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.
Pickford Film Center is hosting the NY Cat Film Festival, presented by Tracie Hotchner and the Radio Pet Lady Network. This Festival premieres in New York and then travels the country to spread a feline-frenzy to select theaters. The Pickford is lucky enough to host it. Plan for a fun afternoon with a cat-photo contest, tabeling by various organizations with cat-friendly information and services, temporary tattoos and more!
You are invited to our first Mathical Hour volunteer recruitment social on Thursday, September 27 at Brandywine Kitchen. **Be sure to arrive early to purchase your happy hour drink/snacks!
Come learn how YOU can get involved with opening Mathical Adventures, a newly forming nonprofit, in Bellingham.
Our vision is a world where everyone is comfortable with the math in their daily life. To bring this vision into reality, we will be providing opportunities for our community to experience the joy of math.
Mathical Adventures is working to change the way our culture views math by making math more accessible, engaging and enjoyable.
Learn more at www.mathicaladventures.org
All ages welcome at the Mathical Hour. No need to RSVP.
If you are not able to attend – but want to get involved, contact us at info@mathicaladventures.org
We’re looking for volunteers! Come to our month Volunteer Orientation every first Saturdays of the month at 11am.
Bellingham Makerspace is a volunteer-run, non-profit creative workshop that provides access to tools, education, technology, professional development, and a vibrant community of collaborative people- Makers.
Active membership, classes, and donations allow us to continue to provide this valuable resource to the community. We encourage people to share their skills and interests through volunteering, teaching, and/or membership.
Potential sources of pollution aren’t always obvious. Is something on the ground near water that seems like it shouldn’t be? Is something other than water making its way down a storm drain? Pollution Prevention Specialist Kirsten McDade will lead a workshop on using the Water Reporter app to help you monitor pollution — anywhere, anytime.
Read more about the Water Reporter app here: http://www.re-sources.org/blog/cleanwater/howasmartphoneappcantrackandcleanuppollution
#OptOutside and skip the big box stores with RE Sources, Surfrider, and REI on Black Friday!
Get outside, clean up marine debris and protect our waterways instead of buying more things that will eventually become even MORE ocean litter.
This is a family-friendly event, and REI will hold drawings for a chance to win cool prizes. We’ll bring all the cleanup supplies. Be sure to dress for the weather, including walking on the rocky beach. For more information, email nws@surfrider.org or call (215) 287-0043.
Exact location: https://www.google.com/maps/dir//48.7562183,-122.4924387/@48.7604794,-122.5069078,15z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0
Learn about trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), social justice when volunteering, local resources, common reasons for homelessness, and more. Our goal is to help you feel more confident and comfortable when you volunteer at any local organization serving people who have experienced trauma.
This training has been made possible by funding from Whatcom Community Foundation.
WHEN: Sat. January 23, 10am-12:30pm
WHERE: Zoom (online)
Register in advance for this free training: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAsfuqrqT0oH9QOjbK4xNcnE3mQguFFJ-AK . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with info about joining the meeting.
For more info, visit our website: www.road2home.org/events or email info@road2home.org.
Fourth of July celebrations can leave a lot of trash around the marine environment. Help clean up our local shorelines and prevent ocean pollution!
**Space is limited for COVID safety — please RSVP at https://signup.com/go/EJDGnrO **
We’re cleaning up near the beautiful Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve this year. No need to stay for the whole 4 hours, come and go as your schedule allows! Cleanup supplies will be provided.
We’re meeting at:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/derelict+conveyor/@48.8540112,-122.7249418,15z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x5485be20d94762f7:0x73e902e9b7affd33!2sGulf+Rd,+Washington+98248!3b1!8m2!3d48.8507559!4d-122.7151773!3m4!1s0x54859587ae550f73:0xed382e5d3b1cb4ed!8m2!3d48.8560189!4d-122.7303782
Contact RE Sources’ Community Engagement Specialist Destiny at DestinyD@re-sources.org if you have any questions. See you on the beach!
Whatcom Land Trust’s Bell Creek Property hosts functioning salmon habitat including 1,800 feet of riparian forest along Bell Creek and the North Fork River, side channel complexes, and forested channel islands. The existing native trees and surrounding ground needs to be freed of invasive English ivy and hand pulling noxious vinca, which takes over native plants and reduces plant diversity.
RSVP is required, please visit our website for more details, directions, and to RSVP.
Our March cleanup theme is World Water Day, celebrated every year an annual United Nations Observance on March 22 started in 1993 to celebrate water and raise awareness of the 2 billion people currently living without access to safe water.
Join us on March 22nd from 12-2pm at Locust Beach (3199 Locust Ave, Bellingham). Bagels will be provided be The Bagelry! We provide cleanup supplies, just dress for the weather.
**RSVP at https://p2a.co/QVXwqRy. Not required, but helps us plan! **
Plastic pollution is a concern for water quality and wildlife everywhere, and has even been discovered in drinking water and table salt worldwide. Recent research found that Pacific Ocean juvenile fish have been consuming microplastic particles in their first days of life, with not-yet understood health consequences. This year’s World Water Day is focused on the importance of groundwater. Learn more at www.worldwaterday.org
Thank you for keeping waterways clean!
See a list of all monthly beach cleanups at re-sources.org/beach-cleanups. Please check our Events page to make sure the details are the same if you’re adding them to your calendar in advance.
Explore the plants of the Sehome Hill Arboretum, a “secret” natural area in the heart of Bellingham with guidebook author and former Arboretum board member Mark Turner. Sehome Hill was logged in the early 20th century and is now developing a mature second-growth forest. We’ll look at trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and a vine or two. Learn what’s native and what’s not.
Meet in the parking area at the top of Arboretum Drive (off Bill McDonald Parkway).
This is the first of six introductory native plant walks in parks around Whatcom County. The others are on April 24, April 30, May 8, May 12, and May 26.
Join our fun, informal walks and get familiar with plants native to Whatcom County. Sponsored by the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), these introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants native to our area. Leaders will share tidbits on ethnobotany, wildlife use, gardening with natives, and other interesting plant related facts. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification. For more information contact Allan Richardson at 360-305-5270 or asrichardson5@gmail.com. Details about other WNPS activities can be found at wnpskoma.org.
Stroll through the shady Padden Creek trail in Fairhaven. Your guide will help you learn to identify common trees and shrubs, and also to learn their unique plant “personalities” and how they interact in this dynamic urban green space.
Meet at the stage at Fairhaven Village Green
This is the second of a series of introductory native plant walks. The others are on April 21, April 30, May 8, May 12, and May 26.
Join our fun, informal walks and get familiar with plants native to Whatcom County. Sponsored by the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), these introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants native to our area. Leaders will share tidbits on ethnobotany, wildlife use, gardening with natives, and other interesting plant related facts. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification. For more information contact Allan Richardson at 360-305-5270 or asrichardson5@gmail.com. Details about other WNPS activities can be found at wnpskoma.org.
The Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society regularly holds field trips and volunteer events in the community; typically free and open to the public! This is the second in our six-part Intro Plant Walk series.
Let’s take a stroll through the shady Padden Creek Trail in Fairhaven. Your guide will help you identify common trees and shrubs, and you’ll also learn some of their unique plant “personalities” and how they interact in this dynamic urban green space.
These introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification.
Location: Meet at the stage at Fairhaven Village Green.
Visit this gem of a county park, preserved through efforts of the Whatcom Land Trust. The forest floor at Point Whitehorn is carpeted with small wild flowers in the spring. Join us for a walk and learn about the flowers, shrubs and trees of this forest on the edge of the sea. The walk will take us to the beach. At this time you may choose to linger on the beach or return to the cars.
Meet at the Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve Park. Directions: take the Grandview Road exit on I-5. Head west on Grandview to the end, turn left (south) on Koehn Rd. and you will soon see the parking lot on the left.
This is the third in a series of introductory native plant walks. The others are on April 21, April 24, May 8, May 12, and May 26.
Join our fun, informal walks and get familiar with plants native to Whatcom County. Sponsored by the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), these introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants native to our area. Leaders will share tidbits on ethnobotany, wildlife use, gardening with natives, and other interesting plant related facts. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification. For more information contact Allan Richardson at 360-305-5270 or asrichardson5@gmail.com. Details about other WNPS activities can be found at wnpskoma.org.
Join us for a beginning plant walk in the rich, diverse plant community at the Birch Bay State Park. The walk will go from the beach through the uplands along a forested trail to the Terrell Creek estuary.
Meet at the BP Heron Center by the beach in Birch Bay State Park (Discover Pass required).
This is the fourth in a series of introductory native plant walks around Whatcom County. The others are on April 21, April 24, April 30, May 12, and May 26.
Join our fun, informal walks and get familiar with plants native to Whatcom County. Sponsored by the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), these introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants native to our area. Leaders will share tidbits on ethnobotany, wildlife use, gardening with natives, and other interesting plant related facts. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification. For more information contact Allan Richardson at 360-305-5270 or asrichardson5@gmail.com. Details about other WNPS activities can be found at wnpskoma.org.
Enjoy an early evening walk investigating native plants in the urban environment. We will follow the Native Plant Trail in Maritime Heritage Park along Whatcom Creek and learn about the plants, their names, and uses in native Coast Salish tradition. The walk will be led by anthropologist Allan Richardson, co-author of Nooksack Place Names.
Meet at the park pavilion building, just east of Whatcom Creek, on West Holly Street at Maritime Heritage Park in downtown Bellingham.
This is the fifth in a series of introductory native plant walks around Whatcom County. The others are on April 21, April 24, April 30, May 8, and May 26.
Join our fun, informal walks and get familiar with plants native to Whatcom County. Sponsored by the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), these introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants native to our area. Leaders will share tidbits on ethnobotany, wildlife use, gardening with natives, and other interesting plant related facts. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification. For more information contact Allan Richardson at 360-305-5270 or asrichardson5@gmail.com. Details about other WNPS activities can be found at wnpskoma.org.
Stroll among the beautiful forest and wetland habitats in the Stimpson Family Nature Preserve. We will investigate the varied native plant community in this rich forest.
Meet at the trailhead on Lake Louise Road. Directions: From I-5 in Bellingham, drive 3.5 miles east on Lakeway Dr to the Geneva neighborhood, turn right on Austin St (which becomes Lake Louise Rd), trailhead will be on the left in 1.5 miles.
This is the sixth, and final, of six introductory native plant walks. The others are (were) on April 21, April 24, April 30, May 8, and May 12.
Join our fun, informal walks and get familiar with plants native to Whatcom County. Sponsored by the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), these introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants native to our area. Leaders will share tidbits on ethnobotany, wildlife use, gardening with natives, and other interesting plant related facts. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification. For more information contact Allan Richardson at 360-305-5270 or asrichardson5@gmail.com. Details about other WNPS activities can be found at wnpskoma.org.
Join RE Sources and Surfrider for our monthly trash cleanup at Locust Beach (3199 Locust Ave, Bellingham). Trash grabbers, gloves, and bags provided, and bagels provided by Bagelry.
To combat plastic pollution in the Salish Sea, we host beach cleanups — as well as cleanups along rivers and lakes — throughout Whatcom and Skagit counties, providing cleanup equipment and a place to connect with like-minded community members.
Plastic pollution is a concern for water quality and wildlife everywhere, and has even been discovered in drinking water and table salt worldwide. Recent research found that Pacific Ocean juvenile fish have been consuming microplastic particles in their first days of life, with not-yet understood health consequences. See our full list of 2022 monthly cleanups and mark your calendar at re-sources.org/events
Get cleanup updates by email! re-sources.org/sign-up
Hear from local scientists about their work relevant to the beloved Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve, and how we can better protect this ecologically, culturally and economically vital place. Topics will include oil spills, microplastics, and eelgrass and kelp restoration.
Presentation information:
—Microplastics: Novel Technology Enables Community Science Microplastics Monitoring on Sandy Shorelines of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada Iselle Flores Ruiz (she/her), Laboratory Manager/Analytical Scientist, Ocean Diagnostics (Victoria, BC). How can technology help community scientists monitor microplastic pollution in their local sandy beaches? Join Iselle to learn about new tools that community partners can use to collect microplastic data for their area.
—A tool to determine the long-term impacts of oil spills on the marine ecosystem in the Salish Sea: Raisha Lovindeer, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Mesoscale Ocean and Atmospheric Dynamics Research Group, Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Department, University of British Columbia. Raisha Lovindeer is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of British Columbia. She holds a PhD in Earth System Science from the University of California, Irvine, and an MSc. in Marine Science from Stony Brook University. She has been working on human impacts to coastal waters for the last 15 years, including oil spill management and mitigation in government and industry in the Caribbean. Currently, she is in charge of transitioning the knowledge and expertise of the Salish Sea Atlantis model from development to operation.
—Kelp Restoration and How You Can Get Involved: Jessi Florendo, Puget Sound Restoration Fund. A discussion about local kelp restoration and what community members can do to support kelp health, which provides habitat, sequesters carbon and protects shorelines.
—Stressed-out seagrass: How disease and warming threaten a critical ecosystem: Lillian Aoki, PhD, Research Scientist, Data Science Initiative, University of Oregon. Eelgrass meadows provide essential coastal habitat, in the Salish Sea and around the world. Dr. Aoki will discuss how warming oceans affect this important habitat, and how outbreaks of disease in seagrass may be a warning sign of meadow decline.
Join NSEA and Bellingham Parks volunteers to continue restoration of salmon habitat in this historic area in Bellingham. A WNPS group will be adding mulch around our earlier plantings and removing invasive plants on the southeast bank of Whatcom Creek near the Native Plant Trail. Gloves and tools provided at the check-in area, near the BTC fish hatchery on the northeast bank of the creek at the end of C Street, off West Holly. Contact the event organizer with questions, or visit our website for more information.
The Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society hosts chapter meetings on the third Wednesday of every month between September and May. We are proud to offer these educational seminars free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!
Location: Sustainable Living Center (SLC) education room at the ReStore (2309 Meridian St.). The entrance is off the back alley and the SLC is upstairs.
When he retired in 2008, our guest speaker was an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology at Montana State University, Bozeman. While at MSU, he investigated plants growing in geothermal environments in North America – primarily Yellowstone National Park – for more than 10 years. His research on the cellular mechanisms of heat tolerance in “hot springs panic grass” (D. lanuginosum) has been published in several peer-reviewed scientific journals (see https://www.howplantswork.com/hotplants/). He has also collaborated with scientists studying fungi that form symbiotic relationships with this plant, as well as with ecologists investigating plants adapted to naturally high-CO2 environments (of volcanic origin) in Yellowstone.
Please visit our website for more information about this event.
While attending WNPS events, please observe these policies, in effect since March 2022. Please do not attend an event if either of the following are true:
– You currently have any COVID symptoms or have had symptoms in the past 14 days
– You have any reason to quarantine according to the CDC.
The Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society regularly holds educational seminars, field trips, and volunteer opportunities.
Join NSEA and Bellingham Parks volunteers to continue restoration of native plant habitat in this historic area. The WNPS team will be adding plants and spreading mulch in bare areas and removing invasive plants, all on the southeast bank of Whatcom Creek near the Native Plant Trail. Gloves and tools provided at the check-in area.
Location: Check in near the BTC fish hatchery on the northwest bank of the creek at the end of C Street off West Holly.
Please visit our website at the link provided for more information.
While attending WNPS events, please observe these policies, in effect since March 2022. Please do not attend an event if either of the following are true:
– You currently have any COVID symptoms or have had symptoms in the past 14 days
– You have any reason to quarantine according to the CDC
WNPS event hosts will not facilitate carpooling. While participating in the event, maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from other participants, or wear a mask if approaching more closely.
The Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society regularly hosts educational seminars and field trips, typically free and open to the public. **Registration is required for this event as space is limited.** Visit our calendar listing at the link provided for more information and registration instructions.
Meetup location: We will meet at 9 am at the E side park and ride off Fairhaven Parkway. Visit the link provided for more information.
Squires Lake is a Skagit County park about 8.5 miles south of Bellingham and about a half mile off I-5. We will hike the loop around the east side of the lake, take a brief side trip to see the beaver pond, then continue the loop leading to the Alger Alp trail. Depending on the group, we will go to the top to see views of Alger and the Skagit valley.
Planning ahead: Bring lunch and water. Wear comfortable hiking shoes or boots, and dress for the weather.
Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society
Chapter Meeting:
Many people are unaware of the fascinating diversity of bees and other pollinators around the world. For example, in the state of Washington alone there are upwards of 700 species of native bees. To the naked eye, many of these organisms look like nothing more than a mundane house fly. Through the macro lens, however, a vastly different world is revealed. In this presentation, Aidan Hersh will showcase the beautiful bees and pollinators of Washington and beyond. Aidan Hersh is a macro photographer and native bee enthusiast living in Bellingham. He serves on the board of the Washington Native Bee Society and the steering committee of the Washington Bee Atlas. He hopes that his photography will spark interest in the too often forgotten yet vitally important world of bees and pollinators. His photos can be found on Instagram @photo.by.aidan
This is an in-person chapter meeting! The Koma Kulshan Chapter’s in-person meetings begin at 7pm in the Sustainable Living Center education room at the ReStore (2309 Meridian St.). The entrance is off the back alley and the SLC is upstairs.
Join our fun, informal introductory native plant walks and get familiar with plants native to Whatcom County.
Sponsored by the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), these introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants native to our area. Leaders will share tidbits on ethnobotany, wildlife use, gardening with natives, and other interesting plant related facts. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification. For more information contact Allan Richardson at 360-305-5270 or asrichardson5@gmail.com
Native Plants on the Lower Padden Creek Trail:
Stroll through the shady Padden Creek trail in Fairhaven. Your guide, Eric Worden, will help you learn to identify common trees and shrubs, and also to learn their unique plant “personalities” and how they interact in this dynamic urban green space.
Meet at Fairhaven Village Green.
Photo by Mark Turner.
Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society Field Trip:
The north end of Chuckanut Bay has steep south-facing slopes, a marsh behind a gravelly beach ridge, mature second growth forest, and oak tree meadows. This is also an important location in the traditions of the Nooksack Indians and other Coast Salish peoples, as documented in Nooksack Place Names and by five archaeological sites. We will first explore the beach ridge and marsh, then slopes above the mud flats at low tide. Chocolate lily (Fritillaria affinis) and mountain larkspur (Delphinium menzeisii) should be in full bloom. A full plant list is available on the WNPS state website. Meet at the end of Fairhaven Ave in the Chuckanut Village neighborhood of Bellingham. Take Chuckanut Drive less than a mile south of Fairhaven Park to a right turn behind the Chuckanut Bay Gallery to reach Fairhaven Ave. Bring boots or shoes suitable for ankle deep mud, and other shoes for the trail. Contact Allan Richardson at 360-305-5270 or asrichardson5@gmail.com to sign up.
