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. 📧

Step into retro-futurist spectacle at the Mount Baker Theatre for a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience. The 1924 silent sci-fi epic Aelita: Queen of Mars rockets from Soviet Earth to the Red Planet in a tale of revolution, romance, and avant-garde design. Featuring a vintage theremin, Aelita is brought to life by the renowned Filmharmonia Duo: Dennis James and Mark Goldstein.

Based on a novel by Aleksey N. Tolstoy and directed by filmmaker Yakov Protazanov, the film is a rare chance to see one of cinema’s earliest science-fiction adventures the way it was meant to be seen, on the big screen with live music and a sense of revolutionary wonder!

There are two nature-focused community activities this week that stood out to me. The first is an opportunity to learn about our largest native feline, and the second a chance to send off a school of Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) fry.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Carnivore Research Scientist, Brian Kertson is scheduled to present about Cougars in the PNW tomorrow night, March 26 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at Backcountry Essentials on North State. Brian will draw on two decades of field experience to share insights on cougar ecology and behavior, practical advice for staying safe while recreating, and a few stories of working up close and personal with Washington’s biggest native cat.

Also on Thursday, the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) and Bellingham Public Library are hosting the annual Community Salmon Release, where all those juvenile chum salmon that have been hanging out in the kids section of the library will be released into Whatcom Creek. This is a really fun family event with a salmon focused storytime after. Details on the library website.

LOCAL READS

Supporting Near East Relief in Whatcom County in the 1920s
By Jennifer Crooks · WhatcomTalk
In the 1920s, communities across Whatcom County formed relief committees and hosted events to aid displaced Armenians and other refugees in the Near East. Jennifer explains that volunteers raised funds through auctions, school programs, and national campaigns like “Golden Rule Sunday,” where families donated the cost of a simple meal. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Students and faculty join together to talk about AI
By Noelle Reger · The Front
A campus meeting organized by the Critical AI Literacies Collective examined how growing demand for artificial intelligence is driving energy and water use in large data centers. Noelle explains that participants also debated whether Western should adopt a university-wide AI policy or leave decisions to individual departments. Read more →

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday
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

Saturday
Lowell Park: Help the city steward this darling green space near Western Washington University. Get rid of invasive plants, add some native shrubs, and work to keep this park healthy and beautiful. Register

Sunday
Jensen Family Forest: Join the Land Trust and Whatcom Million Trees for a beautiful day at Jensen Family Forest near Custer, Washington, as they plant native trees and shrubs to enhance habitat. Register

ʻOno Kitchen & Bar
Comedy Night w. Taylor Clark (comedy) | Wed

The Claire Theatre
The Play That Goes Wrong (theater) | Thurs-Sun

New Prospect Theatre
William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (theater) | Fri-Sun

Options High School Theater
Firebringer (theater) | Fri-Sun

BAAY Theatre
Sweeney Todd (theater) | Fri-Sun

Mount Baker Theatre
Aelita: Queen of Mars (film) | Sun

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

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

Forest Stoke plays at Zeeks Pizza tomorrow, March 26 from 7 to 9 pm. The project of Skagit County musician Zach Hamer, Forest Stoke centers on folk and country songwriting with a multi-instrumental approach. Hamer has spent years touring and playing festivals, bringing a mix of original material and reinterpretations.

Lucky Lenny is an Americana band founded by bandleader, Shawn Dennehy, with over two decades of experience performing indie folk, bluegrass, and Americana. They play at Stones Throw tonight, March 25 at 6:00 pm.

The FireHouse Arts & Events Center hosts a John Prine Tribute Concert tomorrow, March 26 from 7 to 9 pm. The performance brings together local musicians Keith Carpenter, Lynne Givler, Geof Morgan, Julian Smedley, and Tara Caldwell to interpret songs from across Prine’s career, arranged to reflect the range of his songwriting. Ticket proceeds will support community members affected by recent flooding. Tickets

The Jerry Steinhilber Trio celebrates a new release at FireHouse Arts & Events Center tonight, March 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The trio, featuring Steinhilber on drums with King Dahl on bass and Josh Cook on sax, builds its sets around reinterpretations of jazz standards alongside original compositions.

Release! A Body-Mind Workshop, Karate Church – A 7:30 to 9:30 pm somatics workshop led by Nancy Smith-Watson, LMT using movement, breath, and touch to explore mind-body connection, with a focus on embodiment and awareness. Register

Bellingham Backcountry Meetup: Grief, Risk & the Nervous System, Kulshan Sunnyland Taproom – A 6 to 8 pm discussion featuring guide and resilience coach Brooke Edwards on how grief and lived experience influence perception, judgment, and decision-making in backcountry settings.

Wednesday Music & Trivia →

Janeé J. Baugher Book Talk, Village Books – A 6 to 7 pm reading and discussion of The Andrew Wyeth Chronicles, exploring poetry inspired by Wyeth’s paintings, with insight into ekphrastic writing and the artist’s inner life. Reserve a seat.

Bottom Fishing Seminar w/ FBC of San Juan Islands, West Marine – A 5:30 to 7 pm seminar covering halibut and lingcod fishing techniques, gear, local regulations, and seasonal strategies, with time for questions and community discussion.

Thursday Music & Trivia →

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