Bellingham Alive

BMC matinee program for two pianos with Rebecca and Gabriel Mañalac
2025-10-01 10:30 - 11:30 (America/Denver) | WA
Bellingham Music Club continues to “Elevate Your Spirit” with pianists Rebecca and Gabriel Mañalac in early October.
“Echoes and Departures” is a rich program for two pianos featuring composers from home and abroad. It includes works by Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninoff, Argentine composer Carlos Guastavino, plus the famous “La valse” by Ravel!!!
Join us for a matinee preview on Wednesday, October 1, at 10:30am, at First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Ave. in Bellingham. Free, open to all, and family friendly. This is BMC’s gift to the community!
The Mañalacs offer a longer recital on Friday, Oct. 3, 7:30pm. More information about these programs, BMC’s 110th season and other endeavors on https://bellinghammusicclub.org/

A Place to Call Home
2025-10-02 19:00 - 20:15
Bellingham local Bo Bestvina shares incredible guitar playing, soul-stirring lyrics, and stories about finding a place to call home.
For years, Bo had wanted to stitch together a creative life as a musician and writer. It just took losing a job, a pandemic, backpacking in Spain, and a surprise landing in Bellingham for things to settle in. In all of the changes, Bo wrote an album exploring his folk roots, fingerstyle guitar and songs to make people laugh, because sometimes you just gotta laugh.
Come listen to Bo’s songs and stories, and get a chance to reflect on your own journey towards wholeness, however unusual that may look.
Come out on Oct. 2nd at 7:00 pm to hear Bo’s music.
Website: www.bobestvina.com
Tickets: www.bobestvina.eventbrite.com/

Lydia McCauley Reunion Concert
2025-10-03 07:00 - 09:00
Join celebrated singer/songwriter Lydia McCauley for a special reunion concert featuring music from her six beloved albums—including Sabbath Day’s Journey, Entrances, The Beauty of the Earth, and more—plus new single releases. Known for her unique blend of Contemporary, Folk, and Classical styles, Lydia’s music has been described as “sophisticated Folk” and “therapy for the senses.”
Lydia will be joined by an ensemble of longtime collaborators for this one-night-only performance:
Phil Heaven – viola
Nancy Rumbel – Grammy Award-winning oboe and ocarina
Brian Cunningham – guitars
Lynne Givler – bass and vocals
Jay Darling – percussion
Together, they’ll bring you an evening of beautiful, transportive music that celebrates the natural world, ancient traditions, and timeless storytelling.
Tickets: $25.00
More information: Instagram.com/lydiamccauleymusic

BMC Night Beat presents pianists Rebecca and Gabriel Mañalac
2025-10-03 19:30 - 21:00
Bellingham Music Club continues to “Elevate Your Spirit” with pianists Rebecca and Gabriel Mañalac in early October.
“Echoes and Departures” is a rich program for two pianos featuring composers from home and abroad. It includes works by Poulenc, Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninoff, Argentine composer Carlos Guastavino, plus the famous “La valse” by Ravel!!!
Join us for the full-length “Night Beat” concert on Friday, October 3, 7:30pm at First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Ave. in Bellingham. No ticket purchase required; we suggest a $20 donation. This is a family-friendly event. All are welcome and students are always free!
The Mañalacs offer a program preview on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 10:30am. More information about these concerts, BMC’s 110th season and other endeavors on https://bellinghammusicclub.org/

Skagit Community Band Presents "Music of the Masters" Free Concert
2025-10-17 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-10-19 15:00 - 17:00
The Skagit Community Band Presents:
“Music of the Masters”
Timeless music from master composers
Join the Skagit Community Band under the direction of Vince Fejeran, as we begin our 2025-2026 season by performing the music of Rimsky- Korsakov, Percy Grainger, William Walton, Georges Bizet and more. Our two concerts are at Maple Hall in La Conner Friday Oct. 17 at 7:30, and Brodniak Hall in Anacortes Sunday Oct. 19 at 3:00. Free Admission, donation gladly accepted. For more information please visit our website: Skagitcommunityband.org.

An Evening with Judy Collins
2025-10-26 19:30 - 21:00
Seven decades of sublime and powerful music-making, 55 albums, numerous awards & tributes – Judy Collins is a living legend. Today, she is as creatively vigorous as when she first stepped onto a Greenwich Village stage. A brilliant performer and social activist, her voice and music are as vital as ever.
Sunday, October 26, 7:30pm at Massey Theatre in New Westminster, BC
https://www.masseytheatre.com/event/judy-collins/

Skagit Symphony: Stranger Strings
2025-11-01 19:30 - 21:00
Skagit Symphony: Stranger Strings
7:30pm Saturday, Nov 1, 2025
McIntyre Hall, Mount Vernon WA
Skagit Symphony’s 46th Season steps into the bold and brilliant world of Cult Classical – a season where timeless masterpieces take center stage!
Skagit Symphony weaves fantasies of magic carpets and Sinbad’s tempest-tossed ship at sea with the orchestral showpiece, Scheherazade, and a spooky Night on Bald Mountain. Jill Whitman enchants with Arturo Marquez’s harp concerto, Mascaras (“Masks”).
For More info email info@skagitsymphony.com or call the symphony office at 360-848-9336
To Purchase tickets, visit this link https://purchase.mcintyrehall.org/EventAvailability?EventId=11001
or Call the Ticketing box office at 360-416-7727

BMC Matinee Program: Art song, grand opera and Broadway
2025-11-05 10:30 - 11:30
Bellingham Music Club brings together artists of incomparable talent: soprano Heather Dudenbostel will be joined by baritone/pianist Mark Davies, sopranos Ibidunni Ojikutu and Celeste Fraser, as well as pianist Emily Gantt in a vocal extravaganza!
The repertoire includes an English adaptation by Isaiah Bell of Poulenc’s one-woman opera La voix humaine; selections from Ricky Ian Gordon’s Autumn Valentine, and favorite opera arias by Mozart, Dvořák, and Cilea. The concert will end with a song from the musical The Bridges of Madison County.
Join us for a matinee concert on Wednesday, November 5, at 10:30am, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 119 Texas St. in Bellingham. Free, open to all, and family-friendly. This is BMC’s gift to the community!
A longer program is on Friday, Nov 7, 7:30pm at First Congregational Church. To learn more about these concerts and the rest of the BMC season, visit https://bellinghammusicclub.org/

First Friday Concert Series with Swil Kanim
2025-11-07 19:00 - 20:30
First Friday Concert Series
with Swil Kanim
Friday, November 7, 2025
7–8:30 PM
Wildflower Funeral Concepts
5706 4th Ave
Ferndale WA
Free Admission
Wildflower Funeral Concepts is proud to announce the relaunch of a Whatcom County tradition: the First Friday Concert Series with Swil Kanim, beginning Friday, November 7, 2025, from 7–8:30 PM. Attendees can expect soul-stirring music and stories from Swil Kanim, along with performances by local musicians, poets, storytellers, and other regional artists.
This free evening of storytelling and music will take place at Wildflower’s warm and welcoming event venue in Ferndale, a space perfectly suited for intimate performances. The First Friday Concert Series will continue monthly, with future dates scheduled for December, January, and beyond.
The series revives Whatcom County’s beloved First Fridays tradition, which began nearly 30 years ago at the now-legendary Stuart’s Coffee House. “Nearly 30 years ago, I got my start telling stories at First Fridays with Swil Kanim,” says Brian Flowers, owner of Wildflower Funeral Concepts. “Swil Kanim was a generous host then, and he still is now. I’m thrilled to bring this tradition back, and to welcome the community into our space for something creative, uplifting, and deeply human.” Flowers, who is also a performing storyteller, will share a few stories of his own.
Wildflower Funeral Concepts offers an unexpectedly ideal setting for live music: bright, intimate, and acoustically beautiful. “If you’ve never been to Wildflower,” Flowers adds, “this is a wonderful chance to visit. And if you have, I’d love for you to see this new side of what our space can be.”
For more information contact Wildflower Funeral Concepts at: (360) 526-7829
Event website:
https://www.wildflowerfuneralconcepts.com/
Event Press Release: https://www.wildflowerfuneralconcepts.com/post/first-friday-concerts-with-swil-kanim-coming-to-wildflower
More about Swil Kanim: https://www.swilkanim.com/

Gifts of Music Benefit Concert
2025-11-20 18:30 - 20:30
Gifts of Music NW is a 501c3 non-profit with the mission of confidence through music. We work with people who wouldn’t normally have access to music education, including at-risk youth and seniors.
This November 20th, at 6:30 pm at the Firehouse Events Center we are holding a benefit concert to raise money for the organization. These funds will allow us to teach music more regularly at the Whatcom Juvenile Detention center and to pay for our overhead costs.
We will have two amazing duos performing. Jenner Fox and Jeremy Elliot are Bellingham based but they tour internationally. Jenner built his reputation on poignant and humorous storytelling with a voice that carries equal measures of vulnerability and conviction. Grammy-nominated producer Cookie Marenco praised his debut album, writing: “Jenner combines the lyricism of Joni Mitchell and the commentary of Neil Young to represent the next generation of singer-songwriters.” Jenner will be joined by his friend and incredible guitarist, Jeremy Elliot, who is a multi-genre spanning guitarist and producer.
Casuandra May and James are a local duo with musical roots on Dry Bayou Road south of Rolling Fork in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. They bring the needed warmth of southern blues to our town, and also explore other genres with a theatrical flair and a commanding sound that beckons you deeper into their world.
Come out and hear some great music and support a great cause!
Get tickets at https://GiftsofMusicNW.eventbrite.com

"Bang for Your Buck!" Timpani Fundraising Concert
2025-11-21 19:00 - 21:00
Join the Music Ministry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for our “Bang for Your Buck!” fundraising concert — Friday, November 21st @ 7pm. Northwest percussion titans Patrick Roulet and Gunnar Folsom present an evening of thrilling music; proceeds support the purchase of a timpani for the church. Come back at Easter to hear our new drums in action! Tickets $25 adult/$15 student. https://music-stpauls.org/events

The Light of Hope Returning
2025-12-05 19:00 - 2025-12-06 20:00, 2025-12-06 15:00 - 16:30
Join Vox Pacifica under conductor Wendy Bloom for a multimedia celebration of winter through Appalachia and gospel influenced carols on December 5th, 7 pm and December 6th, 3 pm at First Congregational Church on 2401 Cornwall Ave, $25 and youth 21 and under $15. View our website voxpacifica.org for more information.

Celebrate the Season: An Evening of Holiday Music
2025-12-07 18:30 - 19:30
For Immediate Release – October 27, 2025
Bellingham, WA–The third annual FREE community concert CELEBRATE THE SEASON: An Evening of Holiday Music will be held on Sunday, December 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 1720 Harris Avenue & 18th Street in Bellingham’s historic Fairhaven district.
The planning committee is pleased to offer a free, one-hour holiday event as a community service. The concert will be a fun, musical program to kick-off the season that is appropriate for children and people of all ages.
The program will feature a variety of vocal and instrumental holiday music volunteered by noted local performing groups, many returning for the second and third time. These include the renowned Vox Pacifica women’s choir; Bellingham High School’s talented Showstoppers; One Accord, Bellingham’s melodious a capella group; Bellingham High School’s striking String Ensemble (returning with audience-favorite Edelweiss); and a special dramatic reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The audience is encouraged to join in singing many favorite seasonal songs.
Holiday cookies and hot cider/coffee will follow the hour-long program in the community room. Financial support is provided by Thrivent.
More Celebrate the Season concert information is available at www.oursavioursbham.org (that’s with a u) or (360) 733-6749.

Shining Night
2025-12-12 19:00 - 20:40
Bellingham Community Chorus presents Shining Night, Moments of Peace and Wonder. This is a family-friendly event. Tickets are $20; children 12 and under free.
Tickets online at www.bellinghamcommunitychorus.org
Or at the door

Shining Night, Moments of Peace and Wonder
2025-12-13 15:00 - 16:30
Family-friendly event. 70-member, non-audition chorus is performing seasonal music. The audience will have a chance to join in.

Funk The Halls: A Holiday Sould Session ft. North Sound Soul
2025-12-13 19:00 - 23:00
Event Page: https://tickets.venuepilot.com/e/funk-the-halls-a-holiday-soul-session-2025-12-13-the-blue-room-bellingham-042311
Get ready to move your feet and feel the funk as the Blue Room presents ‘Funk the Halls: A Holiday Soul Session’ featuring the Bellingham-based band North Sound Soul. This high energy performance will put a horn-driven, soulful spin on holiday music by blending festive favorites with the classic signature songs that make up the band’s own unique sound. Come celebrate community, togetherness and holiday spirit by grabbing your friends/family and find your rhythm this holiday season with a heartwarming evening of soulful classics and funky, holiday favorites.
Featuring:
Established in 2021, North Sound Soul is a 9-piece soul/funk/rock band comprised of savvy veterans of the Bellingham music scene. The band features a high-energy horn section, dynamic rhythm section and is fronted by a tag-team duo of powerhouse vocalists.
In addition to private shows and events, North Sound Soul has been a featured performer at numerous festivals and venues including Downtown Sounds in Bellingham, Fairhaven Ski-to-Sea Festival, Boundary Bay Brewery, Boulevard Park Summer Concert Series, Brews Blues and BBQ, The Blue Room and April Brews Day, to name a few.
Their material will take you on a journey from early soul standards by Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Sam & Dave thru 70’s funk cuts by Aretha Franklin, Al Green and Stevie Wonder culminating in the classic horn-focused tracks by Chicago and Tower of Power.

Skagit Symphony presents- Winter Is Coming
2025-12-13 19:30 - 21:30
7:30pm, Saturday, Dec 13, 2025
McIntyre Hall
2501 E College Way, Mount Vernon WA 98273
“Winter is Coming,” and we are ready to welcome the season with the holiday classic, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” with an orchestral twist, a Christmas sing-along, and many other delights of the season. Sophia Chou returns to the Skagit Valley to perform Scriabin’s undeniably passionate concerto for piano and orchestra.
For Tickets visit mcintyrehall.org or call the box office at 360-416-7727
For more info, visit skagitsymphony.com , email info@skagitsymphony.com or call the symphony office at 360-848-9336

Open Jam!
2026-01-07 19:00 - 23:00, 2026-02-04 19:00 - 23:00
A FREE Open Mic Style Jam Session
We are so back!!
Formerly known as Jam:30, Blue Room’s open mic style jam session returns
Additional information:
Open Jam is a free form instrumental/vocal jam session with signups by instrument. It is a casual environment to practice your skills and meet new people. If you don’t play an instrument – simply sit back and enjoy the show!
Blue Room provides a drumset, piano, electric guitar, and various auxiliary percussion instruments. We encourage everyone to bring an instrument of their own!
Admission is free! Signups begin at 7pm and jamming starts closer to 8pm

Blue Room Presents | Haveyouseenthiswoman, Sweet Illusion, Sunday Lemonade
2026-01-09 19:00 - 23:00
A live rock show featuring:
Have you seen this woman?
A four piece alternative rock band from Bellingham, Washington
Sweet Illusion is a Bellingham based blues pop group. They’re 60% ginger but full of soul. With songs inspired by the joys and sorrows of everyday life, they will fill your night with lively songs drawing inspiration from classic rock, funk, and soul. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Jacqueline Stefanoff, their songs explore themes of love, identity, and the human experience in a chaotic world. Their music is as lively as it is contemplative, a groovy invitation to allow you to feel deeply and dance freely.
Sunday Lemonade

Super Smash LIVE
2026-01-14 19:00 - 23:00
Play in casual games or a tournament with a LIVE soundtrack from Super Smash Bros provided by The Fifth!
With setups for Smash, Ultimate and Melee – Extra Controllers will be provided
Featuring
The Fifth – A jazz, funk and fusion band from Bellingham Washington playing the Super Smash soundtrack LIVE for the first time!

Blue Room Presents | Third Space, Escapade, Sonitus
2026-01-16 19:00 - 23:00
A live rock show featuring:
Third Space
Escapade
Sonitus

Sami Braman, Allison De Groot, and Quin Bachand
2026-01-22 18:00 - 22:00
Bellingham Folk Festival Presents:
Join us in welcoming the 2026 Folk Festival with a seated listening concert featuring a debut performance from this stunning new trio!
Welcome to the 2026 edition and the 12th annual Bellingham Folk Festival!
Featuring
Laurel Bliss and John Clark 7-7:45 pm
Laurel Bliss and John Clark have been making music together in their home in Bellingham since 1986. Whether playing Old Time and Cajun music with the Happy Valley Sluggers or singing old Country and Bluegrass gems from their songbooks, they are having a beautiful musical life.
Sami Braman, Allison De Groot, and Quinn Bachand 8-9 pm
Sami Braman has been playing the fiddle since she was 6 years old, coming up amid the music festivals and jamming communities of the Pacific Northwest’s vibrant traditional Old-Time music scene. A member of The Onlies and a frequent collaborator with Willie Watson, she has performed and taught at festivals like Fiddle Tunes, MerleFest, Green Mountain Bluegrass Festival, and Pickathon. Sami and Willie just wrapped up a run opening up for Alison Krauss and Union Station on their Summer 2025 Arcadia tour. She’s a tune-writer and honored to present a new project of original and traditional tunes joined by Allison De Groot and Quinn Bachand. Allison de Groot’s banjo playing; simultaneously spacious, detailed and intensely rhythmic, has earned her awards from the JUNOs, Americana Music Award, Canadian Folk Music Awards and most recently the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo. She tours consistently with fiddler Tatiana Hargreaves, percussive dancer Nic Gareiss and the Transatlantic Sessions House Band led by Jerry Douglas. Quinn Bachand is a versatile guitarist whose distinctive playing blend’s genres from Celtic traditional to jazz. This unique artistry has earned him accolades including Grammy nomination and has led to collaborations with acclaimed musicians such as Sami Braman and Allison de Groot.

Benny Sidelinger with an opening set from Jeffrey Scott Mack
2026-01-23 18:00 - 22:00
Welcome to the 2026 edition and the 12th annual Bellingham Folk Festival!
The lights dim, and the room fades. A band hovers on stage right, but on the stage it’s just Benny now. The ancient banjo begins to hum, then sing, then rip. With fingers moving impossibly fast, the music begins to vibrate and glow. Transitioning to another song he picks up a homemade and road-worn guitar. The slower, heartfelt ballad written for his first daughter is almost a relief. Subtly, the rest of the band adds layers to the sound one at a time. Benny’s voice rings out, adding to the echoes of all the acts that have graced this stage. There is distance in that voice, and you can hear the miles and miles of road in the guitar, vibrating like smooth highways passing under weary tires.
Featuring:
Jeffrey Scott Mack is a Singer-Songwriter from Bellingham WA. His musical landscapes land somewhere between the dark, evergreen forests of Washington State and the cobble stone riverbanks of the Midwest. He draws inspiration from the mundane moments that unite us all.

Tradwife Stringband: Old Time Ingenues
2026-01-24 19:00 - 23:00
Welcome to the 2026 edition and the 12th annual Bellingham Folk Festival!
Indulge in a respite from our troublesome, wearisome, modernsome world with the Tradwife stringband!
Featuring
Tradwife stringband is a quintet of biological women and Moose, traveling the country with some traditional old time music and values.

Skagit Symphony - Family Concert and Children’s Music Fair
2026-01-25 12:30 - 14:45
Sunday, Jan 25, 2026
McIntyre Hall 2501 E College Way , Mount Vernon WA
12:30 Sensory Friendly Access Only
1:00pm Children’s Music Fair
2:00pm Concert
Bring your family on a journey to the mountains! Hear Caroline Shaw’s glorious and colorful orchestral adaptation of the beloved book, “The Mountain that Loved a Bird,” narrated by local poet Sati Mookherjee. We’ll tip-toe through the Hall of the Mountain King, hoping to escape A Night on Bald Mountain. In the hour before the concert begins, enjoy the hands-on experiences our Children’s Music Fair has to offer. (Sensory friendly only enter at 12:30pm)

Femme in Folk V2 ft. Zaia, Wyatt and Willow
2026-01-25 18:00 - 22:00
Welcome to the 2026 edition and the 12th annual Bellingham Folk Festival!
For the final show of the 2026 Folk Festival we will be bringing back our Femme in Folk show from last year, which features local, iconic female folk performers! Join us to celebrate them and their music in the final show of the festival.
Featuring:
Zaia, Wyatt & Willow is the collaborative project of three Bellingham songwriters Zaia Grace, Hannah Wyatt, and Claire Willow. Influenced by artists like “I’m With Her” and “Waxahatchee”, their performance weaves fiddle & cello with enchanting three part harmonies, transporting audiences with their original songs inspired by myth & folklore, love & loss, and finding one’s place on this wild earth.
Lolo Wawa
Lauren is twenty five, writes songs and sings them with her friends! She currently leads the Bellingham based band Bellflower and also performs solo under the name Lolo Wawa.

SOVRN.STH Session 1: Veronica North
2026-01-31 19:00 - 23:00
Live music, live art, and community – benefiting Northwest Skate Collective
Event Page: https://tickets.venuepilot.com/e/sovrn-sth-session-1-veronica-north-2026-01-31-the-blue-room-bellingham-0f14cc
Sovereign Soirées presents the launch of SOVRN.STH (Sovereign South), a new concert and art series celebrating collaboration, accessibility, and community impact.
SOVRN.STH Session 1 features a live, intimate performance by Veronica North, whose blend of heartfelt lyricism and indie-pop charm creates an experience that feels both raw and cinematic. Known for her emotional storytelling and captivating stage presence, Veronica’s stripped-down set will highlight the vulnerability and power behind her music – offering an authentic connection between artist and audience.
Enjoy live painting by Sierra James, the artist behind SieArts, whose work celebrates movement, connection, and the beauty of imperfection through layers of color and texture. As she paints live throughout the evening, guests can also explore a curated exhibit of SieArts originals – a collection of vibrant pieces that merge the organic and emotional, mirroring the rhythm of the night.
A portion of proceeds – plus optional donations at checkout – will benefit the Northwest Skate Collective, a local nonprofit leading the effort to build a state-of-the-art waterfront skatepark in Bellingham. The City of Bellingham has already committed $1.95 million toward the project’s $3 million goal, with community fundraising underway to close the gap and begin construction in 2027. Your support helps create an inclusive, world-class space for skaters of all ages and abilities.
All Ages | Bar with ID | ADA Accessible
