🐹 Speedy Poultry 🐔🐔

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

Walking through the Columbia Neighborhood the other night a group of large swift-like birds flew overhead. Ten’ish inch wingspan and a white strip across each wing front to back about mid wing. I’m very curious what they are. Email me an ID if your bird IQ is higher than mine.

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

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Weather Forecast

Friday: 75°F 🌡️ 57°F | 🌤️ Mostly Sunny | 🌧️ 5% | 💨 SW 2 to 8 mph

Saturday: 71°F 🌡️ 57°F | ⛅ Partly Sunny | 🌧️ 6% | 💨 SSW 7 mph

Sunday: 72°F 🌡️ 57°F | ⛅ Partly Sunny | 🌧️ 18% | 💨 SSW 2 to 7 mph

Moon Phases

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

Stomping Through Sunnyland

This Saturday, July 19th, is the Sunnyland’s annual free-ranging celebration of the talent and creativity hiding behind the garden gates of the neighborhood. This year’s Sunnyland Stomp includes 35 homes and businesses throughout the hood. Check the map page to find them all.

Adding to the fun, the semi-annual Chicken Races are back at the stomp this year. Want to bring your feathered friend to compete. There’s a registration page for that. Or, just show up at Memorial Park at noon with the rest of us to cheer on some speedy poultry. 🐔 

The Stomp has been running an impressive 16 years with just a few off during the pandemic. It was founded by Alice Clark, “who was inspired to organize an event in her own neighborhood after attending a similar summer celebration while traveling in Scandinavia.”

In other news…

🍦 Today kicks off the The Northwest Raspberry Festival in Lynden. Organized by the Lynden Chamber of Commerce, the festival celebrates Whatcom County’s role as the top producer of raspberries in the United States, with happenings through Saturday afternoon.

Today’s events include a basketball tournament, kids scavenger hunt, raspberry wine tasting, and farm tours. Tomorrow look for a raspberry pancake breakfast, classic cars and trucks, and a street fair. Find the full schedule here.

🦪 Clam Digging alert!! The Whatcom County Health and Community Services department has posted an advisory that unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning biotoxin have been detected in the Birch Bay area.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning is no joke. Cooking doesn’t kill it and the symptoms include “tingling of fingers and toes and then loss of control of arms and legs, followed by difficulty in breathing.” Eat enough and “muscles of the chest and abdomen become paralyzed, including muscles used for breathing.” 🙀 Use this interactive map to see what beaches are closed for shellfish harvest.

⛏️ Volunteer Opportunities This Weekend: There’s one outdoor work party this weekend.

• Maple Creek Reach: Join continued restoration efforts at Whatcom Land Trust owned Maple Creek Reach! With breathtaking views along the North Fork of the Nooksack River and frequent eagle sightings, this is a volunteer favorite. But there's still work to be done, and LOTS of invasive Scotch broom to remove! Details & Registration.

Garage & Estate Sales

Your Source For Vintage Can Openers

1116 Roland St (Fri, Sat, 8 am)
This looks like a good one! Lot’s of fun household goodies, plus someone is a rockhound or has the lapidary bug. Gobs of rocks and crystals. 🙂 My kind of garage sale. map

110 Carter Dr (Fri noon, Sat, Sun, 9 am)
This one’s called the Eccentric Old Lady Garage Sale. Love it!! Vintage clothing, Costumes, Fancy Shoes (size 10 ladies), lamps, Vintage and velvet fabrics, Past make, juicer, Apt size under counter Dishwasher, Art Supplies/Paper, very unique items…not your average yard sale! map

• 1715 Eagleridge Dr, Fri, Sat, 8 am, map

• 1964 E. Hemmi Rd., Fri, Sat, Sun 9 am, map

• 92 Jerome St., Fri, Sat, Sun 9 am, map

• 209 Liberty Street, Lynden, Sat, 9 am, map

• 3802 James St, Sat, 9 am, map

• 2418 Ellis Street, Sat 9 am, map

• 2112 wildflower court, Sat 9 am, map

• 2217-36th St, Sat, Sun, 9 am, map

• 3820 Fielding Avenue, Sat, Sun, 10 am, map

Bellingham Dockside Market

Seafood From The Salish Sea

The Bellingham Dockside Market is open tomorrow (Saturday), from 10 AM to 2PM at GATE 5 in Squalicum Harbor.

FRESH AT DOCKSIDE

Crab Bellingham
💙(Fresh) Local surf smelt

Drayton Harbor Oyster Co
💙(Fresh) Pacific oysters, 💙(Fresh) Taylor Shellfish clams and mussels

Fifth Generation Fisheries
💙(Fresh) Fresh troll-caught WA whole king salmon

Jean C Family Fisheries
💙(Fresh) Whole WA black cod, 💙(Fresh) WA Dungeness crab

Lummi Seafood Market
💙(Fresh) Live local spot prawns, 💙(Fresh) Live local sea cucumber, 💙(Fresh) Live Dungeness crab

Sea to Shore Seafood Co.
💙(Fresh) Alaskan sockeye: h/g whole and portions

Food & Drink

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Because it’s fun to be a lookie-loo

Crash an Open House

2046 E Smith Road (Open Sat 11-1 pm)
Okay, this property is amazing! A HUGE pond in front of the house, trails, a workshop, tree forts, hot tub, and a gorgeous log cabin style home. It would feel like fancy summer camp all year round. Love it!! Listing.

1605 Donovan Avenue (Open Sat 10-1 pm)
This 1950s built craftsman is a southside beauty. Someone has taken extraordinary care of this home, both inside and out. Check the photos on the listing to see what I mean. 🙂 And, the gardens are lovely. Listing.

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

LIVE ARTS & FILM

BAAY @ New Prospect Theatre
Our Town | Fri, Sat 7pm, Sat, Sun 2pm

FireHouse Arts & Events Center
Bellingham TheaterWorks Summer Repertory Theatre
Translations | Fri 7:30 pm
The Foreigner | Sat 7:30 pm
The Language Archive | Sun 5:00 pm

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances.

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 8:00 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

Thank you to Hamster Wheel reader Madra Airgid for pointing out that the Acme Diner has an amazing roster of live music! I’ll be adding these performances to the music list moving forward. 🎼 Today, July 18th, Monica and the Puppy Wranglers will be covering a spectrum of artists, ranging from The Zombies to John Prine to The Beatles, and more. Tunes start at 6 pm.

Yogoman Burning Band is a 7 piece dance band led by singing drummer Jordan Rain/Yogoman who play infectious original Jamaica - New Orleans Dance Riddims and more, with a positive message friendly to all ages and a groove that is undeniable. Head on down to the Boundary Bay beer garden at 7 pm on Saturday for a live show celebrating their 20th Bandiversary at the location Yogoman started the band 20 years ago.

FRIDAY

Sounthside Comedy Hour w. Rickie Aflleje, Corner Taphouse - Enjoy a night of laughter at the Corner Taphouse. Grab a drink, sit back, and enjoy the show! This month’s star is Richie Aflleje, the feature is Thor Askdahl and the opener is Doris DeSouza. Grab tickets.

Adrian Xavier & Ska Island, Boundary Bay Brewery - With 3 albums and nearly 20 album collaborations, Adrian Xavier has established himself as a performer of musical depth and dimension. Blending solid reggae dub sounds into genre-bending projects, he has created music that delivers inspiration to listeners of all tastes. Ska Island is a collection of musicians from around the Salish Sea exploring the roots of ska, reggae, & rocksteady. In the Beer Garden from 8 to 11 pm.

Friday Music & Trivia →

SATURDAY

Local Crafter’s Market, Bellis Fair Mall - Hosted by The Cusp Creative, this handmade market will feature up to 30 local vendors offering unique, handcrafted goods you won’t want to miss. Come shop local and support small businesses from 11 am to 3 pm.

Creating a Meadow Garden, Garden Spot Nursery - transform your garden into a haven for pollinators! Discover how to design a vibrant pollinator habitat that attracts and supports bees, butterflies, moths, and other pollinators. Explore the specific needs of pollinators, native plant selection, the importance of diverse plantings, and effective strategies for creating a thriving and joyful pollinator habitat. Class is free. Sign up at the register.

Saturday Music & Trivia →

SUNDAY

Vietnam Veterans Car Show, Barkley Village Green - The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #165 is hosting the 14th annual Vietnam Veterans car show on from 10am to 3pm.

Fix-it Fair, Ohio Street Workstudios - There will be clothing mending, knife sharpening, jewelry repair, small appliance repair and shoe polishing! All repairs are done free or by donation. These volunteers can fix everything from your kid’s favorite stuffy to your KitchenAide. From noon to 3 pm. Details.

PNW Drives Mt. Baker Rally, 401 Harris Ave - This year's Mt. Baker Rally is the 6th annual road trip to Artist Point. Start at Fairhaven Park then head down Chuckanut Drive, Hwy 9, Hwy 542, then the rest of the way up the mountain. Meetup begins at 10 am. Details.

Sunday Music & Trivia →

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Hakuna matata

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Have a great weekend!!