🐹 Jamboree Week 🎻🎻

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

Our local bounty of blackberries is beginning to sweeten up. Keep those BTUs coming! I'm dreaming of blackberry pie, blackberry wine, and blackberry pancakes. 😋 

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

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Weather Forecast

Wednesday: 71°F 🌡️ 57°F | 🌧️ Rain Showers | 🌧️ 89% | 💨 S 5 to 8 mph

Thursday: 71°F 🌡️ 55°F | 🌧️ Chance of Rain | 🌧️ 51% | 💨 SSW 3 to 7 mph

Moon Phases

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

The Jamboree Is Back!!

Now in its 25th year, the Subdued Stringband Jamboree returns to the Deming Log Show Fairgrounds tomorrow, August 7, bringing together local, national, and international folk and roots musicians for three days of music, camping, workshops, and community.

What began in 2001 as a grassroots gathering has grown into a very Bellinghamesque festival, with four stages, late-night campfire jams, and a focus on environmental sustainability. Festivalgoers can expect a full slate of performances from artists including Dale Watson, Bella White, Big Chimney Barn Dance, and Sallybaby’s Silver Dollars.

Music runs all day and into the night across the Flat Stage and the always-active Slanted Stage, with special appearances from the Bellingham Circus Guild and community workshops for all ages.

Thursday kicks off with a square dance and sets from Von Wildenhaus and Dale Watson. Friday and Saturday continue with highlights like the Songwriters in the Round session, a memorial square dance for Lucas Hicks, and performances from Vaiano’s Paisanos, Sissy & The Western Playboys, and Robert Sarazin Blake.

Camping is available on site, with both reservable and freestyle options, and free camping for those who arrive by bike. Children under 14 and adults over 80 get in free. Day passes are available at the gate, and food options include Juanita’s Mexican, Cicchitti’s Pizza, Shirlee Bird Coffee, and more. Check the website for all the details.

In other news…

🚌 Starting on Thursday, and running through the 16th, all WTA bus trips within Whatcom County will be free as part of WTA’s annual Free Fare Days. This is a great opportunity to explore local routes at no cost. Paratransit rides are also free during this period, though Route 80X to Mount Vernon is excluded. Youth under 18 continue to ride free year-round.

The fare-free window coincides with this weekends Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden, and WTA’s Route 26 offers direct service to the fairgrounds. Weekday buses run from 6:30 a.m. to 8:48 p.m., with slightly shorter hours on weekends. Park for free at Cordata Station (no overnight parking), making it easy to catch a bus and skip traffic altogether.

⛽️ A section of the Interurban Trail has been temporarily closed after a diesel spill in Padden Creek near a construction site by the 12th Street bridge. Washington Department of Ecology, the city of Bellingham, and the contractor responded after a rainbow sheen was spotted on the water’s surface.

The Department of Ecology posted that “Crews are working to pad the creek and have contained the spill on the downstream end. No fuel has entered Puget Sound.” and “there are currently no observed impacts to wildlife.”

🦀 It’s time to pull those pots of the garage and start prepping for crab season in Marine Area 7 North (including Birch Bay and Blaine). The season opens this Saturday, August 9th, and runs through September 29th. If you’ve not crabbed Birch Bay, it’s a blast!! Lots of families on the water, great harvest numbers most days, and an overall fun vibe.

Marine Area 7 South (San Juan Islands and Bellingham) is already open and also runs through September 29th. Check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website for all the rules.

Food & Drink

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

LIVE ARTS & FILM

Mount Baker Theatre
Missoula Children's Theatre: The Jungle Book | Fri 5:30 pm, Sat 11:30 am

iDiOM Theater
A Tourist's Guide to the End of Magic | Thurs, Fri, Sat 7:30 pm

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances.

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Summer Heat - Presence Studio - Thurs 6:30 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 7:30 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Movement - Presence Studio - Sun 10:30 am
Family Dance Party - Boom! - Sun 10 am

Events & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

Feature an Event. Reach out.

FEATURED

Tonight at Downtown Sounds. Mind bending, soul soothing, booty shakin’ boogie music with The Gold Souls. The driving grooves of funk, rich textures of soul, and the compelling storytelling of the blues converge through The Gold Souls’ unique brand of groove. Music at 5:30 pm.

Join over 1,500 older adults and their families in the great outdoors at Senior Day in the Park - the Whatcom Council on Aging's premier event. Enjoy a BBQ, music, entertainment, demonstrations and a 100+ vendor resource fair at Hovander Park. Today August 6th, 10 am to 2 pm.

A two-hour outdoor concert in Elizabeth Park. Sweet N' Juicy brings Funk/Soul & Rock from 6-8pm tomorrow, August 7th! Bring your lawn chairs and relax.

WEDNESDAY

Before Downtown Sounds, Locus Coffee - Start your Wednesdays off right before the big Downtown Sounds shows with live jazz, fresh cocktails, and good vibes. Come early to beat the crowd, sip on something special, and enjoy the smooth sounds of Ben Meyer from 3:30–5:30 pm.

After Sounds, Boundary Bay Brewery - Boundary Bay has partnered up with Black Noise Records to bring back After Sounds, the official afterparty of Downtown Sounds! This week look for Mike Nardone, JDone, Miles & Ebony. 8 pm in the beer garden.

Wednesday Music & Trivia →

THURSDAY

Barkley Market, Barkley Village Green - Bring your picnic blanket and the rest of the family to enjoy the live music, check out the fantastic food truck options for lunch, or shop the various local vendors. 11 am to 2 pm at 2215 Rimland Dr.

Salty Social: Wild Women Edition, Community Boating Center - An evening where salt meets spirit- a lively celebration of women-identifying adventurers, artists, and gearheads. Whether you’re a mtb boss, a SUP diva, a bike commuter, or just ocean or 2wheeler curious, this is your happy hour. All proceeds support our women-identifying programming and scholarships! Check the calendar.

Gear Repair & Modification Night, Backcountry Essentials - From backpacking to mountaineering, gear wears out and breaks! Join Cascade Mountain Ascents and representatives from Gear Aid, Phenix Threads, and Larrabee Gearworks for a chat about gear care, repair, and modifications. 6:30 to 8:00 pm at Backcountry Essentials.

Thursday Music & Trivia →

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Hakuna matata

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Have a great Wednesday!!