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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May
16
Thu
Arianne True: Teaching Poetry to Youth: What Fun! @ Western Washington University Libraries
May 16 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Arianne True: Teaching Poetry to Youth: What Fun! @ Western Washington University Libraries

Washington State Poet Laureate Arianne True will share tools for having fun when teaching and reading poetry, whether in schools or personal settings, at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, 2024 in the Wilson 4 Central Reading Room. Event attendees will also have an opportunity to view the exhibit. “Listen to Children: The Jack Prelutsky Antiquarian Children’s Poetry Collection,” in Special Collections (Wilson 6) from 5 to 6 p.m. following the program. The event is free and open to the public. At the request of a key event participant, event attendees are asked to avoid using strong fragrances. Arianne True (Choctaw, Chickasaw) is a queer poet and teaching artist from Seattle and has spent most of her work time working with youth. Arianne is the 2023-2025 Washington State Poet Laureate. She has received fellowships and residencies from Jack Straw, the Hugo House, Artist Trust, and the Seattle Repertory Theatre, and is a proud alum of Hedgebrook and of the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She lives in Burien with her cat. Learn more and follow her on Instagram at @wapoetlaureate. This event is offered as part of the Archives & Special Collections Distinguished Speaker Series and is sponsored by Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, PoetryCHaT, Humanities Washington, and ArtsWA. For more information or to request disability accommodation, contact Michael Taylor, Special Collections Librarian, taylo213@wwu.edu, (360) 650-3097.

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May
25
Sat
Orcas of the Salish Sea: A Crash Course in Ecology @ Chuckanut Center
May 25 @ 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Orcas of the Salish Sea: A Crash Course in Ecology @ Chuckanut Center

Join Jazmen Yoder (Northwest Natura) & Madelaine Katz for an ecology crash course complete with captivating storytelling and bounteous wisdom-sharing on Southern Resident and Transient Killer Whales, and the Salish Sea Bioregion.

In this course you will learn:

Salish Sea natural history, including human history and the interconnectedness of species on land and sea.

Orca symbolism and lore within the Coast Salish region

Morphological traits, behaviors, and social structures of Orcas

Salmon species basic life history and phenology

Ecological roles, impacts, and new facts about Southern Resident and Transient Killer Whales

To hear and discern different Orca vocalizations

How to ID individual orcas by their unique features

How to support Orca conservation efforts

Tips for whale watching (where to go, what to look for, how to ID individuals, and more).

This course will be co-led by Madelaine Katz, a nature educator and student of the Salish Sea, and Jazmen Yoder, outdoor educator, naturalist, and founder of Northwest Natura.

The entire class will take place indoors at the Chuckanut Center near Fairhaven in Whatcom County, WA. The Chuckanut Center is heated and has access to facilities including a bathroom, full kitchen, and drinking water.

***** Please register via the website.

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Jun
22
Sat
Tidepools, Lichens & Ferns with Northwest Natura @ Deception Pass State Park
Jun 22 @ 10:30 am – 1:00 pm
Tidepools, Lichens & Ferns with Northwest Natura @ Deception Pass State Park

Join botanist and naturalist, Jazmen Yoder on a walk at one of the most beautiful coastal parks in the Pacific Northwest. There will be an emphasis on learning about creatures in the tidepools, lichens and ferns, but you will learn a lot about other plants, fungi, edible seaweeds, and coast ecology through exploration of tidepools at low tide. 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. Please register via the website.

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Jul
14
Sun
Summer Foraging & Outdoor Cooking with Northwest Natura @ Maple Falls
Jul 14 @ 1:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Summer Foraging & Outdoor Cooking with Northwest Natura @ Maple Falls

Please Join Naturalist, Jazmen Yoder on a day of foraging out in the woods. This course will take place on private and public property approximately 2 miles from of Maple Falls. Location is subject to change based on seasonal anomalies such as delayed ripening.

We will be foraging berries and other edible or medicinal plants, in addition to any edible mushrooms we may find. For each species, expect short discourse on its edibility or medicinal properties, how to prepare it for medicine or food, and information on its ecology.

Expect moderate walking/hiking with frequent stops, self-led exploration, and a lesson in ethical foraging on public lands.

Using some of our foraged finds, we will cook or bake together over a fire, and we will make a delicious, ice-cold wildcrafted spritzer to enjoy in the summer heat.

This will be a fun outing!

(Please note the location is subject to change based on available plant forage. You will be notified ahead of time if anything changes, and location will not be anywhere outside of Whatcom County or too far off the original target. Thank you in advance for your flexibility and understanding.)

Things to bring with you to class:

Dress for the weather
Snacks and water
Foraging Basket or Bag
Mess kit (plate/bowl, fork/spoon, cup)
Notebook and pen (optional)
Camera (optional)
Your favorite field guide (optional)
Bug spray (optional)
Face mask or gaiter
Something to sit on (camp chair and/or blanket)

Please Register VIA the website. Registered individuals will receive an event-reminder email a few days prior to the event.

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