🐹 Sapsucker 🐦️🐦️

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

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

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Whatcom Weather

The Raindrop Report

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

Figure out who in the family is tackling the canoe leg, because registration for the 2026 Ski to Sea race opened yesterday, with the event organizers encouraging early registration. Last year, all spots were filled by mid February. Teams that register by January 31 will receive $50 off their entry fee.

New for 2026, the Veterans Division’s cumulative age requirement increases from 385+ to 410+, ensuring fairer competition among age categories while keeping last year’s participants eligible.

The Northwest Clean Air Agency has declared a Stage 2 burn ban for the Columbia Valley urban growth area (including the Peaceful Valley and Paradise Lakes developments) in Whatcom County. They note that “because cold, calm air is preventing harmful wood smoke from clearing out” and that “fine particles in wood smoke are harmful because they can be inhaled deeply into lungs and damage delicate tissues.” This ban prohibits all indoor and outdoor burning unless a woodstove is your only adequate heat source. It’s a work in progress, but you can check my Whatcom Air Quality page for current status.

Food & Drink

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Because it’s fun to be a lookie-loo

Crash an Open House

16 Southern Court (Open Sat 11-1 pm; Sun 1:30-3:30 pm)
Here’s a neat tree-house cabin style home on a cul-de-sac in the southern end of Sudden Valley. The vibe is very PNW. Check the photos to see what I mean. Listing.

835 Samish Way (Open Sun 1-3 pm)
Or, maybe you’re looking for almost 8,000 square feet of Tuscan Tudor estate! 😆 Wow!! I’m pretty sure you’ll end up with all your extended family living-in with all that space. Could be fun. Listing.

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

LIVE ARTS & FILM

FireHouse Arts & Events Center
Train Trip Dances (dance) | Fri

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 4:00 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm

Events & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

FEATURED

Stones Throw Brewery’s Bluegrass First Friday is tonight, January 2, from 6 to 8 pm, featuring the High Mountain String Band. A long-running Fairhaven favorite, the monthly series blends lively acoustic tunes with a relaxed community vibe, perfect for kicking off the weekend. The event is free, family-friendly, and pet-friendly, with outside food welcome.

The Bellingham Traditional Jazz Society is hosting an afternoon of classic New Orleans–style jazz with Bob Storms’ Bellingham Dixieland All Stars at the State Street VFW Hall on Saturday, January 3, from 2 to 5 pm. Featuring vocalist Nancy Button, the three-hour performance invites listeners and dancers to enjoy timeless swing rhythms in an all-ages setting.

Hopnotic brings their signature blend of jazz and funk to Aslan Depot this Friday, January 2, from 8 to 10 pm. The Bellingham-based quintet mixes original grooves with inspired covers from artists like The Meters and Medeski Martin & Wood, creating an upbeat, danceable night of live music. Admission is free.

Steve Itterly, Jan Peters, and Mark Hunter bring a rich mix of 1920s–30s blues and swing to the Admiralty Lounge tonight, January 2, from 7 to 9 pm. The trio blends acoustic fingerstyle guitar, harmonica, and upright bass for a warm, vintage sound steeped in rhythm and soul.

FRIDAY

The Karaoke Party, Wild Buffalo – Hosted by Lotionberry, this 21+ karaoke night invites singers to take the stage starting at 9 pm. Spin the Prize Wheel for a chance to win free show tickets, swag, and other surprises, with drink specials running all evening. Doors open at 8:30 pm, and admission is free.

Friday Music & Trivia →

SATURDAY

Play It Forward: Jammin’ to Help Flood Recovery, The Thirsty Badger – A full evening of live music and community support runs from 4 to 11 pm, raising funds for Whatcom Strong’s flood recovery efforts. The lineup includes Misty Flowers, Aspen Birchfield, 7 Second Window, and headliner Lost at Last. Donations are encouraged, with proceeds aiding local residents and farms impacted by December’s flooding.

Wild Hearts, Stones Throw Brewery – The folk-rock duo brings a warm, harmony-driven mix of covers and originals to Fairhaven from 6 to 8 pm. Their sound weaves together elements of folk, country, bluegrass, and rock, creating an evening of acoustic charm.

Saturday Music & Trivia →

SUNDAY

Sunday Spins: DJ Psychedelove, Stones Throw Brewery – From 6 to 8 pm, DJ Psychedelove curates a laid-back vinyl session celebrating psychedelic music and culture. The evening invites the community to gather, listen, and share books, posters, and other creative finds in a relaxed Fairhaven setting.

Sunday Music & Trivia →

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Hakuna matata

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