Bellingham Alive

Badminton Open Play
2026-01-07 18:00 - 2026-03-24 20:00 (America/Denver)
Looking for a way to get moving this winter? Stop by the Bloedel Donovan Community Building and join us for casual badminton! We will have 2 indoor courts set
up and provide racquets and birdies. Each court will be dedicated to fun, open play. Individual playing time will depend on total participants and rotate using the racquet rotation queue. Sign up for one month or all three! Pre-registration required.
DAY/DATES: Tuesdays
Session 1: January 6-27
Session 2: February 3-24
Session 3: March 3-24
TIME: 6:00-8:00 pm
AGES: 12 years & older (under 18 with an adult)
LOCATION: Bloedel Donovan Community Building
COST: $25 per 4-week session
https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search?locale=en-US&activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=badminton&viewMode=list

Birchwood Garden Club's January 7th Meeting
2026-01-07 19:00 - 21:00
Birchwood Garden Club
Established 1931-Bellingham, Washington
Planting Seeds of Friendship throughout our Community
January Topic:
The Importance of Native Plants
The January 7, 2026 meeting of the Birchwood Garden Club will be held in the Rotunda Room of the Old City
Hall Museum, 121 Prospect St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Doors open at 6:30 PM.
The speakers for the evening will be Bay Renaud and Angie O’Hare from Plantas nativa LLC.
They will talk about the importance of native plants and how to utilize them in your own yard, not only for beauty, but also for the pollinators, birds, and our planet’s future.
Bay and Angie have been dedicated to helping people
understand Northwest native plants for many years. Plantas nativa specializes in offering 100% native NW species and has over 200 species in stock, including
favorites like penstemon, red columbine, flowering currant, trillium, camas, iris, lily, and more.
The stock is available in a variety of sizes and is obtained from licensed and inspected growers
who pride themselves in growing healthy stock from seed (not removed from nature).
The Birchwood Garden Club is accepting applications from non-profit organizations in Whatcom and Skagit counties to help support projects that are related to horticulture, agriculture or related fields. Applications for up to $500 can be found at birchwoodgardenclub.org and will be accepted until December 31 and awarded in February.
Birchwood Garden Club membership is open to anyone in Whatcom or Skagit Counties. You are invited to join us at our monthly meetings where we will have membership brochures to join. Check out our website, www.birchwoodgardenclub.org to see the fun activities and community services our club does! You can also join us on Instagram and Facebook @ Birchwood Garden Club.

Open Jam!
2026-01-07 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

The Gateway Comedy Show
2026-01-08 19:00 - 23:00
Stand-up comedians take to the stage and tell their BEST jokes, then they go to an undisclosed location to get WAY too high, only to come back to the stage and ATTEMPT to tell more jokes completely baked.
Hosted by Mike Masilotti
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TICKETS
🎟️ VIP Seating – $30 Online | $40 At The Door
The VIP Seating ticket gives you a guaranteed seat at the event in a prime location of the venue. Your seat will be reserved and held for you no matter what time you make it to the venue. If you want to sit with a group, make sure you buy all of the tickets in one order to guarantee that.
🎟️ General Admission – $20 Online | $30 At The Door
The General Admission ticket gives you admission to the event. So come early, grab a seat and get a drink before the show!
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DETAILS
📅 Thursday January 8th | Ages 21+
⏰ Doors @ 7:00 PM | Show @ 7:30 PM
📍 Blue Room
🗺️ 202 E Holly St 301 , #401, Bellingham, WA 98227

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

Mini Ballers
2026-01-10 10:00 - 2026-01-31 11:15
Sign up today for this fun series of classes that provide young children
with a positive introduction to team sports. Kids and adults will play together while coaches lead activities, drills, and mini games helping to build basic skills along
with sportsmanship and community. Each session includes four classes focusing on a different sport each week. Featured sports include soccer, football, basketball, and baseball. Pre-registration required.
DAY/DATES: Saturdays / January 10-31
TIME: 10:00-11:15 am
AGES: 4-6 years and accompanied by an adult
LOCATION: Bloedel Donovan Community Building
COST: $60
https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search/detail/40742?onlineSiteId=0&locale=en-US&from_original_cui=true

Muay Thai Kickboxing Workshops
2026-01-10 11:00 - 2026-03-21 13:00
Learn the sport of Muay Thai Kickboxing in this workshop
with two former professional MMA and Muay Thai
fighters. Learn basic footwork, punching, kicking, and
pad holding techniques. In the second half of the day,
you’ll get a taste of a full Muay Thai class. No need to buy
any gear—everything will be provided! Bring a water
bottle and wear athletic clothes you can move freely in
DAY/DATES: Saturdays /
January 10, February 21, March 21
TIME: 11:00 am-1:00 pm
AGES: 16 years and older
LOCATION: West Coast Fight Club, 110 W Stuart Rd
COST: $20 per date

An evening of Dance Short Films
2026-01-11 15:00 - 16:30
Documenting Grace
An evening of shorts
January 11, 2026 @ 3:00
Firehouse Arts and Events Center
kuntzandco.orgSponsored by CASCADIA INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL
DANCING IN SILK – Since the early 1990s, the art of Khmer classical ballet has found a new life in the ethnic neighborhood of Cambodia Town in Long Beach, California with the passion of Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, master dancer and survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Today, it is up to Khannia Ok, her protégé, to transmit this knowledge to a new generation of Cambodian-Americans, especially young girls, who grew up far from their roots.
BLIND DANCER – We follow Lisa a blind librarian (Oslo) as she travels to dance with Europe’s only professional blind dancer, Said Gharbi, (Brussels). The two of them meet and make a duet over two weeks and on the last night they dance through the city of Brussels.
FROM THERE TO HERE – The film follows the women who lead Kolkata Sanved: a nonprofit in Kolkata, India, that uses dance as a means to help survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse, “release trauma, develop confidence, and identify their own potentials as human beings—rather than as victims.”

Relax and Restore
2026-01-12 18:00 - 2026-03-09 19:00
Description: Relieve stress, relax and restore
with a guided meditation, healing
sounds and movement with
licensed therapist, Layla Jasper.
Learn tools to add more relaxation
to your life. Bring a cozy set up
including a pillow, blanket and cushy yoga mat.
DAY/DATES: Mondays / January 12, February 9, March 9
TIME: 6:00-7:00 pm
AGES: 18 years and older
COST: $15 each date. Pre-registration is required
Website: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search?locale=en-US&activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=relax%20%26%20restore&viewMode=list

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!

Dry January N/A Tasting
2026-01-15 16:00 - 18:00
Dry January Tasting, try non-alcoholic products before you buy! Thursday January 15th from 4pm to 6pm. Other food and drink available all night, tickets are $5 get yours today, or at the door, first come first serve.

Stand up comedy with Tanael Joachim - The Alien Everywhere Tour
2026-01-15 19:00 - 23:00
TJ takes his new standup tour to Bellingham
Immigration, death, grief, belonging, love. It’s all to be made fun of on this new show!
Fresh off a TV pilot filmed for FX, Haitian comedian TJ is back on the road with new jokes about love, death, grief, and immigration. Come for the same fresh, incisive, and caustic wit, stay for the poetry of laughter to be found within the darkest of subjects.

Jump Start 2026
2026-01-16 18:00 - 2026-01-18 12:00
Jump Start 2026: Permission Granted
Give yourself permission for whatever you need—to rest, pivot, dream bigger, quit, or start over. Join us for three transformational days with five expert coaches specializing in productivity, mindset, wellness, relationships, and life coaching. Leave with a 90-day game plan, actionable tools, and a room full of women who get it. This isn’t another goal-setting workshop—it’s where expert coaching becomes accessible and permission replaces performance.
January 16-18, 2026 | Hotel Bellwether

Open Roller Skate
2026-01-16 18:00 - 2026-03-20 19:00
Come out every third Friday to Depot Market Square for free skate! Bring your own roller skates or inlines. Helmets and pads (elbow, knee, and wrist) recommended.
DAY/DATES: Fridays / January 16, February 20, March 20
TIME: 6:00-8:00 pm
AGES: All (under 18 accompanied by an adult)
LOCATION: Depot Market Square
COST: FREE

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

Ski Tuning Workshop
2026-01-16 19:00 - 2026-03-20 20:30
Join Backcountry Essentials for a hands-on Ski Tuning Workshop!
Whether you’re new to tuning or looking to sharpen your skills, the professionals will guide you through the essentials of ski maintenance—covering edge
sharpening and waxing techniques. Learn how to keep your gear in top shape for the slopes this season, ensuring a smoother, faster ride. Perfect for skiers of all levels. Bring your skis! All materials provided!
DAY/DATES: Fridays /
January 16, February 20, March 20
TIME: 7:00-8:30 pm
AGES: 16 years and older
LOCATION: Backcountry Essentials, 1417 N. State St.
COST: $20 per date
https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search?locale=en-US&activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=ski%20tuning&viewMode=list

Biosphere
2026-01-16 19:30 - 2026-01-25 21:30
Bellingham TheatreWorks presents Biosphere, a comedy/drama inspired by the dramatic story of Biosphere 2, a controversial environmental experiment in 1991/1992. Four people are sealed in an airtight dome in the desert. For two years they must survive debilitating hunger and dwindling oxygen. But mostly, they must survive each other.
Firehouse Arts and Events Center
1314 Harris Ave, Bellingham
January 16, 17, 23, 24 @ 7:30 pm
January 18, 25 @ 5:00 pm
Tickets: $25 www.BellinghamTheatreWorks.org

Nurturing Your Inner Garden: A Four-Part Sound Bath Series
2026-01-17 18:30 - 2026-04-19 20:00
As we enter 2026, a year of new beginnings, this four-part sound bath series invites you to nurture your inner garden. Each month focuses on a different stage of growth, from planting intentions to tending what is starting to sprout. Gentle movement, breathing practices, journaling, and guided relaxation help prepare you for a 60–70-minute sound journey with gongs, bowls, chimes,
and more. Attend one or all, each workshop offers a complete experience on its own.
DAYS/DATES: Saturday / Sunday
January 17, February 8, March 8, and April 19
TIME: 6:30-8:00 pm
AGES: 7 years and older
LOCATION: Fairhaven Library Auditorium
COST: $36 per session, $108 full series
WEBSITE: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search?locale=en-US&activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=inner%20garden&viewMode=list

New Moon Gong & Sound Bath Meditation
2026-01-18 09:40 - 11:00
Be renewed and soothed with a deeply relaxing soundscape with Kristi. Bring a warm blanket, plenty of padding for your comfort and a small pillow for your
head. Wear something comfortable to settle in and allow the waves of cosmic sound from artisan gongs
and harmonizing singing bowls to carry you away. Rise rejuvenated, connected and centered.
Pre-registration required.
DAY/DATE: Sunday / January 18
TIME: 10:00-11:00 am, check-in 9:40 am
AGES: 13 years and older
LOCATION: Cordata Park Pavilion
COST: $28
WEBSITE: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search?locale=en-US&activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=new%20moon%20gong&viewMode=list

David Syre: Mind and Method at Work
2026-01-18 14:00 - 16:00
Cordata Gallery is pleased to invite you to ‘David Syre: Mind and Method at Work’, an exhibition focused on the wide range of techniques that make David Syre such a unique artist. From his earliest drawings to his most recent paintings, this exhibition is the first opportunity to experience works from years of experimentation all in one place. ‘Mind and Method at Work’ is more than a title—it is the living process behind David Syre’s entire artistic journey and we invite you to be part of it.

Books By the Bay Book Fair
2026-01-19 11:00 - 16:00
Join Chanticleer Book Reviews at Village Books for the “Books By the Bay Book Fair!” Meet bestselling authors and find your next great read! This is an annual event co-sponsored by Village Books and Chanticleer Book Reviews. Free, family-friendly event!

The Depths of Imagination
2026-01-22 09:00 - 16:00
Sign up for a one-of-a-kind adventure — Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett. This award-winning museum features three floors of exploration, exhibits, and
hands-on fun! After a quick lunch break we’ll spend our afternoon swimming at the Skagit Valley YMCA.
COST: $65
https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search/detail/40748?onlineSiteId=0&locale=en-US&from_original_cui=true

Fire & Story
2026-01-22 16:00 - 2026-01-24 23:00
Visit the Bellingham Waterfront for a 3-night, family-friendly gathering of folk, light, and lore on January 22-24, 2026. Fire & Story is back and better than ever! With sculptural handcrafted wood-burning fires, light art installations, captivating performers, a diverse musical lineup, and multi-sensory experiences, Fire & Story will warm your soul during the cold of winter. Visit the four immersive stages you know and love, plus a new fifth stage with kid-centric programming for families. This year’s festival will also feature additional food and beverage options, more fires for keeping cozy, and an expanded 21+ bar area. 3-Night passes, including a limited VIP option, are on sale now. Buy early before they sell out!
Learn more at www.fireandstory.com.

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.

Puzzle Hustle
2026-01-23 18:00 - 2026-03-06 19:30
Join us for a night of fun where teams of up to four
people will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the
same jigsaw puzzle — the three fastest teams win prizes!
Pre-registration is required.
DAY/DATES: Fridays / January 23 or March 6
TIME: 6:00-7:30 pm
AGES: All ages
LOCATION: Bloedel Donovan Community Building
COST: $30 per team per date (maximum 4 people per
team, only 1 member registers for the team)
https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/activity/search?locale=en-US&activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=puzzle&viewMode=list

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.

Fix It Fair
2026-01-25 12:00 - 15:00
FREE
* clothing mending
* small appliance repair
* knife sharpening
* Education
* Good VIbes
Many of these menders are happy to show you how to do repairs yourself in the future if you are interested in learning. If not, come down and take advantage of their expertise, and let them make repairs for you. This event is free or buy donation.
All of the repairs we do are free or by donation. The volunteers are absolutely the greatest people ever. More than half of the volunteers have been doing this since the beginning

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)

Bits and Bobs Assemblage Workshop with Renee Scherrer of Social Fabric
2026-01-25 13:00 - 15:00
Bits and Bobs Assemblage Workshop with Renee Scherrer of Social Fabric

Join Renee Sherrer of Social Fabric for an assemblage sculpture workshop inspired by Io Palmer’s installation, Meander (on view through Jan 25). Palmer’s mixed media work evokes the complex nature of the human experience through color, shape, and texture.
In this workshop, we’ll take inspiration from Meander to create an expression of ourselves using various bits, bobs, and upcycled materials. Sort through bins of collected items from Social Fabric to find objects that speak to your spirit, or bring your own pieces to include. We’ll provide wire, thread, ribbon, string, small objects to attach, and all kinds of ways to create a playful projection.
Class registration includes a materials fee that covers assemblage objects provided by Social Fabric as well as admission to the Whatcom Museum. This is the final day to view the exhibitions, Meander and myself inside your story.
