Lynden’s summer fair, ice cream social, farmer’s market, and more. 
Happy Tuesday, Bellingham. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Bellingham Brief serve up everything you need to know for the week ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: Lynden’s summer fair features ride wristbands, free shuttles, and budget eats, nonstop flights under $100 to Las Vegas or Oakland, and nine downtown murals — catch up here.
State-level stories: Landlords pay fines for illegal rent surges, Washington teams with feds on sustainable aviation fuel, and billions sit unclaimed in state coffers — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: New SSA tech offers more reliable service, national recalls, and a housing market update — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Discover WA Cares Fund at Ferndale Library
- Learn to repair broken household items
- Pre-register for personalized tech help Wednesday
- Learn about Bellingham Vet Center services
- Get $400 off Windows with Renewal By Andersen
🫶 We got your back
Decor: Ready to give your home that fresh vibe? Check out these decor hotspots in Bellingham, full of wallet-friendly finds that’ll make your space pop.
Oddities: Washington’s roadsides are full of surprises, like a troll under a local bridge or a metal goat that literally eats your garbage. These bizarre attractions will give your next drive the kind of stories you never saw coming.
Cleaning: Tackling the whole house can feel like climbing Everest in flip-flops… who even has the energy for that? This cleaning checklist breaks the job into manageable bites so you can crush it room by room.
Furniture: Need décor with a backstory deeper than your latest streaming binge? Aladdin’s Antiques and Records is the gallery that’ll turn your living room into a time capsule… just bring a sharp eye and an appreciation for pieces that only improve with every chapter of history.
Finance: Ready to break up with debt for good? National can help you cut ties, pay up to 30% less than you owe, and finally get some peace. This isn’t your average debt relief advice… it’s a financial fresh start, complete with a happy cry or two when your balance hits zero.
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📆 Around town this week
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
This week
🎨 Larrabee Lager and Make Your Own Suncatcher @ Larrabee Lager Company | Tuesday (8/12) at 6:00pm – Ready to brighten your wall and your mood? Swing by Larrabee Lager Company for a two-hour craft sesh where you’ll pick your fave suncatcher—turtle, sunflower, flower, or dragonfly—before supplies run dry. We’ve got all the materials covered plus scratch-made pizza and, of course, Larrabee’s legendary lager to keep the creativity flowing.
🎤 Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater Open Mic @ Village Books and Paper Dreams | Tuesday (8/12) at 6:00pm – Dust off that unfinished poem and stake your claim at the Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater Open Mic at Village Books, where an eager audience hangs on every syllable. Carla Shafer, our mic-master, will cheer you on if you pre-register or wrangle a surprise spot.
🎹 Community Keys with Paul Klein @ Boundary Bay Brewery | Wednesday (8/13) at 5:30pm – If you’ve been looking for a midweek excuse to swap living room playlists for something with more character, head to Boundary Bay’s taproom on Wednesday nights. Local legend Paul Klein tickles the ivories for free, collects tips for charity, and proves live music rules.
🎨 Noisy Waters Mural Festival @ Waterfront | Friday (8/15) at 1:00pm – Think our waterfront’s missing a splash of weirdness? World-class muralists swarm the waterfront, battling it out on eight-by-eight canvases you can vote on while you sip from the cash bar. Live music, bike tours, upcycled fashion, yoga, workshops, basically your art-nerd playground.
🍦 Ice Cream Social @ South Whatcom Library | Friday (8/15) at 1:00pm – Hot afternoons were made for brain freezes and dusty paperback scavenges, so the South Whatcom Library crew is scooping free ice cream, yes, dairy-free too. Swing by with family, get your tongue colors mixed, and thank the Friends for keeping our library scene cool.
This weekend
🐾 Wild Things @ Lake Padden Park | Saturday (8/16) at 9:30am – Wild Things is carting wide-eyed tots through our neighborhood parks each weekend, rain or shine, because screen time never looked this muddy. Pay what you can, then watch the monthly lineup of critters and trails switch up faster than our forecast.
🍅 Farmer’s Market @ Depot Market Square | Saturday (8/16) at 10:00am – Stroll downtown for the Bellingham Farmers Market, where 100-plus stalls of local produce, crafts, and neighborly gossip await. It’s brunch without a reservation. Come for the strawberries, stay for the people watching, and maybe snag a free sample.
🖼️ Reflections of the Land; Himalayan Paintings and Cascadian Basketry @ It’s About Time Cultural Arts Center | Saturday (8/16) at 1:00pm – Swing by the gallery to gape at vibrant Himalayan Thangkas and charming Sherpa scenes, side by side with Salish Sea baskets woven from our backyard foliage. It’s a rare blend of Himalayan spirituality and Pacific Northwest flair, plus a gallery shop stocked with local curios.
🏖️ Beach Sweep @ Community Boating Center | Saturday (8/16) at 2:30pm – Whether you’re a kayak pro or just need an excuse to dodge yard work, join our monthly beach sweep with the Community Boating Center. We’ll paddle, scoop up shore trash, then celebrate with BBQ and stories. Register and bring your boat, if you have one.
⚡ MegaZapper Electrical Show @ Spark Museum | Sunday (8/17) at 2:30pm – Weekends at the museum just got electrifying with the MegaZapper Electrical Show, where you can gawp at one of the country’s largest Tesla coils and even brave the Cage of Doom for your future viral selfie. It’s loud, a tad terrifying, and utterly unforgettable.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 8/12 Jazz Night @ Aslan Depot – 8 pm
- 8/14 Groovebot @ Elizabeth Park – 6 pm
- 8/14 Citizen Hurricane @ Upfront Theatre – 7:30 pm
- 8/14 Tropidelic and more @ Wild Buffalo – 7:30 pm
- 8/14 Stand-up Comedy Night @ Upfront Theatre – 9:30 pm
- 8/15 Bill McDonough @ Hotel Bellwether – 6 pm
- 8/15 Cabaret @ New Prospect Theatre – 7 pm
- 8/15 One Life To Yes-And @ Upfront Theatre – 7:30 pm
- 8/15 Southside Comedy Hour @ Corner Taphouse – 8 pm
- 8/15 Sweet Illusion @ Aslan Depot – 8 pm
🏠️ This house is wild
Listed by: Chet E. Kenoyer (Windermere Real Estate Whatcom)
Sunsets hit differently from this Lake Whatcom point, where west and south exposure mean golden hour lingers just a little longer. The 4-bed, 3-bath home comes with not one but three fireplaces, a dreamy primary suite with its own deck, and multiple hangout zones for every mood. Outside, a level half-acre yard is bordered by a creek, with a fenced garden ready for your green thumb and a bulkhead that leads straight to the dock, boat hoist, and canopy.
Parking for the whole crew is covered, thanks to both attached and detached garages plus room for an RV. Minutes from town but feeling worlds away, this spot brings together space, privacy, and waterfront play in one seriously fun package.
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