stoney Ridge packs a lot into its short fall season: U-pick pumpkins and apples, wagon rides, a corn maze, bin maze, playground, and farm animals, plus their well-known pumpkin and cider doughnuts made with apples grown on the farm. Admission is $6, kids 2 and under are free, and the final two days this year are Oct. 23 and 24.

Pumpkin Patch in the Pool, Arne Hanna Aquatic Center (Sat 4:30-6)
Skip the muddy field and pick your pumpkin from the pool instead. Arne Hanna Aquatic Center is filling the water with floating pumpkins for an afternoon that also includes treats, games, and aquatic safety activities. Admission is $10, and kids 6 and younger need to stay within arm’s reach of an adult in the water.

Trick-or-Treat on the Berm, Birch Bay Berm Pathway (Sat 3-5)
Birch Bay’s waterfront trail turns into a trick-or-treat route Saturday afternoon, with businesses and community groups setting up decorated stops along the berm. The event is free, costumes are encouraged.

Crave a Beer, Carve a Pumpkin, Stones Throw Brewery (Sat 12-5)
Stones Throw is setting out pumpkins and carving tools for its annual Halloween carving day in Fairhaven. It’s free, all ages, and carved pumpkins will stay on display in the taproom through Halloween, when voting wraps up and costumed visitors get $1 off pints. Pumpkins are first come, first served, so arriving earlier is probably wise.

Pumpkin Painting & Pizza, Fiamma Pizza (Sun 2–4)
Paint a pumpkin and eat some pizza at Fiamma’s all-ages Halloween afternoon. Each $25 ticket includes one pumpkin, painting supplies, and access to a buffet with cheese and pepperoni pizza, green salad, soft drinks, and water. Smocks and coveralls are not provided, so dress accordingly.

Pumpkins and Ponies, Mountain Meets Farm (Sun 12-3)
Mountain Meets Farm is combining its rescue animals with a little fall fun for this annual fundraiser. The afternoon includes pony rides, pumpkin painting, raffles, apple cider pressing, popcorn, and time to meet some of the farm’s rescued animals and learn their stories. Tickets are $20 and support the farm’s animal welfare and education work.

2217 Lynn Street (Open Sun 1-2:30 pm)
I’ve walked past this craftsman a million times. It’s one of my favorite home styles on one of my favorite streets in Bham. Check out the original fir floors. With a sand and clear finish those would shine! Listing

1041 Sterk Lane (Open Sat & Sun 12-2 pm)
I had a hard time picking between this photo that shows the private pond on this property and one that highlights the seven-bay roll-up shop with multiple office spaces 🤯. Everything about this home feels like near-town country living at it’s finest. I’m still stuck on that giant workshop. 😁 Listing

WWU Old Main Theater
Masks Play III: Return of the Masks (theatre) | Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat

Ferndale High School Theatre
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (theatre) | Thu, Fri

BAAY Theatre
The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon (theatre) | Fri, Sat, Sun

FireHouse Arts & Events Center
Handle with Care (dance) | Fri, Sat

New Prospect Theatre
OBSCURA: Cabaret Atelier’s Fall Showcase (dance) | Fri, Sat

Bellingham Circus Guild
The Beastly Frightful Unspeakably Spooky Circus of DOOOOOM (circus) | Fri-Sun

Bellingham TheatreWorks @ The Upfront
New Play Cafe: Reading of Vacancies (theatre) | Sat

New Prospect Theatre
Action Fiction! Stories Performed Returns (theatre) | Sun

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Foundations: Hip Hop, House, Shuffle - Lost Giants - Fri 5:45 pm
Contra - Fairhaven Library - Sat 7 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 5:00 pm
Beginner Ballet - Karate Church - Sat 10 am
Beginner Contemporary - Karate Church - Sat 11:30 am
Dance Fusion - BSAC - 10:30 am
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sun 10:30 am

Violinist Caitlin Kelley and pianist Jake Sele bring A Haunting Evening of Music to the Jansen Art Center tomorrow night, October 24, from 7 to 9 pm. The Halloween-season program moves between eerie works by Bartók and Saint-Saëns and original arrangements of film music by Bernard Herrmann and John Williams. Kelley, a Juilliard and Colburn graduate who performs frequently with the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera, joins Seattle keyboardist Sele for a concert built around the darker corners of the classical and cinematic repertoire. Tickets are $20.

Mount Baker Theatre hosts Ingrid Michaelson on Saturday, October 24, at 7:30 pm, with Allie Moss and Hannah Winkler joining her for the Cozy Fall Trio Tour. Michaelson is best known for a folk-pop catalog that includes “The Way I Am,” “Girls Chase Boys,” and “You and I,” but her recent work has expanded into television and Broadway.

Bassoons and Peanuts meet at Western on October 24 when the WWU Bassoon Studio presents Bassoon Apocalypse IX: Peanuts at 7 pm in the Performing Arts Center Concert Hall. The free show is the ninth installment of the studio’s annual Halloween tradition, this time built around the classic comic strip with themed visuals and bassoon-inspired touches. It is family-friendly, open to the public, and costumes are encouraged.

The Night Gallery: Monster Club, Hotel Leo – An immersive horror event from 7 pm to midnight features theatrical monsters, live performances, filmmaking panels, a costume contest, dance party, vendors, and the 25th Centennial Monster Pageant.

Intermission: On Death and Dying, The Deep End Art Space – A multidisciplinary artist showcase at 7:30 pm features 10-minute sets of original songs, dance, poetry, and more, co-hosted by Adrien Converse and improviser Megan Galley.

Fall Festival, Cordata Presbyterian Church – Free family activities run from 6 to 8 pm with games, crafts, food, candy, photo ops, and the church’s cardboard box maze.

NSEA Salmon Soirée, Chuckanut Bay Distillery Ballroom – Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association’s third annual fundraiser begins at 5:30 pm with dinner, drinks, a live auction, and a guest appearance by author Lynda Mapes, supporting watershed and salmon recovery work across Whatcom County. Details

Friday Music & Trivia →

Ferndale Sister City Association 35th Anniversary Celebration, Pioneer Pavilion – From 1 to 4 pm, mark 35 years of Ferndale’s sister-city relationship with Minamiboso, Japan, with historical displays, performances, Japanese books, youth activities, a raffle, and anniversary gifts.

Saturday Music & Trivia →

Twin Peaks: A Conversation with the Stars, Mount Baker Theatre – A 4 pm live conversation with Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise, Dana Ashbrook, Sabrina S. Sutherland, and Josh Eisenstadt features behind-the-scenes stories from the series, with photo opportunities and autographs available separately. Tickets

Art of Jazz Series: Marco DeCarvalho Quartet, FireHouse Arts & Events Center – Guitarist and vocalist Marco DeCarvalho performs from 4 to 6 pm with Jeff Busch on drums, Jeff Johnson on bass, and Tony Foster on piano.

Sunday Music & Trivia →

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