The 2026 Bellingham SeaFeast will be the culmination of a decade of celebrating the maritime community that sits at the core of the Puget Sound.
Back in 2016, SeaFeast began as a two-day festival in both downtown Bellingham and Zuanich Point Park, and featured storytelling and poetry, food and art vendors and events, and commercial fishing activities. The goal was always to celebrate not only the bounty of the Salish Sea, but also the history and culture of our coastal area.
Over the past decade, SeaFeast has evolved into a year-round cultural caretaker, supporting community engagement, education, and connection around our shores and seafood. Their Community Net Project is a multi-year, multi-faceted effort to “educate and inspire through hands-on art and environmental action.” It includes the Blue Schools classroom visitation program, ocean-themed trivia nights, regular volunteer beach clean-ups that gather data on pollution, and Paint & Sips that encourage creativity and conversation around ocean conservation. They also host gear repair clinics, connecting directly with the commercial fishing community as a form of practical stewardship.
As part of the project, hundreds of regional community members have been invited to decorate a salvaged cork buoy, which would have otherwise gone to a landfill. The plan is for all of the buoys to be woven into a Community Net in 2027, as “a symbol of unity, stewardship, and shared responsibility for our waters.” This collaborative work will become a permanent installation, inspiring Bellingham for generations to come.
Highlighting SeaFeast’s focus on both artistry and maritime culture, a juried art exhibition titled “Creative Currents” is on display at Cordata Gallery until Oct. 24, marking 10 years of Bellingham SeaFeast. Over 25 regional artists contributed pieces that pay homage to “the Salish Sea, the working waterfront, and the quiet forces of tide and current that define life here.” Featured artists include Ivan Colin, Jason LaClair, Ryan Henry Ward, A. Cyaltsa Finkbonner, and many more.
With all that said, SeaFeast’s annual festival is still the premier celebration of seafood and maritime culture in the area. Coming this year on Sept. 26 and 27, your free entry grants you access to a feast like no other. The food court will feature over 25 incredible local food vendors with unique offerings and featured food experiences like traditional Lummi Nation firepit salmon. There will also be a Bellingham Dockside Seafood Market and Fish House with cooking demos and fresh seafood from local fishermen, and a beer, wine, and cider garden with views of Bellingham Bay. A $30 ticket purchased in advance gets you into the Oyster Expo, where you can taste up to a dozen oysters from local farms, all while meeting and greeting the farmers. You can also purchase Silver and Gold VIP tickets to “upgrade your festival experience” with shorter lines, included experiences, and swag!
Demonstrating their ongoing commitment to environmental preservation, SeaFeast has also worked with Perennial Zero Waste and Sustainable Connections to bring back their Reusable Dishware Program, allowing you to enjoy the feast in a sustainable way!
On top of all the amazing food, SeaFeast continues to celebrate art, industry, and heritage. With an expanded layout for their 10th anniversary, a marketplace featuring nearly 100 local artists and small businesses awaits you, featuring everything from maritime-inspired art to everyday necessities. Live music and art demos, including chainsaw carving and artsy workshops, will keep you engaged all day long!
Education and outreach is also a big part of SeaFeast, connecting community members to resources like the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition, and The Salish Sea School. Giving you direct access to the working waterfront, SeaFeast also facilitates All American Marine Shipyard Tours where you can learn about seaworthy engineering and vessel construction. This year, they will also be joined by the historic steamboat, the Virginia V, on its American 250 Tour! Step into beautifully preserved and restored maritime history by touring the vessel and participating in special programming.
With all of this in mind, don’t miss this special 10-year edition of Bellingham SeaFeast, and keep an eye out for their community events! It’s the perfect way to stay connected to our vibrant coastal culture.
