Bellingham Cocktail Week – sponsored by Swim Club Bar in Fairhaven – is back Friday, February 1 through Sunday, February 10. With more than 30 participating bars and over 25 events, this year’s Cocktail Week is the biggest – and tastiest – yet.
Bellingham Cocktail Week is a celebration of everything that makes our vibrant bar scene so special: Creative bartenders, local ingredients, and the bars that provide space to gather with friends no matter what the outside world throws our way.
Downtown Delights
There’s no denying that downtown is home to the highest concentration of bars in Bellingham, with more on the way. This Cocktail Week, downtown bars are embracing fun and lighthearted events, including the Herb’s Cider Cocktail Challenge, innovative takes on classic cocktails at The Firefly Lounge, Dungeons & Dragons and mead cocktails at Honey Moon, Battleship Royale at Redlight, pre-Super Bowl cribbage tournament and brunch at Rook & Rogue Board Game Pub, and a fun and entertaining wrap party at Uisce Irish Pub, just to name a few.
Like to learn while you drink? There are lots of fun and engaging events to choose from, including:
- Join Whatcom READS for a spirited, guided discussion of this year’s title, The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt & the Fire That Saved America by Timothy Egan. A delicious themed cocktail crafted by Uisce Irish Pub’s bartenders will be available for purchase. (February 6, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.)
- Learn more about Bellingham’s seedy saloon history during a Cocktail Tales tour with The Good Time Girls – the downtown version ending with vintage cocktails served at Ranch Room inside the historic Horseshoe Cafe. (February 2, 7:00 p.m. – advance tickets required)
- Come to Goat Mountain Pizza to learn more about tequilas and mezcals from Matthew Harvey of Prime Wine & Spirits Washington, while sampling delicious and storied spirits and enjoying light snacks courtesy of Black Sheep. (February 6, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – RSVP required)
Vibrant Nightlife on the South Side
As early as the 1880’s, portions of 11th Street in Fairhaven were known as Devil’s Row – a rowdy street full of booze, brothels, gambling and theater. Blue collar workers from the Pacific American Fisheries would party alongside the South Hill society types who came down to “The Lower City” to loosen their collars and slum with the common folk.
A lot has changed in the past 130 years, but one thing is abundantly clear: Fairhaven is ready for a nightlife renaissance, and the folks at Swim Club Bar in Fairhaven are leading the charge.
“The idea was born out of what we see for the future for the neighborhood,” shared Laura Swift. “We’re really trying to bring it back to being a nightlife district.” Swift and fellow Swim Club Bar co-owner, Thomas Grayling, see huge potential in a district teeming with natural and architectural beauty, and they are passionate about nurturing a vibrant culture to match.
Swim Club has been open since spring 2018, but they’ve already made a name for themselves as a chic-yet-approachable neighborhood bar. The lush interior is a tropical, mid-century inspired wonderland. And while it’s arguably one of the most stylish spots in town, Swim Club makes it a point not to take itself too seriously.
“The idea is that, even though it’s nice, this isn’t a place you have to get dressed up for,” added Swim Club Bar Manager, Dennis Schafer. “It’s nice, but it’s not fussy.”
Swim Club is kicking off the Bellingham Cocktail Week festivities with their “Get Naked” party on February 1, complete with a DJ and delicious drinks featuring the brand new Naked Grouse blended scotch.
Plus you can head down to the South Side anytime during Cocktail Week to enjoy cocktails at Swim Club, The Black Cat, Skylark’s Hidden Cafe, Best Buds Gaming Lounge, Evolve Chocolate + Cafe, Galloway’s Cocktail Bar and The Filling Station .
Drinking Good in the Neighborhood
While downtown’s bar scene is strong and Fairhaven’s nightlife is on the upswing, Bellingham’s neighborhoods are seeing an infusion of bars and restaurants, including Twin Sisters Brewing and The Filling Station in the Sunnyland neighborhood, B-Town Kitchen & Raw Bar in the Puget Neighborhood and The Blue Abode in Barkley Village.
Want to truly expand your horizons this Cocktail Week? City limits won’t even contain our fun this time around with the participation of Burnt Ends in Lynden.
Below is a list of additional Bellingham Cocktail Week participants:
- Black Sheep
- Chuckanut Lobby Bar at SpringHill Suites by Marriott
- Jack’s
- La Fiamma
- Lighthouse Bar & Grill at Bellwether Hotel
- Miller’s Back Door
- northwater at Holiday Inn & Suites-Bellingham Airport
- The Orion
- Ovn Wood Fired Pizza
- Red Rum Tiki Bar
- Saltine
- Temple Bar
Go to bellinghamcocktailweek.com to view the full schedule of events and see what’s on special.
Get ready to have fun, try new things, and most importantly: Get home safe! We want to celebrate with you for many years to come.
