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.
The Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society regularly holds educational field trips, meetings, and webinars–typically free and open to the public! Space is limited; registration is required for this event. Please see below for details.
Date: Wednesday, Sept 7
Time: 7:30 am
Location: Meetup location information will be provided upon registration for this event. For more info about this trail, please visit https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/yellow-aster-butte
The Yellow Aster Butte trail traverses a complex geological region supporting a remarkably diversity vascular plants, especially ferns. We can expect to see 30-37 species of ferns and lycophytes, including Asplenium viride, Polystichum lemmonii, P. kruckebergii, and several Botrychium species. That’s more fern species than you will find on any other day hike in North America!
This is a moderately strenuous, 6-mile round-trip hike, with a total elevation gain of 2000 feet. Layers, sun protection, water, lunch/snack, and any other desired hiking gear are recommended.
We will be leaving Bellingham at 7:30 in the morning, returning around 6:00 PM or later.
***The trail enters the Mount Baker wilderness, so group size is strictly limited to 12. Pre-registration is required for this trip. Please visit our state calendar listing at the website provided for more information.
“Lean in,” Kuntz and Company’s newest work, explores what it means to show up and lean into possibility. Creators and performers include Naquoia Bautista, Alona Christman, Vanessa Daines, Brooke Evans, Pam Kuntz, Ella Mahler, Caitlin Schafte, Angela Sebastian, and Kate Stevenson. (link to artist bios) Bellingham dance audiences may remember these artists from past Kuntz and Company work, Bellingham Repertory Dance Company performances, and/or WWU dance concerts. Many of them have performed together for years and have developed an intimate knowledge of each others’ tendencies and strengths, allowing for a wildly imaginative and wholly collaborative approach to the creation of this new work. While Kuntz is always collaborative in her approach to creating work, she typically identifies a theme (motherhood, body image, HIV/AIDS) and partners with non-trained community members to tell their stories surrounding that theme. This time Kuntz’s only collaborators are trained dancers and what they bring to the table: a wide range of personal stories wrapped inside of their movement truths and capabilities. This time the piece is about the dancers themselves, and what they bring to and bring out of each other. There is a chance that “Lean in” is about what it means to be a dancer at the age of 25, 35, 45 and 53 – Kuntz hasn’t quite hit the 55 mark – but that wasn’t the goal. It really is about showing up and seeing what can be discovered.
https://www.kuntzandco.org/lean-in
Lean in
a dance/theatre piece
by Kuntz and Company
Oct 20,21,22 @ 7:30 PM and Oct 23 @ 5:00
Firehouse Arts and Events Center
1314 Harris Avenue
Fairhaven, WA 98225
tickets: https://www.kuntzandco.org/lean-in
For info and disability accommodations contact Pam Kuntz at 360-510-4711 or by email kuntzpam@gmail.com
photographer – Breeann Johnson
“Lean in,” Kuntz and Company’s newest work, explores what it means to show up and lean into possibility. Creators and performers include Naquoia Bautista, Alona Christman, Vanessa Daines, Brooke Evans, Pam Kuntz, Ella Mahler, Caitlin Schafte, Angela Sebastian, and Kate Stevenson. (link to artist bios) Bellingham dance audiences may remember these artists from past Kuntz and Company work, Bellingham Repertory Dance Company performances, and/or WWU dance concerts. Many of them have performed together for years and have developed an intimate knowledge of each others’ tendencies and strengths, allowing for a wildly imaginative and wholly collaborative approach to the creation of this new work. While Kuntz is always collaborative in her approach to creating work, she typically identifies a theme (motherhood, body image, HIV/AIDS) and partners with non-trained community members to tell their stories surrounding that theme. This time Kuntz’s only collaborators are trained dancers and what they bring to the table: a wide range of personal stories wrapped inside of their movement truths and capabilities. This time the piece is about the dancers themselves, and what they bring to and bring out of each other. There is a chance that “Lean in” is about what it means to be a dancer at the age of 25, 35, 45 and 53 – Kuntz hasn’t quite hit the 55 mark – but that wasn’t the goal. It really is about showing up and seeing what can be discovered.
https://www.kuntzandco.org/lean-in
Lean in
a dance/theatre piece
by Kuntz and Company
Oct 20,21,22 @ 7:30 PM and Oct 23 @ 5:00
Firehouse Arts and Events Center
1314 Harris Avenue
Fairhaven, WA 98225
tickets: https://www.kuntzandco.org/lean-in
For info and disability accommodations contact Pam Kuntz at 360-510-4711 or by email kuntzpam@gmail.com
photographer – Breeann Johnson
“Lean in,” Kuntz and Company’s newest work, explores what it means to show up and lean into possibility. Creators and performers include Naquoia Bautista, Alona Christman, Vanessa Daines, Brooke Evans, Pam Kuntz, Ella Mahler, Caitlin Schafte, Angela Sebastian, and Kate Stevenson. (link to artist bios) Bellingham dance audiences may remember these artists from past Kuntz and Company work, Bellingham Repertory Dance Company performances, and/or WWU dance concerts. Many of them have performed together for years and have developed an intimate knowledge of each others’ tendencies and strengths, allowing for a wildly imaginative and wholly collaborative approach to the creation of this new work. While Kuntz is always collaborative in her approach to creating work, she typically identifies a theme (motherhood, body image, HIV/AIDS) and partners with non-trained community members to tell their stories surrounding that theme. This time Kuntz’s only collaborators are trained dancers and what they bring to the table: a wide range of personal stories wrapped inside of their movement truths and capabilities. This time the piece is about the dancers themselves, and what they bring to and bring out of each other. There is a chance that “Lean in” is about what it means to be a dancer at the age of 25, 35, 45 and 53 – Kuntz hasn’t quite hit the 55 mark – but that wasn’t the goal. It really is about showing up and seeing what can be discovered.
https://www.kuntzandco.org/lean-in
Lean in
a dance/theatre piece
by Kuntz and Company
Oct 20,21,22 @ 7:30 PM and Oct 23 @ 5:00
Firehouse Arts and Events Center
1314 Harris Avenue
Fairhaven, WA 98225
tickets: https://www.kuntzandco.org/lean-in
For info and disability accommodations contact Pam Kuntz at 360-510-4711 or by email kuntzpam@gmail.com
photographer – Breeann Johnson
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.
The Goat Rocks Wilderness lies on the Cascade crest between Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams and includes one of the most scenic portions of the Pacific Crest Trail. In August 2021, our speaker and his husband spent a week backpacking there, visiting Snowgrass Flats, Cispus Basin, and Goat Lake. The WNPS plant list for the area includes over 270 taxa, some common throughout the Cascades and a few that were new to him. He’ll share floristic highlights of the area.
Please visit our website for more details.
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.
do NOT contact me with unsolicited services or offers
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.
Increase your appreciation and excitement for the winter season by learning a bit more about the adaptations of various birds, animals and plants adapted to thrive in the North Cascade mountains. This virtual class will provide the tools for you to hone your field observation skills and provide insight, stories and clues for fostering a deeper connection to our winter world.
You may know her from her popular virtual geology program, or from her North Cascadian trivia program, or perhaps you bumped into her while she was frolicking in the hills, singing with the birds, and collecting wonderful stones—she’s Gina Roberti! Gina returns to the Institute’s virtual venue for this invernal delight.
The Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society regularly holds educational field trips, meetings, and webinars–typically free and open to the public! **Registration is required for this event. Please see below for details.**
Join us for a late winter Cryptogam Ramble to Sharpe Park (south of Anacortes and west of Deception Pass Park). We’ll take one of the meandering trails down hill (perhaps Porpoise Point trail – see map in link). If it’s pleasant enough, we’ll have lunch along the trail and hope to finish between 3 and 4.
Bring water, lunch, layers, and a hand lens if you have one.
RSVP: Please visit https://www.wnps.org/events-for-contributors/my-events/1800 for details on how to register.
Meetup Location: We’ll leave from the Bellingham south end Park & Ride at 9 a.m., or meet at the trailhead at 10 a.m.
Park description and map: https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/ParksAndRecreation/parks/sharpe.htm
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.** Visit our calendar linked with this event listing for more information, meetup location, and registration instructions.
These two shoreline parks are gems in our Chuckanut neighborhood. Highlights will include amazing views of the San Juan Islands, honeycomb weathered sandstone, beautiful Pacific Madrone trees, and gnarly Douglas-firs–among other remarkable trees. One of them is the only native oak tree in Washington, the Garry Oak. This tree needs sunlight and drier soil and is mostly found on rocky outcrops such as these headlands or on the San Juan Islands.
From the meetup location, we will hike the Interurban Trail to the steep descent to Teddy Bear Cove. Going down will be easy, coming back up not so much. After checking out all that’s to see at the cove we will go back the Interurban Trail to the Woodstock Farm and amble the grounds looking for all the interesting plants before we return to our cars at about 5:00 pm. All in all we will cover about 3 miles and 800 ft elevation gain.
Join Dr. Kaeli Swift as she explores the unique features of corvids that make them so appealing to watch and study, how they have influenced our cultures across time and space, and how human attention towards these birds has shaped their own ecology and culture.
Corvids are everywhere: they are found on nearly every continent and many species thrive in human dominated environments. They have influenced art and literature throughout history, and whether they inspire love or hate, they have certainly impacted the hearts and minds of the humans who share their space. But being “common” isn’t enough to earn this level of connection. So what is it about corvids that positions them to take such a prominent role in culture and storytelling traditions? And how does that relationship impact the birds themselves?
Join the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society for a fun, informal series of introductory plant walks to celebrate Washington Native Plant Appreciation Month! Check out the calendar to see additional walks scheduled through May. All walks are free and no registration is required, just show up at the meeting spot.
Event details: 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.
Meetup location: BP Heron Center by the beach in Birch Bay State Park (Discover Pass required)
More about this series: These introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last about two hours. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, and marine algae 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.
Please visit the link provided for more information about this event.
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.
May Chapter Meeting: Westside Wildfires–Preparing for a Future of Wildfire in the Cascades
Climate change is expected to have profound impacts on Pacific Northwest flora and fauna. Wildfires have been a natural part of the circle of life in the western United States, but many decades of fire suppression and land use change are now compounded by longer and drier summers, resulting in unprecedent changes in the fire regime in our region. In this talk, our speaker will explore wildfire’s role in the ecosystems of the west Cascades, and how climate change and land management have fundamentally shifted how fires ignite and burn in our dense westside forests.
Our guest speaker is a writer, podcast host, angler, skier and former wildland firefighter. She left fire in 2019 after four summers working as a wildland firefighter, including two seasons as a hotshot. She’s used those experiences to frame much of the creative work she’s done since, including writing about wildfires, climate change and environmental issues for NBC News, The Washington Post, Outside, The Atlantic and Patagonia. She wants to empower Westerners to learn more about wildfires, which she does in part through a podcast called Life with Fire. The podcast explores the critical role wildfire plays in America’s forests, lands and communities.
To learn more about this event, please visit our calendar listing at the link provided.
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: Baker River Trailhead. Visit link below for more information.
Dense forest limits flowering plant abundance in much of the North Cascade lowlands. However, there are lowland areas with abundant flowers and, of course, their associated pollinators. River and lake margins provide habitats where sunlight penetrates far enough into riparian areas to create healthy flowering plant communities. Meandering rivers (Baker River as a prime example) also create forest openings that gradually recover to mature forest, going through several stages of flowering shrubs and small trees. If we have time, we may even visit a burned area along Park Creek where the shrub layer is slowly recovering. Late May to early June is the best time to visit the Baker River area. We should see quite a few flowers.
Planning ahead: This will be a relatively easy hike of about 2+ miles on mostly level terrain along the river. Hopefully the weather will be good, but you never know, so bring appropriate rain gear and warm clothing. Also bring a lunch and plenty of water. Forest Service/Park Service parking pass is required. There are no fee stations in the area. We will be meeting at the trailhead, so please arrange your own carpools as you think appropriate. It can be up to a two-hour drive to the trailhead, depending on how many stops you need to make along the way.
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 for more information and registration instructions.
Date: Sunday, May 21
Time: 9am – 4:30pm
Meetup Location: SW corner of Birch Bay State Park at the boat ramp. DISCOVER PASS REQUIRED for parking there. More information in the link provided.
**Registration instructions: visit the link provided for more.
We will approach the Point from the Birch Bay side, about 3 miles walking and return total. All knowledge levels and backgrounds are welcome!
What to bring: Rubber boots, field guide, snacks, water, hand-lens, hand towel; all recommended; and ANTICIPATE MUCH COOLER, BREEZY conditions than in your garden. An algae list is provided; bring whatever field guide you may own and like. Suggested field guides can be found in the event description at the link provided.
oin botanist and naturalist, Jazmen Yoder on a gentle-moderate hike along and around Mount Erie Summit Trail. There are dozens of beautiful, highly photogenic wildflowers you will be delighted to see.
This trail is rated as “challenging” but we will be moving at a slow pace to admire the biodiversity we find. Our plant walks are always full of information – you will learn how about the ecology, ethnobotany, and how to ID several native plants. Along the trail we will taste, smell, and touch the plants we stop to learn about so we will be able to train our brains to remember them in the future.
Our plant walks are the best way to learn a lot about your landscape in a few short hours.
Learn more and register through the links posted!
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.
The Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society regularly hosts educational seminars and field trips, typically free and open to the public. Visit our calendar listing, linked below, for more information and registration instructions.
Meetup location: Chuckanut Pocket Estuary lot at the end of Fairhaven Ave in the Chuckanut Village neighborhood of Bellingham.
More event and contact information can be found in the link provided.
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 slopes above the mud flats at low tide, then investigate the marsh. After a lunch break at the beach we will take the unmarked shoreline trail to reach the oaks at Woodstock Farm.
Planning ahead: Bring your own lunch and water. Be sure to dress for the weather, wear boots or shoes suitable for ankle deep mud, and bring other shoes for the trail if desired.
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, linked below, for more information and registration instructions.
Meetup location provided upon registration. Registration instructions can be found at the link provided.
Hoypus Point in Deception Pass State Park features a forest that is quite different from those covering the mountains of Chuckanut sandstone nearer to Bellingham: the forest of Hoypus Point is much more moist, supporting an abundance of moisture-loving plants like hemlock and sitka spruce trees, sedges, and also a lot of nettles. Most of it was logged in the distant past but a portion is distinctly old growth with giant trees and snags and an open, complex structure that is beautiful to behold. Altogether, it provides a nice lesson on forest succession and the tremendous amount of time needed to reach climax. Many trails are available but we will take a 4-5 mile loop on comfortable, mostly flat trails around the best part and a short side trail to visit a stretch of pebble beach.
Planning ahead: Bring your own lunch and water. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable hiking shoes or boots.
PLEASE NOTE: A Discover Pass is required to park in Deception Pass State Park. More details about a specific meetup location will be provided upon registration.
Please join Naturalists Jazmen Yoder (Northwest Natura) & Ryan Johnson (Firecraft NW) at the Chuckanut Center for this interactive and beginner friendly Fungi and Mushrooms crash course.
Learn the different structures of fungi and mushrooms, fungi propagation, life cycle, and how to categorize them.
Participants will review examples of edible mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest, what conditions they grow in, and how to use keys to identify them, followed by a demonstration on creating a spore print.
The class will conclude with a brief discussion and demonstration on using fungi to create fire, as well as books and resources to further pursue the study of mycology and fungi!
Please join Naturalists Jazmen Yoder (Northwest Natura) & Ryan Johnson (Firecraft NW) at the Chuckanut Center for this interactive and beginner friendly Fungi and Mushrooms crash course.
Learn the different structures of fungi and mushrooms, fungi propagation, life cycle, and how to categorize them.
Participants will review examples of edible mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest, what conditions they grow in, and how to use keys to identify them, followed by a demonstration on creating a spore print.
The class will conclude with a brief discussion and demonstration on using fungi to create fire, as well as books and resources to further pursue the study of mycology and fungi!
Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society
Chapter Meeting, 7:00 PM, Zoom
Jim Davis will present results from a five-year study of flower phenology and bumble bee foraging at Heather Meadows. In a typical year, observed abundant and continuous floral resources for the duration of the growing season. During the exceptionally early spring of 2015, flowering was early for many species, while the duration of flowering increased for a few species and decreased substantially for others.
These findings preview the potential impacts of climate change on flowering plants and bumble bees in subalpine meadows of the Pacific Northwest. To register, go to http://wnps.org/events
Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society
Volunteer Opportunity
Join the Koma Kulshan Chapter, Bellingham Parks volunteers, and Whatcom Million Trees Project to help plant native plants at the Galbraith Parking Lot restoration site. Check the Volunteer Bellingham website (https://www.volunteerbellingham.org/need/detail/?need id=880992) for future updates. Tools and gloves will be provided. Come prepared for the weather and bring a lunch. For more information, contact Jim Davis at jimdaviscpc [at] Comcast (dot] net.
Join botanist and naturalist, Jazmen Yoder on a walk at one of the most stunning trail systems in the Pacific Northwest. There will be an emphasis on learning lichens and ferns, but we will ID any plant or fungi species of interest. Bring your camera, come for the knowledge, and stay for the views! This is a unique field trip offering you’ll remember forever.
Space is limited.
Join Naturalist, Jazmen Yoder on a fun adventure to the shore of Fidalgo Island to explore tidepools and learn about shoreline ecosystems of Northwest Washington state.
We will learn to identify as many of the beautiful creatures living in the tidepools as we possibly can in a few short hours, as well as several types of edible seaweeds that are common to our local beaches.
There is a vast array of organisms that we can hope to find including anemones, sea stars, mollusks, crabs, chiton, barnacles, and so much more. With sweeping views of the protected waters of the Salish Sea from a rocky outcrop, we may even see dolphins or whales.
We live in an incredibly beautiful area, and we owe much of that beauty to the Pacific Ocean. Let’s go explore marine diversity in July together! You will be amazed at how much we find!
Details about location and driving directions will be provided to registered participants. There may be opportunities to carpool.
How to come prepared:
Wear waterproof shoes with traction.
Dress for the weather
Bring snacks/lunch and water
Bring or buy a Discover Pass (or pay for day use at the parking lot.
You may also want to bring:
Notebook and pen
Camera
Binoculars
Sunscreen
A tidepool, seaweed, and/or shellfish field guide
Sorry, no pets.
****Please register via the website
