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

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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

Remember the magic of a handwritten letter? In this two-session class with acclaimed writer Brenda Miller, you’ll explore the beauty and power of letters through both classic and modern voices, then try your hand at crafting your own in a supportive, creative space.

No experience needed, just curiosity and a story to tell. Come reconnect with a slower, more meaningful way to communicate. If registration appears closed, go ahead and click through, spots are still available.

Each year, I look forward to the release of the Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Annual Report by the Fish and Wildlife Department. Each year the prospect of wolves returning to Whatcom’s high country increases. On Friday, the 2025 report was announced.

The numbers in this year’s report show steady growth, with Washington’s wolf population rising 17 percent in 2025 after a slight dip the year prior. State and tribal biologists counted a minimum of 270 wolves across 49 packs, including 23 breeding pairs, the highest totals recorded to date. Six packs were newly formed or reestablished, including two in the North Cascades.

The South Cascades and our Northwest Coast region remain a gap, with no confirmed packs or breeding pairs. “This is despite collar data from a dispersing wolf and confirmed sightings of another indicating that at least two wolves had traveled through the area during the year,” said WDFW Wolf Biologist Trent Roussin.

Both of these wolves were south of us, but it’s not a jump to imagine an individual dispersing from the Mazama area and crossing into the North Cascades National Park. Practically in our backyard! 🐺

Here’s a cool opportunity for all the entrepreneurs out there. From early May through October, the port has two rotating container shops available in the waterfront Portal Container Village. Each reservation window is 13 days long, so there’s a chance to see how the community responds to your offering without much commitment. 🙂

It looks like about half the slots are still available. Mostly in the early and later ends of the season. You can find the list of dates here, and an FAQ with more details.

LOCAL READS

Getting the Show on the Road to Bellingham: Remembering Our Local History of Vaudeville Entertainment
By Anna Diehl · WhatcomTalk
From the late 1800s through the 1920s, vaudeville brought traveling acts like acrobats, animal trainers, and illusionists to Bellingham theaters such as The Grand and Mount Baker Theatre. Anna reports that the rise of motion pictures gradually replaced these performances, reshaping local entertainment. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

WWU’s Makerspace opens doors to all majors, fueling creativity across campus
By Allie Van Parys · WWU News
A campus lab originally designed for engineering students has become a cross-disciplinary hub where students experiment with tools ranging from vinyl cutters to industrial sewing machines. Allie explains that the space emphasizes accessibility and attracts a diverse group of users. Read more →

CIVIC CORNER

Monday
Ferndale City Council, 5:00 pm, City Hall Annex
Lynden City Council, 7:00 pm, Annex
Bellingham City Council Retreat, 9:00 am, Cordata Pavilion in Cordata Park
Incarceration Prevention & Reduction Task Force/Law & Justice Council, 9:00 am, County Council office

Thursday
Whatcom County Planning Commission, 6:00 pm, Portable Building
Bellingham Planning Commission, 6:00 pm, City Council Chambers

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

General
Adopt-A-Highway: Calling all Roadside Litter Hunters! Gather your friends and family and Adopt-A-Highway today. We have numerous 2-mile sections and ramps available. Email me at [email protected] for more information.

Wednesday
I & J Waterway: Join RE Sources at I & J Waterway to help ensure our beaches are clean and pollution stays out of Bellingham Bay. Register
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

Friday
Church Mountain: Join the Washington Trails Association for a chainsaw logout up Church Mountain. Chainsaws require a USFS Chainsaw Certification, other crew members may use handsaws to limb trees, or clear smaller branches. Register

Saturday
Squalicum Creek Re-Route: Remove invasive species to improve fish and wildlife habitat and help water quality near the Squalicum Creek Re-Route Project with the City of Bellingham and other community partners. Register
Church Mountain: Join the Washington Trails Association crew for a chainsaw logout up Church Mountain. Chainsaws require a USFS Chainsaw Certification, other crew members may use handsaws to limb trees, or clear smaller branches. Register
Baker Field trails: A community Scotch broom removal event led by Bronwyn Glor of the Point Roberts Park and Recreation District, the event is open to anyone interested in helping improve local park land. 10 am.

Uisce Irish Pub
Guffawingham (comedy) | Mon 8:30 pm

Mount Baker Theatre
Captain Nemo's Undersea Academy (storytelling) | Thurs-Sat

iDiOM Theater
All Our Tragic (theatre) | Thurs-Sat

Jansen Art Center
Swept Away (theatre) | Thurs-Sat

WinkWink
Pareidolia by Billie Fox (theatre) | Fri-Sun

New Prospect Theatre
The Great Refusal (theatre) | Fri-Sun

WWU DUG Theater
Failure: A Love Story (theatre) | Fri-Sun

BAAY
Seussical JR (theatre) | Fri-Sun

Firehouse Arts & Events Center
Bellingham Repertory Dance - Hindsight (dance) | Fri-Sun

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Salsa & Bachata - Viking Union - Mon 7 pm
Bellingham Embodiment Collective - Majestic Ballroom - Mon 6:30 pm
Contact Improv - Aikido Peace Education Center - Mon, class 5:30, jam 7 pm
Cuban Salsa - Cof& - Tues 6 pm
B’ham Hop - Crystal Ballroom - Tues 8 pm
Taster Tuesdays (hip hop) - Lost Giants Cider Co - Tues 6 pm
Country Night - Stemma West - Wed 6 pm
Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Revolution Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Foundations: Hip Hop, House, Shuffle - Lost Giants Cider Co. - Fri 6 pm
Dance Fusion - BSAC - Sat 10:30 am
Mainstream Square Dance - Ten Mile Grange - Sat 7:30 pm
Contra - Fairhaven Library - Sat 7 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 7:00 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sunday 10:30 am

Simon Llewelyn Evans performs at The Admiralty Lounge tomorrow, April 21, from 7 to 9 pm, bringing his work as a singer-songwriter shaped across Australia and the Pacific. Evans writes songs that move through themes of sexuality, loss, death, spirituality, and the intricacies of relationships.

Fiona Grey performs at The Shakedown tomorrow, April 21, joined by The Unknowns and Veronica North. Fiona is a People’s Popstar—a glam maximalist writing about grief, rage, love, and identity with campy flair. Her debut album Adult Tantrums, written after deep personal loss and trauma, transforms pain into dancefloor catharsis.

Music Monday at FireHouse Arts & Events Center features Wild Hearts tonight, April 20, from 3:30 to 5 pm. Formed after meeting at a Bellingham open mic, Kathy Bastow and Cathy Taylor bring a shared approach to songwriting and performance, blending originals with familiar material.

Monday Miles Run Club, Barkley Village Green – A 5:30 to 6:30 pm community run with optional 2 mile and 4 mile routes, designed for both new and experienced runners with a flexible, no pace format.

Monday Music & Trivia →

Bellingham Story Hour Live Story Share, New Prospect Theatre – A 6:30 to 8:30 pm community storytelling event where participants share personal stories around the theme of “personal heroes,” with opportunities for individuals and pairs to present.

Tuesday Music & Trivia →

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