Events in Whatcom County, WA

Morning Buzz brings young professionals together over coffee for networking, shared updates, and conversation sparked by a thought-provoking question about professional and personal growth. It offers a chance to build relationships and gain new perspectives. Those considering involvement with Whatcom Young Professionals may attend up to three times as a guest.

Bill Nye presents a live conversation focused on making science approachable and fun. An educator, engineer, television host, comedian, inventor, and New York Times bestselling author, he co-created and hosted the Emmy-winning 1990s program Bill Nye the Science Guy, which inspired generations to explore how the world works. The talk spans topics reflected in his books, including space and planetary science, climate change, environmental issues, current developments in science, and insights from his years in television and education.

Share what you are currently reading and hear about new titles from other members at this choose-your-own-style book club. Participants introduce one another to books they may enjoy. An optional monthly reading challenge offers a theme for finding your next read.

The opening reception of The Nature of Becoming features the work of five artists: Sam Chapman, Sheri TenEyck, Lisa Dailey, Carol Berry, and Nanci Price Scoular. With four different mediums and no prescribed way to view the works, visitors can follow what draws their attention, make their own connections, and revisit their impressions.

Browse a wide variety of vendors at this holiday craft fair, with food trucks, a bake sale, and music by the Ferndale Band.

Inspired by the shimmer of the Northern Lights, this holiday preview fills the shop with cozy ideas and the season’s newest arrivals, plus treats to enjoy. Get an early look at a special Northern Lights colorway exclusive to the event, explore the Wool and Wick Holiday Edition, and browse new holiday yarns with project ideas. Thoughtfully selected gift options for knitters, crocheters, and other makers make seasonal giving easier. This preview offers a chance to spark ideas for handmade presents or plan the next creative project in a festive atmosphere.

Explore a market featuring local artisans and discover something special.

Celebrate Nordic heritage with baked goods, vendors, and entertainment throughout the day. The festivities include a Norwegian café, a Scandinavian bakery, Nordic gifts and crafts, and a bunad parade. Admission is $5, and children under 12 are admitted free.

Enjoy outdoor dancing with friends in the fresh air and an ocean view as the sun sets over Bellingham Bay. A varied playlist is transmitted to provided headphones, with equipment available on a first-come, first-served basis. People of all shapes, sizes, colors, genders, sexual identities, ages, and abilities are welcome. Wear comfortable clothes and footwear, and dress for the weather. The experience invites you to move in whatever way feels right, let go of judgment, and share in music, movement, and the sunset. Donations are welcome.

Guitarist Frank Vignola teams up with rising jazz guitar star Pasquale Grasso for an intimate, one of a kind collaboration that offers a distinctive musical experience.

Enjoy a gentle, playful yoga class suitable for all experience levels, with plenty of time to play with adorable puppies. This collaborative event supports local dog adoption and positive-reinforcement training, while offering an approachable way to move and reset. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Happy Tails Happy Homes.

Explore the Roeder Home on a tour of a storied residence built in 1910 for community leader Victor Roeder, who was born on Bellingham Bay in 1861. The house and its grounds were later given to Whatcom County for public use, preserving a piece of local history. Tours are offered in partnership by the Whatcom County Historical Society and Whatcom County Parks and Recreation. Group sizes are limited and participation is available on a first come basis. Street parking is available and accessible parking is located behind the building.

Take part in a restorative breath and sound session led by Kristi Moseley at Cordata Park Pavilion. The practice focuses on soothing the nervous system and aims to leave participants feeling refreshed, peaceful, and connected. The fee is $28 and pre-registration is required.

Bellingham Script Studio meets at New Prospect Theatre for a free, hands-on screenwriting session open to local writers at any stage. The focus is on sharing pages, hearing them read aloud, and receiving thoughtful feedback in a supportive, writer-centered environment. Each session features up to three scripts, with a limit of fifteen pages per script, including shorts or excerpts from features. Scripts are read in the order they are received. To be placed in the queue, submit pages in professional screenwriting format to joshua.krenz@gmail.com. When your turn comes up, bring printed copies for each character and one copy for narration. Actors provide cold readings of the roles, giving writers a chance to hear their work while actors practice their cold reading skills. New participants are welcome, and producers, directors, and actors are encouraged to attend. There are also opportunities to connect with other creatives.

At Village Books in Fairhaven, author Donna Miscolta talks with Jane Wong about Ofelia and Norma, a novel that follows twin sisters as they navigate identity, body shame, and the strain on their bond in a culture that stigmatizes larger bodies. In community college, Ofelia’s solitary walks unexpectedly change her body, and Norma feels their likeness slipping away. Norma transfers to a new school, and each sister faces the world on her own. Ofelia later pursues intentional weight loss that spirals into disordered eating until a frightening treadmill mishap prompts a reset. She leaves the family home, while their mother Lyla, often at a loss emotionally, remains behind. Norma finds refuge in the campus pool, then a troubling incident pushes her inward. The sisters keep their experiences private, the distance between them grows, and they move into careers apart, until a gentle reconnection leads to shared truths and to Ofelia’s promise to help seek justice for what Norma endured. Donna Miscolta is the author of four works of fiction, including Ofelia and Norma from Regal House Publishing. Her earlier books have earned recognition such as a 2020 Latino Book of the Year listing, the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Multicultural Fiction, an Independent Publisher Book Award for Best Regional Fiction, two International Latino Book Awards, and finalist honors for the Washington State Book Award. Her writing appears widely in journals and anthologies, most recently in Mixed Roots, edited by Anne Liu Kellor. A recording of her work is included in the Library of Congress PALABRA Archive, and she also blogs about writing, reading, and life in Spain. Jane Wong is the author of the memoir Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City and the poetry collections How to Not Be Afraid of Everything and Overpour. A Kundiman fellow and Pushcart Prize recipient, she has held fellowships and residencies with the U.S. Fulbright Program, Harvard’s Woodberry Poetry Room, Artist Trust, Hedgebrook, UCross, Loghaven, and the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund. Her interdisciplinary installations and performances have appeared at the Frye Art Museum, Richmond Art Gallery, and the Asian Art Museum. She grew up in a take-out restaurant on the Jersey shore and is an Associate Professor at Western Washington University.

Jenna is a small town waitress with a remarkable gift for pies, and she channels her complicated feelings into creations like The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie and Betrayed By My Eggs Pie. When a baking competition in a nearby county presents a possible way forward, and a meaningful new connection enters her life, she must decide whether to reach for a new beginning and shape her own recipe for joy. This comic Broadway musical is powered by a notable creative team, with original songs by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles, known for Brave and Love Song, a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson of I Am Sam, choreography by Lorin Latarro with credits including Mrs. Doubtfire and Chess, and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus, whose work includes 1776, Jagged Little Pill, and Pippin.

Readers meet at Village Books in Fairhaven for a discussion of “Goodbye Russia” by Fiona Maddocks, offering a chance to share perspectives and questions about the book.

Jenna waits tables and is a whiz with pies, all while longing to leave her small town and a troubled marriage behind. She channels her feelings into playful desserts that mirror her life, including a key lime creation about chasing happiness and a cheeky pie inspired by heartbreak. When a nearby baking competition and an unexpected spark with someone new hint at a clean slate, she must decide whether to follow her own recipe for joy. This laugh-filled Broadway favorite is powered by a pioneering creative team, with original songs by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles, a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson, choreography by Lorin Latarro, and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus.

Henry Diltz: Behind the Lens highlights the legacy of a photographer whose images helped define the music scene of the 1960s and 1970s. With an unobtrusive, candid approach, he created more than 250 album covers, including The Doors’ Morrison Hotel, and captured thousands of promotional images and intimate moments with artists such as the Eagles, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, America, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, The Monkees, and David Cassidy.

Enjoy a free, all-ages evening of games and community connection. Bring a favorite board, card, or tabletop game to share, or come ready to learn something new. Free pizza slices are available while supplies last, and guests are welcome to bring dinner or snacks.

Alex Cameron brings his sleaze pop sound to The Shakedown in Bellingham, performing alongside Josh da Costa. Tickets are $20 when purchased in advance and $25 on the day of the show.

Applications are available for the Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair. For an application, contact Scott Sahagian. Please be cautious of scammers requesting money and do not send them payment.

Get hands-on in the soil at a monthly Weed and Feed in the Chuckanut Center garden. Participants connect with fellow gardeners, learn practical maintenance techniques, and pitch in on projects that support a garden that shares fresh produce each year. Each month features focused tasks around the house, property, and garden, with plenty of hard work balanced by shared laughs. After the work session, a meal prepared by Chuckanut Center volunteers and board members is served. Tools, gloves, and on-site guidance are provided, and the event is open to everyone.

Designer Jamie Lomax visits Apple Yarns to inspire makers who enjoy colorwork and playful design. Her approach turns simple stitches into bold, modern, wearable pieces, and this appearance offers a welcoming space for fiber friends to connect. Whether someone is deep into a current WIP or just beginning to explore colorwork, there is an opportunity to learn, share ideas, and spark creativity for winter stitching.

Revisiting Creedence brings the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival to the stage, led by Dan McGuinness on lead vocals and Kurt Griffey on lead guitar. Both musicians toured with original CCR members Stu Cook and Doug “Cosmo” Clifford as part of Creedence Clearwater Revisited, building a close connection to the songs. With Cook and Clifford now retired from touring, McGuinness and Griffey carry the legacy forward in concert, presenting the Creedence catalog with the seasoned musicianship, experience, and pedigree developed alongside the originals.

Centered on a twist-filled mystery by New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance, this event spotlights private investigator J. P. Beaumont as he teams up with Twinkle Winkleman, a tough, sharp-witted mechanic who refuses to ignore danger. After young women from Anchorage begin vanishing when they travel to Seattle for so-called internships, authorities in both cities brush off Twinkle’s concerns, prompting her to call on Beaumont. Their search stretches from Alaska to Washington and uncovers a scheme more treacherous than they imagined, as they work to halt the abductions and bring the missing home. Jance is known for the J. P. Beaumont, Joanna Brady, and Ali Reynolds series, has written six thrillers about the Walker Family, and has published a volume of poetry. She was born in South Dakota, grew up in Bisbee, Arizona, and lives in Seattle with her husband.

A benefit concert supports JP Falcon Grady, who was recently hospitalized and unable to perform for a time. Proceeds will go directly to him to help cover recovery-related expenses. The program features performances by JP Falcon Grady, Chuck Dingee, Guitars and Gratitude, Tracy Spring, and Beverly Hoback. No ticket is needed, and donations will be accepted.

Connect with others in the community during an informal drop-in social hour at the library. Enjoy coffee or tea, chat, or play one of the available games.

Epic Structures, Scarlett Star, and California Death Worm team up for a high-energy night of rock, grunge, and post hardcore. Advance tickets are $10, with admission $15 on the day of the show.

Allied Arts of Whatcom County presents its long-running holiday market, featuring nearly one hundred artists and craftspeople. The festival supports the creation and sale of locally made fine art and crafts while creating opportunities for artists to connect with the public. Weekend programming includes music and children’s art workshops.

Electronic artist Jai Wolf brings a one-of-a-kind live experience shaped by nostalgia-tinged melodies. Counted among the genre’s most sought-after acts in recent years, he has surpassed half a billion streams, sold hundreds of thousands of tickets, and earned an RIAA Gold certification for the single Indian Summer. His debut album, The Cure To Loneliness, arrived on Mom + Pop and made its mark on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart, setting the tone for an immersive performance.

Ethnobotany explores how people and plants intersect in daily life, from food and medicine to building materials and cultural meaning. This session is the second class in the Ethnobotany Immersion Program offered by Raven's Roots Naturalist School, focusing on preserving roots and practical fermentation techniques. The wider program meets one weekend per month from March through December 2026 and combines classroom learning with field trips. Each weekend costs $300 and includes about 15 hours of instruction, materials, and the camping fee.

Bellingham Theatre Guild hosts a volunteer orientation that introduces the many departments that keep productions running, from backstage crews to front of house. The session is open to anyone interested in getting involved and includes a guided tour of the Guild’s historic building. Completing a volunteer interest form ahead of time is appreciated, though participation does not depend on it.

Village Books in Fairhaven hosts author Priscilla Long for a conversation on the practice and principles of craft centered on her new books On Spaces and Colors and The Writer's Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life, Third Edition. On Spaces and Colors considers how places, colors, and the systems that shape them influence daily experience, offering fresh ways to pay attention and move through the world with curiosity. The newest edition of The Writer’s Portable Mentor broadens hands-on guidance from sentence-level artistry to structuring stories, essays, and books, introduces forms such as the enumeration and the abecedarian, adds new model sentences and paragraphs, and updates advice on sharing work through current publishing and blogging. Long’s work has appeared in The Hudson Review, The Southern Review, and The American Scholar, and her honors include a National Magazine Award along with multiple essays recognized as notable in Best American Essays. She is the author of nine books, including Cartographies of Home: Poems and On Spaces and Colors, holds an MFA from the University of Washington, and grew up on a dairy farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Straight No Chaser, the nine-member a cappella ensemble closely tied to holiday music, brings its seasonal sound back to the stage. For more than two decades, the group has helped define this time of year, getting audiences on their feet and into the spirit. Fans return annually to their favorites, waiting for that moment when the music signals the season has begun. This tour travels across the U.S. from October through December, serving up a generous helping of holiday tunes with plenty of festive energy.

This program marks the debut of the BSO’s new piano and features Kurt Weill’s Symphony No. 2, Fantaisie symphonique, a bold, forward-looking score widely regarded as a masterpiece of orchestral Expressionism, alongside Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18. Rachmaninoff’s plaintive themes evolve into exuberant joy, brought vividly to life by the artistry of Angel Stanislav Wang.

Following a tremendous response in 2025 when Bellingham hosted the finals, MBT presents the climactic showdown of the 46th annual Seattle International Comedy Competition, the largest touring comedy festival in North America. Five finalists, chosen from hundreds of contenders and sharpened by performances in clubs across the Northwest, compete for glory and a substantial prize. Audience input helps decide the champion, and the winner is announced live on the MBT Main Stage. Expect quick-hitting sets and an evening packed with laughs as these comics give it everything in the final round.

A family friendly holiday bazaar at the Assumption Catholic School Gym features more than 40 vendors and plenty of seasonal activities. Browse the bake sale and concessions, explore a used book sale, and capture memories at a free family photography station along with professional Santa photos. Kids can get creative with crafts, and a Christmas tree exhibit adds to the festive atmosphere, with more to experience throughout.

Whatcom Uchiumi Taiko performs at the Holiday Port Festival, a free, family friendly celebration at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal. The group appears on only one day of the festival and the performance time is to be determined.

Learn about the educational programs, campus resources, and pathways to college available through Whatcom Community College. Staff will be on hand to answer questions, provide one-on-one guidance, help with applications, and connect community members with support services to help them plan their next steps.

Mount Baker Theatre welcomes the return of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas from founder Chip Davis. The Grammy-winning composer and producer has crafted a production built around the group’s holiday favorites and the signature Mannheim sound. A 15-piece ensemble performs on more than 20 instruments while vivid multimedia elements fill the stage, creating an experience that feels immersive yet intimate. Celebrating more than four decades as a seasonal staple, this concert shares the spirit of the holidays through masterful musicianship and sparkling visuals.

Shop for the holiday season at this free, family-friendly market featuring local vendors, holiday treats, and an annual ugly sweater contest with prizes from local businesses.

At Mount Baker Theatre, a festive program marks more than ten years of Holiday Magic, led by returning conductor Dr. Ryan Dudenbostel. The performance spotlights How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, features baritone Richard Hodges and the BSO Chorus, and includes a range of holiday favorites.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical, The Wiz returns to Bellingham, Washington with an all new tour. Fresh from Broadway, this production brings the musical back to stages across the United States.

Experience a candlelit concert of Christmas carols on strings at Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, performed by a Listeso string quartet. The tentative program includes 12 Days of Christmas, Angels from the Realms of Glory, Angels We Have Heard on High, Away in a Manger, Carol of the Bells, Deck the Halls, Ding Dong! Merrily on High, Do You Hear What I Hear, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, Greensleeves also known as What Child Is This, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, In the Bleak Midwinter, Joy to the World, O Christmas Tree, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night, Silent Night, and The First Noël. The performance runs about 60 minutes. Doors open 45 minutes before the music begins, and there is no entry after the start. Guests must be at least 8 years old, with anyone under 16 accompanied by an adult. The venue is ADA compliant. Seating is assigned within each zone on a first come, first served basis.

This Birch Bay tradition brings residents and visitors together along the shoreline, from Birch Point to Point Whitehorn, to illuminate the beach with eco-friendly and traditional road flares. The glowing waterfront display symbolizes hope, reflection, and the excitement of a new beginning, creating a shared moment to mark the end of the year with friends, family, neighbors, and visitors.

Enjoy a stand-up comedy show at District Brewing in Ferndale, featuring a new lineup of comedians each time. The performers include acts seen on television and heard on podcasts.

Ring in the New Year with live music from the Chris Eger Band, joined by special guests Savanna Woods and Eden. Tickets include heavy hors d'oeuvres, a midnight champagne toast, access to a disco-themed photo booth, and a hotel room discount while rooms last.

SpaceBand turns Bar211 in Bellingham, WA into a throwback R&B and hip hop dance party. The set draws from favorites by 2Pac, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, The Notorious B.I.G., Warren G, Usher, Outkast, Eminem, Bruno Mars, Beastie Boys, Macklemore, Ginuwine, Lil Jon, and more, spanning West Coast, East Coast, and Dirty South sounds. Enjoy live music and a $20 cover.

Celebrate the New Year with Birch Bay’s traditional Polar Bear Plunge, where participants dash into the chilly water in costumes, swimsuits, or whatever they like. There are no official world record attempts or strict guidelines, just a spirited community gathering for plungers and spectators to enjoy. Cheer on the crowd as they head into the water, then warm up at a waterfront establishment.

Bill Anschell’s trio reshapes a wide range of jazz standards in the moment, drawing on the songbooks of Thelonious Monk, Billy Strayhorn, Jerome Kern, and Richard Rodgers. Pianist Bill Anschell, bassist Jeff Johnson, and drummer D’Vonne Lewis are known for tight, responsive interplay that keeps every piece alive and evolving. The group earned Earshot Jazz’s 2022 Northwest Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the Year honor, and their 2019 album Shifting Standards drew strong critical praise, including recognition from Stereophile’s Thomas Conrad. This performance takes place at the Firehouse Arts and Events Center. Admission is $20 for the general public and $10 for students.

Mavis Staples brings a multigenerational musical legacy to a collection that pairs original music with fresh interpretations of timeless songs. Her latest solo album spans seven decades of the American songbook, sharing a message of fierce love in the face of hardship.

Experience music by Coldplay and Imagine Dragons in a live, multisensory concert at Hotel Bellwether, performed by the Listeso string quartet in Bellingham. The tentative program includes songs such as “Clocks,” “Fix You,” “Radioactive,” “Believer,” and “Viva la Vida.” The concert lasts 60 minutes. Guests must be at least 8 years old, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The venue is ADA compliant, and seating is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis within each zone.

Based on Tim Burton’s beloved film, this hilarious musical follows Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a fondness for stripes. Beneath its irreverent humor and lively score, the show offers a touching story about family, love, and making the most of every day.