The North West band is set to headline a seaside fest, capping off a week-long community arts event that promises to be a vibrant celebration of local culture and talent. This highly anticipated event will bring together a diverse array of activities, performances, and exhibitions, all culminating in a grand musical finale by the renowned band.
The festivities kick off with a unique New Year’s Day tradition at Lake Padden, where participants can take a chilly dip in the swimming area. This invigorating start to the year is complemented by a scenic walk or run around the lake’s 2.6-mile loop, perfect for those looking to jumpstart their New Year’s resolutions. Participants are encouraged to bring costumes, cameras, and a change of warm clothes to fully enjoy the experience, which is rounded off with hot cocoa, coffee, and snacks.
As the week progresses, local and regional makers will showcase their products in Downtown Bellingham. This event features pop-up tasting rooms where visitors can sample offerings from Chuckanut Bay Distillery and other local craft beverage producers. The tasting rooms are set up in historic buildings, adding a layer of cultural exploration to the experience. Attendees can sip, nosh, and learn about the rich history of the area while enjoying the local craft beverage scene.
Bird enthusiasts will flock to the Wings Over Water Birding Festival in Blaine, which celebrates the incredible variety of migratory birds that visit Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo Bay each winter and spring. The festival offers a day-long birding expo with free activities for the whole family, including wildlife demonstrations, bird viewing stations, exhibits, and craft vendors.
Film buffs will not want to miss the CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival in Bellingham. Founded in 2015, this festival is dedicated exclusively to showcasing films by women directors from around the world. The event includes film screenings, educational panel discussions, Q&A sessions with directors and industry professionals, a Script Studio, and social events where filmmakers and audience members can network.
The annual Ski to Sea Race is another highlight, featuring a 93.5-mile, 8-person relay that encompasses seven different sports. Starting from the snowfields of Mount Baker and ending at Bellingham Bay, the race includes downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, running, canoeing, bike riding, and kayaking. The Fairhaven Festival marks the finish line, offering live music, food, craft booths, and beer gardens. This event attracts both high-caliber athletes and teams seeking non-competitive adventure and fun.
Lynden’s Farmers Day Parade is a long-standing tradition that honors the agricultural industry’s impact on the community. The parade features a mix of commercial, agricultural, organizational, and community entries, including tractors, animals, antique cars, and traditional floats.
July brings the Northwest Raspberry Festival to Lynden, celebrating National Raspberry Month with a variety of family-friendly activities. Attendees can enjoy fresh raspberry sundaes, live jazz, sidewalk shopping, and kids’ activities like inflatable games and face painting. The festival also includes a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a raspberry pancake breakfast, a 5K fun run/walk, a car show, and wine tasting at a local raspberry farm.
Music lovers will appreciate the Bellingham Festival of Music, which features concerts by the Bellingham Festival Orchestra under the direction of maestro Marcelo Lehninger. The orchestra brings together principal players from major American and European orchestras to present classical music of the highest artistic excellence.
The Fourth of July is celebrated with various events, including the Bellingham 4th of July Celebration at Zuanich Point Park, which features arts and crafts, a kids’ zone, a beer garden, live music, and food vendors, culminating in a fireworks display over Bellingham Bay. Blaine’s Old Fashioned 4th Festival & Street Fair offers a pancake breakfast, a parade, an arts and crafts fair, live entertainment, and plenty of food. Semiahmoo Resort Golf and Spa also hosts a family-friendly beachside celebration with lawn games, arts and crafts, face painting, live music, and a beach barbecue, followed by fireworks.
Downtown Sounds, a series of free outdoor concerts, takes place in Bellingham’s Arts District. Held on Wednesdays from July to mid-August, the event features performances from popular bands, local food vendors, and a 21+ beverage garden.
The Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden is a six-day event that includes local ice cream, draft horse competitions, livestock judging, food and craft displays, a demolition derby, and nightly entertainment.
The Bellingham Traverse is a multi-sport event with a salmon theme, encouraging participants to “think like fish” as they navigate the course. The event includes a Greenways Run, Mountain Bike, Road Bike, Trail Run, Paddle, and Team TREK to the finish.
The Drayton Harbor Maritime Festival in Blaine offers a maritime-themed weekend with kids’ games, crafts, a scavenger hunt, a pirate costume contest, arts and crafts vendors, and more.
The Puget Sound Antique Tractor Show & Pull in Berthusen Park features threshing demonstrations, antique tractors, parades, and tractor pulls, showcasing farming techniques from the past.
Birch Bay Days and Crab Festival is a family-friendly event with a grand parade, arts and crafts fair, food vendors, kite flying, clamming, wakeboarding, and more.
The Noisy Waters Mural Festival in Bellingham brings together muralists for a weekend of live painting, demos, music, and parties. The public votes for their favorite pieces, with the top four artists receiving cash contracts to paint large murals in central Bellingham.
The Whatcom County Farm Tour offers a self-guided tour of over a dozen farms, featuring fresh flavors, local food explorations, and interactive activities.
Bellingham SeaFeast celebrates the region’s maritime culture, commercial fishing, and seafood industries with a waterfront festival in October.
The Holiday Port Festival in Bellingham’s Fairhaven district features performances by local choirs, orchestras, bands, and dance groups, along with family activities, horse-drawn wagon rides, and a gingerbread house contest.
The week-long community arts event will culminate with a seaside fest headlined by the North West band, promising an unforgettable experience for all attendees.
Source: Various sources
