🐹 Tacoma Shoegaze 👠👠

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

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

Or, hit reply to send me photos via email. 📧

This Saturday marks the start of Whatcom Water Week, nine days of walks, tours, science programs, bike rides, and events built around the water systems and habitats we live alongside.

The week gets underway tomorrow, September 12, with the 14th annual Run with the Chums at BP Highlands near Blaine. The free 5K follows a course with views toward the county shoreline, and kids 10 and under can tackle a Smolt Sprint obstacle course. There’s still time to register so jump on it!

There is quite a bit for kiddos without having to commit to a scheduled program. StoryWalks will be posted all week along Taylor Dock, featuring Corinna Luyken's Hello, Ocean!, and at Little Squalicum Pier, featuring Nikki McClure's 1, 2, 3 Salish Sea. The Marine Life Center is also hosting a hands-on Science & Story Time for ages 2 to 5 on September 14, with fair warning that kids should come prepared to get messy. A librarian-led read-aloud of Hello, Ocean!, followed by nature crafts, is planned at Taylor Dock on September 17 for ages 3 to 8.

The week also offers a few chances to get behind the scenes of places we normally just pass by. City staff will lead an evening walk through the restored Little Squalicum estuary and pier, while separate tours will show how Bellingham turns Lake Whatcom water into drinking water and how roughly 12 million gallons of wastewater are cleaned each day at Post Point. The Whatcom Museum is even opening up the workings of the Lightcatcher building's green roof, where collected rainwater eventually finds its way to the toilets. Those are only a handful of the events, and the full Water Week schedule has dates, registration details, and the rest of the lineup.

Thirteen farms across Whatcom County will open their gates tomorrow, September 12, for the 19th annual Whatcom County Farm Tour. The free, self-guided tour runs from 10 am to 4 pm, with stops stretching from Bellingham and Ferndale out to Everson, Lynden, Custer, and Blaine. It is a chance to see some of the machinery, animals, greenhouses, fields, and people behind our local food system, including Washington’s largest aquaponic and indoor vertical farm, a dairy milking parlor, pasture-raised pigs, flower fields, and a farm that has been worked by the same family since 1903.

Each stop has its own wrinkle. Small Acres Farm will demonstrate how loofahs are harvested and washed, White Barn Floral Co. is offering dahlia demonstrations, and Fair Cow’s Path has a collection of cows, goats, geese, rabbits, chickens, a horse, and a couple of emus. Several farms will also have produce, meat, flowers, dairy products, and other goods for sale, so bringing a cooler is not a bad idea. One practical note: pets need to stay home because of farm biosecurity and livestock safety. Register to participate.

Bellingham City Club has posted the full video from the first installment of its 2026 Election Forums, held August 26. The forum featured candidates for 40th Legislative District Representative, Position 1, and 42nd Legislative District Representative, Position 1, along with pro and con discussions on two statewide ballot measures dealing with high-income taxation and sex-verification requirements for female school sports. The full recording is below. It’s a well run forum with fascinating discussions. Well worth a listen. 👇

There is more election-season programming ahead. Election Forums Part 2 is scheduled for September 23, with candidates for 42nd Legislative District Representative, Position 2, Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney, and 42nd Legislative District Senator. Then on October 2, the City Club and Whatcom County Bar Association will hold a special forum for Washington Supreme Court candidates. Tickets are currently available for both events, with September 20 the deadline for Part 2 and September 28 for the Supreme Court forum.

LOCAL READS

Opinion: Lummi Nation offers model for county’s path to behavioral health, justice
By Dan Hammill · Cascadia Daily News
Whatcom County’s planned Behavioral Care Center would serve people with pending charges and others needing behavioral health care, separate from the new jail. Dan explains why he sees Lummi Nation’s newly opened ShoqweL Ya’ LhaoLh-ew’xw withdrawal and stabilization center as a nearby example of patient-centered, recovery-focused care. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Lummi Island: Aiston Preserve’s Legacy
By Tori Lehman · Whatcom Watch
More than a decade after the Lummi Island Heritage Trust purchased a heavily mined quarry, Aiston Preserve now includes restored shoreline, walking trails, and recovering native habitat. Tori explains how local residents challenged permit violations and helped secure the funding and volunteer work needed to begin repairing the site. Read more →

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Thursday-Friday
Olsen Creek: Help Washington Trails Association implement a multi-use recreation opportunity just outside of Bellingham. Thursday, Friday

Saturday
Salish Coast Trail: Join Recreation Northwest Trails Coalition for trail work along the Salish Coast Trail at Interurban. You will remove invasive species and litter, spread mulch or wood chips, plant native plants, and learn stewardship practices in partnership with the City of Bellingham. Register

Everson Goshen Rd (Fri-Sun 9 am)
If you’re a glassware collector, or you’re on the hunt for old Tupperware, this sale looks like a goldmine of goodies. 😁

2216 Elizabeth Street (Open Sat 11-12 pm)
I’ve always thought the row of mid-century homes on the west side of Elizabeth Park was an ideal mix of big old neighborhood charm, with the cozy little cottage homes. This one’s a gem. Brick exterior, sweet interior. Step out the front door for Thursday Music in the Park! Listing

1080 Victoria Street, Sumas (Open Sat 1-4 pm)
How rad is this! A gigantic log cabin, with rustic interior to match. It sits on a fenced half acre that’s just screaming for a pack of dogs, or a herd of miniature fainting goats. 🐐 Listing

Mercato delle Bontà
Jokes on the Waterfront Starring Nathan Hart (comedy) | Fri 8:00 pm

Lucas Hicks Auditorium
The Lament of Morin, Mumphries, Halstom, and Rose (theatre) | Fri, Sat

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Beginner Ballet - Karate Church - Sat 10 am
Beginner Contemporary - Karate Church - Sat 11:30 am
Dance Fusion - BSAC - 10:30 am
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sun 10:30 am

Tacoma’s Modern Daze comes to Karate Church tonight, September 11, for an all-ages bill with Stareway and Mount Vernon band Surreal. Modern Daze blends shoegaze, emo, grunge, and dream pop, and the Bellingham stop lands just two weeks after the release of its debut full-length, Phantom Memory, recorded in a Tacoma living room.

Lucas Treptow and Josh Moore share a bill tonight at Honey Moon, September 11, from 8 to 10 pm. Treptow is an Eastern Oregon-based Americana and folk songwriter who performs as a one-man band, handling guitar, harmonica, kick drum, tambourine, and vocals while mixing original songs with covers and stories. Moore joins him for the Bellingham stop, part of a short run of Pacific Northwest dates the two are playing together.

The Whatcom County Dahlia Society will fill the Bloedel Donovan Park Gym with its annual Dahlia Show this Saturday, September 12, from noon to 5 pm and Sunday, September 13, from 10 am to 4 pm. Growers from novice through open divisions will show blooms in a wide range of forms and sizes, along with collections and floral arrangements. This year’s schedule includes a People’s Choice class, special Flower of the Year entries, and arrangements built around an “America the Beautiful” theme. Awards are presented Sunday at 3:30 pm.

Tower of Power brings 58 years of funk and soul to the Mount Baker Theatre on Friday, September 11, at 7:30 pm. Formed in Oakland in 1968, the band built its sound around a tightly arranged horn section, deep grooves, and songs including “What Is Hip?,” “So Very Hard to Go,” and “You’re Still a Young Man.” tickets

Gráinne Hunt brings her queer nu-folk songwriting to the FireHouse tomorrow, September 12, from 7 to 9 pm. The Irish singer-songwriter will perform as a duo with Nashville’s Jules Stewart on drums and vocals, pairing Hunt’s guitar-led songs with harmony and percussion.

Meet the Artists, Whatcom Art Market – A free reception from 5 to 8 pm brings together more than 50 local artists for conversation, art demonstrations, and a look at work from across the market.

Improv & Dragons, The Upfront Theatre – Improvisers take on a fantasy quest at 9 pm, with audience members rolling d20s to steer the heroes through strange lands, dangerous foes, and whatever the dice decide. Tickets

New Moon Sound Bath, FireHouse Arts & Events Center – A guided sound bath from 7 to 8 pm offers an hour of restorative relaxation, with participants encouraged to bring a yoga mat or thick padding and a small pillow. Tickets

Trackside Oktoberfest, Trackside Beer Garden – A free 5 to 9 pm Oktoberfest gathering features live music from The Hot Tomatoes, a stein-holding contest, Festbier from the cask, and German-style food from Our Dog Days.

Friday Music & Trivia →

Creative Corner Market, East Chestnut Street & Railroad Avenue – Local artists and makers gather from 10 am to 2 pm with jewelry, art, teas, vintage clothing, glass art, and other handmade goods.

Allene Halliday: Diary of a Dancin’ Girl, Village Books – Halliday shares stories from 3 to 4 pm about breaking into show business as a teenager, performing at Seattle’s Showbox, and touring vaudeville stages across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Francie Allen: Love, Sex, and Dementia, Village Books – Bellingham author Francie Allen discusses her memoir from 6 to 7 pm, tracing a late-in-life love story through sexuality, spirituality, loss, and a partner’s Alzheimer’s disease. Reserve a seat

Friends Over 50 Senior Festival, Van Zandt Community Hall – A noon to 4 pm gathering for Whatcom County seniors features information and resources alongside food, vendors, and live music by Breanna Anderson and friends.

Lynden Whiskey Event, Downtown Lynden – A 4 pm to midnight tasting walk features local distilleries, five tasting tokens, live music including headliner Nite Wave, an outdoor beer garden, and an afterparty at Encore Lounge.

Saturday Music & Trivia →

Tours of the Roeder Home, Roeder Home – Guided tours at 1, 2, and 3 pm explore the 1910 home of Victor Roeder, with groups limited in size and admitted first come, first served.

Mt. Baker Hill Climb, Glacier to Artist Point – A 7 am cycling climb covers roughly 22 miles and 4,462 feet of elevation gain from Chair 9 in Glacier to Artist Point. Details

Sunday Music & Trivia →

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