Community Calendar and Information Hub

The WhatcomTalk Events Calendar shares things to do around Whatcom County including Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine and beyond. Find fun activities and adventures throughout the region on our comprehensive events calendar. Have an event that isn’t listed? Click the green “Post your Event” button and our editors will review and approve within two business days.

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Oct
18
Sun
Wild Mushroom Show @ Bloedel Donovan Park
Oct 18 @ 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Wild Mushroom Show @ Bloedel Donovan Park | Bellingham | Washington | United States

Bellingham’s 26th annual Wild Mushroom Show is Sunday, October 18, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Bloedel Donovan Community Building (2214 Electric Ave, Bellingham). Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students/seniors, and free for children under 12; sponsored by the Northwest Mushroomers Association.

“Give away all your mushroom secrets for $5? Are you crazy?”
-Migo Biciunas, Northwest Mushroomer

Every fall, Pacific Northwest forests and fields are filled with thousands of different kinds of mushrooms. You can experience hundreds of them at this fun, family event.

  • Study beautiful displays of locally collected mushrooms
  • Bring mushrooms from your own backyard for identification
  • Hear mushroom talks by local experts and surprise guests
  • Learn to identify common mushrooms, both edible and poisonous
  • Discover the fascinating lifestyles of mushrooms and other fungi
  • Taste safe and savory wild mushrooms
  • Visit the “touch and smell” table for hands-on fun with fungi
  • Enjoy coloring and crafts at a children’s activity table
  • View mushroom-related artwork by local artists and crafters.
  • Browse and purchase mushroom field guides and other books
  • Cultivate your own fungi with kits from local Cascadia Mushrooms

“If you treat mushrooms with discrimination and respect, you can learn to pick your own edible wild mushrooms without fear of confusing them with poisonous types — mushrooms which are nutritious, far more flavorful than the mass-produced cultivated variety, and best of all, free! It does, however, require time and effort — a willingness to plunge into the woods, to uncover their secrets, to learn their characteristics, to penetrate their haunts.”
-David Arora, author of Mushrooms Demystified

The Northwest Mushroomers Association promotes the understanding and appreciation of mushrooms and the study of mycology in Whatcom, Skagit, and Island counties. Yearlong NMA membership is $15 for families and $10 for students. Join us! northwestmushroomers.org

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Apr
13
Wed
Western Libraries Reading Series: Louis Lippman @ WWU / Western Libraries Special Collections
Apr 13 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Western Libraries Reading Series: Louis Lippman @ WWU / Western Libraries Special Collections | Bellingham | Washington | United States

Western Washington University Emeritus Professor of Psychology Louis Lippman will present “A Lifetime of Humor: Puns Meet Science,” as part of the Western Libraries Reading Series in Special Collections on Wilson Library’s 6th floor. What does a high school essay, the USA bicentennial, Edward L. Stratemeyer, and “Worm Runner’s Digest” have to do with the development of a collection of original stories? Get answers to those questions and more when Lippman discusses his book, “Wince a Pun on Thyme,” a unique collection of 176 original vignettes, each culminating in a pun or spoonerism. The presentation is free and open to the public, and is being offered as part of the Western Libraries Reading Series, which is dedicated to showcasing the scholarly and creative work of Western faculty by featuring diverse speakers from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines who are engaged in research, writing, and teaching at Western.

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Jan
28
Sat
Wellness Fair @ Terra
Jan 28 @ 12:00 am – 4:00 pm

Electric Beet Juice Co and Terra are throwing a Wellness Fair. Over 35 wellness practioners will be on hand to help you reach your health and fitness goals for 2017. Free samples, raffles, free massage, coupons and more!

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May
16
Tue
Lunch & Learn with Jeffrey Westcott @ Invent Coworking
May 16 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Invent Coworking would like to invite you to have lunch and enjoy an educational talk with other professionals and entrepreneurs. Our selected speakers are designed to provide useful knowledge for growing businesses, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Lunch will be provided during the hour-long talk followed by a short Q+A. You will also have the opportunity to make professional connections and network with other Bellingham professionals in our vibrant coworking community.

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Sep
13
Wed
FakeNews & ClimateChange: Politicizing Our Very Survival @ Fairhaven Public Library - Fireplace Room
Sep 13 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
FakeNews & ClimateChange: Politicizing Our Very Survival @ Fairhaven Public Library - Fireplace Room | Bellingham | Washington | United States

Join Sierra Club Mt Baker Group for a thought-provoking discussion about the political and industrial campaign to discredit climate science and how we might try to counteract denial. The presentation will include how we can protect our environment for ourselves and for future generations.
Sierra Club member Rick Eggerth, retired attorney and environmental researcher, will examine how the settled science of climate change has moved from something that Democrats and Republicans agreed upon in 2008 to something that is now discredited as a hoax by the President and leaders of the Republican party. The presentation will also include a discussion about the Paris Accords to show that they would not have been a disaster for the U.S., as some want the public to think.

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Jun
20
Wed
Darius and Tabitha May Kinsey: A Photographic Legacy @ WCLS Sumas Library
Jun 20 @ 6:45 pm – 7:45 pm
Darius and Tabitha May Kinsey:  A Photographic Legacy @ WCLS Sumas Library | Sumas | Washington | United States

Tour the breathtaking photographs of Darius and Tabitha May Kinsey with narration by Everson photographer Gary Meader. Kinsey is famous for his images of the early 20th century Pacific Northwest logging and railroad industries, which his wife Tabitha May Kinsey developed and printed at their studio in Sedro Wooley. Using his own experience as a photographer, and Kinsey’s large format images, Gary will help us see and appreciate the Kinsey’s hard work and accomplishments. This program is presented in partnership with the Sumas Community/Senior Center.

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Sep
15
Sat
Travel to Australia with Lawrence Pang @ WCLS Blaine Library
Sep 15 @ 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Travel to Australia with Lawrence Pang @ WCLS Blaine Library | Blaine | Washington | United States

Local resident and world traveler Lawrence Pang will take you on a virtual tour using video clips and photos of his visits to locations around the world. This time, journey with Lawrence to Perth and Sydney, Australia, where you’ll discover the people, the food, the architecture and more.

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May
26
Sun
Audubon Society: Elwha River Dam Removal and River Restoration @ Whatcom Museum Old City Hall
May 26 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

What happens when you remove two of the largest dams from a river? Jeff Duda of the USGS will provide an update about the status of the Elwha River dam removal and river restoration project, providing highlights from multiple ongoing and completed research projects, including sediment, fish, and vegetation in freshwater, estuarine, and nearshore ecosystems. He will also place the Elwha perspective within a larger context of dam removals occurring throughout the world. Co-presented by the North Cascades Audubon Society.

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Dec
3
Tue
Let’s Talk About Race @ Whatcom Museum - Old City Hall
Dec 3 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Racism thrives in silence. It’s when we stop talking to one another about our beliefs that prejudices go unchallenged, and the gap between us widens. Yet race is one of the most difficult topics to discuss in American society. If we are to heal many of our country’s social, economic, and political divides, we can’t afford to avoid the conversation.

With warmth and openness, renowned author and professor Clyde Ford leads a discussion on race in modern-day America with a heavy emphasis on audience participation. Meant for people of all races, participants will come away with tools for engaging in conversations about race in an honest, transparent, and meaningful way. Though ambitious, this talk aims to make a difference in bridging and healing the racial divide.

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May
16
Sat
Empowerment Camp Sessions online with Empowerment 4 Girls @ Empowerment Sessions Online on Zoom
May 16 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Empowerment Camp Sessions online with Empowerment 4 Girls @ Empowerment Sessions Online on Zoom

Join us for our Empowerment Camps Online!
2-Hour Empowerment Sessions: Saturdays 12:00 – 2:00 pm

Empowerment 4 Girls Zoom Sessions provide an opportunity for our girls to stay socially and emotionally connected during these challenging times of physical distancing. Yoga, art, talking circles and other aspects of our day-camps are included, along with at-home activities that will be directed by our Founder & Program Director, Kristen Rubis and other Guest Speakers.

Register for one or multiple Yoga or Empowerment sessions using the same registration form. We offer discounts on our Payments page on pre-registration for more than 1 yoga session, or more than 1 two-hour session, and for 8 sessions. We understand that families may need financial support during this time. Thanks to generous donors, we have ample partial or full scholarships available.

These thematic sessions are for 9-16 year old girls and include: introductions, talking circle, yoga/meditation/breath work, art/lecture and a closing circle. We’ll take a few minutes for feedback and end the session with our Girl Power Rocks cheer!

May 16 Self Image
Guest Speaker: SaraAnn Swanson

May 23 Self Expression
Guest Speaker: Kristen Rubis

May 30 Self Love
Guest Speaker: Jessica Rose

Cost: $40 each or all 4 Empowerment Sessions for $150

Scholarships & Registration:
https://www.empowerment4girls.com/zoomsessionsmay.html

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Dec
31
Fri
Bellingham’s Barkley Toasters, Toastmasters International @ Dorothy Haggen Building, Barkley Village, Rm 106 (Currently Zooming)
Dec 31 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Join Barkley Toasters on the last day of 2021 to celebrate this past year and the new year! We are planning a special “Open House Zoom Meeting” which means everyone brings their favorite lunch to their laptop or computer, or phone and munches away with everyone as we conduct an hour table Topics only session. Everyone is invited to participate. We will send a small prize for the best lunch brought to the meeting and the best Table Topics response. Join us at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84101804564?pwd=dTFBcVRjWHRpbWxyVUJndkZWcFVydz09

Call Janice Carmichael for more information at 360.510-8318 or just join us on the 31st!

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Oct
22
Sat
Symposium on Isamu Noguchi Skyviewing Sculptures @ Western Gallery
Oct 22 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Symposium on Isamu Noguchi Skyviewing Sculptures @ Western Gallery

Who: Renowned scholars of modern and contemporary art will address Noguchi’s art from different angles and participate in discussions with both academic and general audience.

Dakin Hart, Senior Curator, The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, New York
John T. Carpenter, Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Hiromi Matsugi, Assistant Professor, The International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Kyoto, Japan
Ken Tadashi Oshima, Co-Chair of the Japan Studies Program and Professor in the Department of Architecture, University of Washington, Seattle
Julia Sapin (Discussant), Professor of Art History, Western Washington University, Bellingham

The symposium is organized in conjunction with an exhibition with the same name at the Western Gallery (Jul 26-Nov 26, 2022), which brings 41 of Noguchi’s skyviewing works together for the first time.

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