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

The Mount Baker Theatre has offered another pair of tickets to a lucky Hamster Wheel reader! This time, they are for the Chris Botti show on Saturday. More on that below. 👇️ Submit your interest here and I’ll select one reader at random.

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

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Live at the Mount Baker Theatre

Chris Botti

Saturday, September 20th

Join Grammy-winning trumpeter Chris Botti, one of the most popular instrumentalists in the world for nearly three decades, at the Mount Baker Theatre for a soulful evening of acoustic jazz from his new album, Vol. 1.

With Gold and Platinum albums and performances alongside Sting, Lady Gaga, and Yo-Yo Ma, Botti’s heart-wrenching trumpet creates an elegant, genre-blending show filled with masterful musicianship and his signature flair for infusing the narrative of a song with vibrant emotion.

🎉 Ticket Giveaway 🎉 

The Mount Baker Theatre thoughtfully offered a pair of tickets for the upcoming Chris Botti performance 👆️. Submit your interest here and I’ll select a reader at random. The winner will receive an email on Thursday to look for tickets at MBT box office.

Weather Forecast

Wednesday: 74°F 🌡️ 55°F | ☀️ Sunny | 🌧️ 1% | 💨 SSW 7 mph

Thursday: 71°F 🌡️ 54°F | 🌤️ Mostly Sunny | 🌧️ 2% | 💨 WNW 1 to 6 mph

Moon Phases

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

The Lilt of Fiddles

Our first fall music festival of 2025, the Bellingham Celtic Festival, kicks off today and runs through Sunday, bringing Celtic music and culture to downtown Bellingham. Hosted by the Celtic Arts Foundation, the event takes place at eleven venues like Boundary Bay, Hotel Leo, and Uisce Irish Pub, with concerts and workshops, sing-alongs, and cultural gatherings. Most events are free and many are all ages.

Friday’s O’Carolan Session at Ono celebrates Ireland’s famed composer, while Saturday’s Celtic Festival Fair at Hotel Leo features bagpipe tryouts, a currach boat display, and a family ceili dance. Learn penny whistle from Hanz Araki or Irish language basics with Brian Ó hAirt, and join pub sings at Honey Moon. Celtic Arts Foundation members get 25% off ticketed events

All venues are within a six-block area of downtown, and can all be reached on foot. Find the full schedule on the festival website.

In other news…

🏴‍☠️ Hamster Wheel reader Amy Sible reached out this week to let us know that the Subdued City Rollers, an an all-gender, all-inclusive junior roller derby league for kids ages 5–18 (and still in high school), is looking for registrants for their upcoming season that starts in a couple of weeks.

Amy describes how “it’s a fantastic community for kids who are already athletic, as well as those looking for an alternative or first sport that feels very different from the typical mainstream options.” 

The group has three levels, each with a unique allowance for contact. Level 1 is available for beginners to learn the rules of roller derby alongside safe skating skills including falling and stopping. Level 2 includes controlled contact. And, level 3 is a full-contact roller derby, played at the same level as an adult team. New recruits are welcome every Sunday at the Lynden Skateway from 11 am to 1 pm.

🏞️ Bellingham Parks and Rec posted this week about upcoming improvements along the Boulevard Park Shoreline that will impact access to one of Bham’s most accessible recreational destinations.

The project will enhance the beaches to the southwest of the Woods Coffee both on the inside and outside of the Taylors Dock trail, mitigating “impacts from sea level rise, add[ing] new native plants, and improv[ing] the marine shoreline habitat for wildlife.” They worn that construction will impact parking access so plan ahead if you’re visiting during busy hours.

🏙️ The Bellingham Planning Commission meets tomorrow in the City Council Chambers at 6 PM. Attend in person or virtually. The commission will discuss Bellingham's Comprehensive Plan for Growth. See the agenda packet.

Food & Drink

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

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 Upfront Theatre
Various performances.

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Flow Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 6:30 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Movement - Presence Studio - Sun 10:30 am

Events & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

Feature an Event. Reach out.

FEATURED

See restoration history and help us maintain older sites at Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association’s Stream Team. 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. All materials and tools needed will be provided, all you need to bring is long pants and long-sleeved shirt, weather gear as appropriate, sturdy shoes, and a water bottle. Registration required.

Join Salish Current and Carl Bergstrom, Professor of Biology at the University of Washington, tonight at 6 pm for a conversation about AI - Modern Day Oracles or Bullshit Machines. Held at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, this event is part of Salish Current’s the Voices of the Northwest series. RSVP to save a spot.

Sonido Gallo Negro is a band from Mexico City going back to the roots of psychedelic tropical music with guitars, eccentric organs, analog synthesizers, theremin... they mix exotic rarity and esoterism which will alter your perception and force you to dance until you get exhausted. At The Shakedown tonight at 8 pm.

WEDNESDAY

Affinity Black & White Gala, Affinity at Bellingham - An evening of elegance, community and purpose. Guests are encouraged to wear black or white attire, creating a stunning visual of unity amidst soft lights and refined décor. Enjoy live jazz, curated beverages, handcrafted appetizers, and moving moments that honor the impact of the Affinity Cares program. The event is free but registration is required.

CJ Helekahi, Stones Throw Brewery - an evening of Hawaiian music, folk, and classic rock with Da Kine! Born and raised in Hana, Maui, CJ Helekahi brings the warm, soulful sounds of the islands to the Pacific Northwest, blending effortlessly with the talent of local artist Taran Ki’ihele Bowlby. 6-8 pm.

Wednesday Music & Trivia →

THURSDAY

Sparrow Blue with Energy Pyramid & Cat Positive, The Shakedown - Sparrow Blue was formed in St. Albert, AB, Canada with members Des Parks (vocals), Jon Dombroski (guitar), Liam Holm (drums), Russell McCann (percussion), Chad Plamondon (guitar) and Caden Doyle (bass). Inspired by the old school roots of Rock & Roll, Sparrow Blue has developed their own classic sound coining the term Real Thick Rock & Roll. With influences such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin and Mountain, the band’s hard-rock music and high-energy performances are sure to bring fire to any stage. Music starts at 9 pm.

Panel Discussion: Navigating a Career in Music, Bellingham Cruise Terminal - Don’t miss the final event in Salish Current’s Voices of the Northwest series. From 6pm to 8 pm, four musicians, Mars Lindgren, Nica (Veronica) Sendejas, Kevin Woods, Samantha Sinai, will discuss navigating a career in music. Grab tickets.

Thirsty Thursday, Kulshan Brewing K2 - Ditch the apps and meet IRL, Thirsty Thursday is Kulshan’s monthly singles night, happening every third Thursday from 6–9 PM at their Roosevelt (K2) taproom. Look forward to talking name tags, ice breakers, games, and great beer.

Thursday Music & Trivia →

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Have a great Wednesday!!