Registration is now open for free career and life success courses offered by the Whatcom Community College (WCC) Turning Point program, which helps participants identify strengths and career paths through classes on career/life planning, workshops on self-esteem and effective communication, and information and referral services. Graduates of the program have found careers that deliver financial stability and personal satisfaction.
The “Courage to Change” workshop teaches practical strategies to renew self-esteem and to learn effective communication strategies. The course is offered Tuesday, April 4, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. or on Tuesday and Thursday, April 11 and 13, from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. in Kelly Hall, room 009, on Whatcom’s campus. The coursework is especially valuable for individuals who have recently experienced life changes such as the loss of a job or change in marital status. Registration is required.
A great starting point or an ideal follow-up to the Courage to Change session is Turning Point’s Career/Life Planning Course. Students identify their skills, explore career choices, learn interview and resume techniques, and develop a practical plan to achieve career and life success. The atmosphere is warm and supportive, and the instructional style is fun and interactive. The Career/Life Planning Course begins with the April 4 or April 11 and 13 Courage to Change Workshops, then continues through April 27, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – noon, or on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at WCC. The class is designed for those in transition and who are no longer supported by the income of another. Registration and instructor permission is required.
The workshops are one of the many services offered by Turning Point, the Whatcom Life Transitions Program, at WCC. For more information about the Turning Point program and to register, contact Robin Bailey at 360-383-3132.
Treat your loved ones to a special show at MBT. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
Submitted by: Mount Baker Theatre
Houston Ballet, America’s fourth-largest ballet company, is coming to Mount Baker Theatre on Sat, Apr 1 for a 7:30 p.m. performance of its season tour. Access to world-class ballet performances and classes normally have both price and geographic barriers to attendance that MBT aims to mitigate through outreach efforts associated with this performance.
To truly appreciate ballet, a viewer must notice the strength and effort it takes to make the dance look effortless. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
Family Access: Youth tickets are just $10 in any section with purchase of at least one accompanying adult ticket. The lowest unobstructed ticket price for the top 10 ballet companies in America is usually around $40, with tickets often running over $100 each because of the cost of the elaborate productions and the training and upkeep of company members. Our sponsors and non-profit mission allow us to subsidize this discount.
Artist Access: A free post-show talk-back with company members is aimed at our young audience members. Dancers can ask working professionals what it is like to train and tour on that level – access normally only found within the walls of big companies in big cities.
Student Access: Houston Ballet Academy Director Vicki Attard is leading two master classes March 31. We are taking our talented guest out into the community with two classes for regional intermediate/advanced ballet students: 9 a.m. at WWU (ages 16+) or 5:30 p.m. at Presence Studio in Downtown Bellingham (ages 12+). Classes are $15.
Geographic Access: Bringing this world-class touring show to downtown Bellingham where residents enjoy free evening parking and our familiar theater setting is part of our mission as Bellingham’s local hub for live performing arts.
Getting unplugged plugs Robb back into nature's natural rhythms. Photo courtesy: Dave Robb.
For anyone who’s grappled with the choice to live minimally or has asked the question, “Am I living my dreams?” Dave Robb is a beacon of choice and a nod to a life that honors simplicity and a deepened connection to the natural world. His contagious laugh gives him away as a jovial soul and a man approaching his 60th year doing exactly what he’s envisioned will bring him happiness.
In the summer of 2010 Robb had just finished up a XC cycling trip traveling some 4,500 miles. The first place he landed was back at the end of the road. Photo courtesy: Dave Robb.
A “live aboard” at Squalicum Harbor, Robb sold his house on Camano Island and began calling a 27-foot Catalina 270 named Pegasus his new home. Robb always had a boat moored off Camano Island, but eventually traded his multi-generational island life for a slip up north, where he’s had various boats docked for the past fifteen years.
Robb has a lineage of nautical family members but he’s the only full-time sailor among them. He fondly remembered a childhood filled with one and two-week summer trips to the San Juan Islands and Canada. “We always got along well on the boat,” he remembered. “My dad was at his best and I loved it.” His father maintained a small craft but rented a boat every summer for their adventures. Robb’s grandfather had been boating in the area since the 1920’s. “My brother worked in the trades and was always into boats too,” Robb said.
At age 28, Robb found himself boat-less for the first time. He’d sold his powerboat, went on a three-month trip to Europe and returned to construction work. In Port Townsend he purchased his first sailboat – a 25 foot Lancer. He didn’t know how to sail, but for someone who’d grown up on the waters of Puget Sound, the transition from horsepower to wind came as second nature.
Sailing into the day, Robb finds solace in the wind and waves of the San Juan Islands and beyond. Photo courtesy: Dave Robb.
Robb fixed up the boat through the course of a winter and by spring a friend of his cousin’s gave him a two-hour crash course on a vintage, double mast, whaling boat – letting Robb and his cousin figure out the rest. “After two hours he looked over at me and said, ‘It’s pretty simple.’ He just threw the sails up and I think sailing can really be that simple,” Robb assured.
Robb’s first sailboat was dry docked in Arlington, at his grandfather’s tire shop. There he could have it undercover, take it apart, work on the mast and get to know the inner workings of the vessel. His construction skills would assist him but he explained he’s always been one to work with his hands and figure things out. A combination of determination and a laissez-faire philosophy has served him well.
“I think that’s how I approach everything. I don’t see anything as overly complex,” he said. “So that’s how I learned to sail and that’s how I live my life. I learn by doing. I simplify things.” Robb took sailing classes at a community college and has attended many boat shows and lectures since. He joked, “I took classes after I already knew how to sail and I was the best sailor in the class. I got an A.”
A poem discovered on a walk with Robb’s niece – words that represent a sailor’s internal journey. Photo courtesy: Dave Robb.
Robb has changed a few of his habits since becoming a full-time live aboard. He doesn’t shop at Costco anymore because he doesn’t have that kind of storage and his “days are a little slower,” he shared. His consumerism is down to purchasing boat parts and trips to town for shopping.
“You’re a thickness of a hull away from nature, so you’re in it all the time. The wind blows and you appreciate the simple things more,” he said.
As much as we’re addicted to Wi-Fi, driving or any of our modern conveniences, we can also become addicted to quiet, stillness and simplicity. “When you’re out in nature everything is all right, everything works together and it simplifies your life,” Robb remarked. “It takes about a week to break my connection to the news cycle. I don’t have my smartphone in Canada, for example, and I find myself running up the dock to get online. But then, pretty soon, it’s a week and I don’t have any connections and then I don’t need or even want to look.”
Getting unplugged plugs Robb back into nature’s natural rhythms. Photo courtesy: Dave Robb.
Sometimes major change feels insurmountable. Or perhaps we think of mastery before ever getting out of the boat slip. Maybe we overthink and over-plan only to realize how easeful things can be on the other side. In Robb’s case, selling the home and six and a half acres of land he’d lived on for twenty-five years, (completely remodeling the house over the course of the last five years) and downsizing his life was fifteen years in the making.
Leaving his shop, his tools and the security of a livelihood was a process. He’d always logged weekend trips and spent off-seasons on various sailboats, but never had he been a full-time resident of a boat without a home on dry land. To move away from the past was to start a new life in the here and now. “This works out great for me, living on the boat,” he said. “I love water and boats so it’s easy for me to be out here on the water full-time.”
One of Robb’s previous boats he owned for twenty-five years – his longest relation(ship). Photo courtesy: Dave Robb.
Although living on a boat isn’t for everyone, the Pegasus provides a cozy retreat. Living on a “roomy small boat” promotes a social life off the boat. Robb had already been familiar with Bellingham as a cyclist and a runner with the Greater Bellingham Running Club. He also dabbles in the local yoga scene and plans extended bike trips with long-time Bellingham friends. He maintains an office space downtown in one of Bellingham’s classic brick buildings and has a storage space.
When asked if he thinks he’ll ever return to dry land he replied, “I don’t know when I’ll go back to living on land really. I don’t have the desire to. You know what they say, you never get your youth back … and I’ve never regretted time on the water.”
Each luxury apartment is fully furnished with a common area boasting a TV and fully-equipped kitchen. Photo courtesy: NXNW Student Housing. Photo courtesy: NXNW Student Housing.
As you enter the lobby of the NXNW Student Housing complex and are greeted by the Community Assistant, you are immediately struck by the luxurious living amenities available to all who reside in the vast complex reminiscent of a resort setting.
The fully-equipped kitchen comes with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and dining for four. Photo courtesy: NXNW Student Housing.
“There is nothing else like it in Bellingham,” says Larry MacDonald, General Manager. “It’s like a stepping stone out of the dorms and into your own place complete with luxury amenities.”
While not owned or operated by Western Washington University, NXNW Student Housing provides that bridge for all of the students residing there. NXNW offers a community of support, close proximity to campus, security and on-site management and maintenance.
MacDonald describes the caring environment of WWU and how NXNW has become an extension of that university support system. “We are just an extension of that. It’s a safe place for anyone living here who still wants that connection to the campus,” says MacDonald.
The upscale amenities include a clubhouse with a common area for meeting friends and relaxing, a study lounge equipped with two Macs and two Dell computers, a game room complete with a kitchen for entertaining and a television for catching favorite shows or sporting events. Residents also enjoy 24-hour coffee and a mini market along with a fully-equipped 24-hour fitness room with a tanning bed.
Each apartment comes with two to three private bedrooms. Photo courtesy: NXNW Student Housing.
At NXNW, the outdoors is the place to congregate in great weather with a courtyard boasting BBQ grills, two sand volleyball courts, hammock stations, concrete ping pong and chess tables and fire pits. Residents with pets are welcome. They have access to multiple pet stations throughout the property for convenience.
“NXNW Student Housing provides a safe place for students to live off campus and still be with their peers,” MacDonald continues. “This is how community living starts.”
That community support is apparent in residents’ accessibility to the onsite management and maintenance crew and through the shuttle service provided each day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. to the WWU campus.
With a definitive need for affordable housing in Bellingham, NXNW Student Housing has changed rental opportunities for students and others in the area. The complex opened on September 19, 2016 and the timing couldn’t have been better with WWU seeing a growth in enrollment. “This was a need and a niche,” says Aaron Cohn, Assistant General Manager of the luxury property. “We recognized the need, got situated and built close to campus.”
Each private bedroom comes with its own private bath. Photo courtesy: NXNW Student Housing.
With two and three bedroom apartments featuring granite countertops, full-size, front-loading washer and dryers and separate baths, residents have found NXNW Student Housing to be a great community with everything they need. Each apartment is fully furnished with a common area that boasts a TV with wireless and cable television. The kitchens come with stainless steel appliances. Each bedroom is individually leased with apartment roommates chosen through a matching system involving a questionnaire when a specific roommate isn’t requested.
Beyond the upscale living found at the NXNW Student Housing complex is the supportive and community-oriented environment. With a good percentage of international students, age range and a mix of executives, students and even faculty, everyone experiences the variety. “You find that you grow with them,” says Cohn of the experience.
MacDonald adds, “It’s an enthusiastic group of kids writing their own story. It’s exciting.”
Working with the University, NXNW strives to create a seamless relationship that makes students feel that they are still connected to campus and not missing the action and events happening around them. That relationship continues through the development of programs in conjunction with WWU, anticipated at the complex later this year.
Each luxury apartment is fully furnished with a common area boasting a TV and fully-equipped kitchen. Photo courtesy: NXNW Student Housing. Photo courtesy: NXNW Student Housing.
MacDonald and Cohn describe the relationships they have formed with both the residents and the parents of the students along with watching the students congregate in the clubhouse or even outside for the seasonal snowball fight. “It’s really learning how to live with others,” MacDonald says. “Our onsite NXNW Staff have become an integral part of the lives of the residents.”
At NXNW, staff members are also residents. These individuals work to create a community environment through monthly events such as a big pancake breakfast or as simple as danish and muffin platters in the morning to start the day. MacDonald explains that the decision to hire residents is intentional, as residents are perfectly positioned to create the best possible environment at NXNW. He is proud of the strong team that has resulted. “They are the ones helping residents daily,” says MacDonald.
The appeal to parents has been the availability of onsite management to simply check in on their students residing at NXNW Student Housing as well as knowing there is maintenance staff on site should anything need attention. “We definitely provide a bridge to real life,” says MacDonald. “Parents have peace of mind with their students living here.”
The NXNW Student Housing complex is an ideal housing option for those who are looking for a connection to WWU and a community to call home in Bellingham. NXNW offers housing for 648 residents in 248 apartments in thirteen buildings with three to four floors each.
“We’ve set the bar high,” says MacDonald. “We’ve created a community and even created jobs for students residing here at NXNW Student Housing. People really like it here.”
Although formed in 2007, The Old World Deli opened up its State Street location in 2010. Photo credit: Conor O'Keefe.
Does this scenario sound familiar? You are pacing back and forth between the grocery store aisles trying to decide on the perfect wine and food pairing. It’s true that it can be difficult to match the ideal food item with its quintessential wine counterpart. But this doesn’t need to be the case any longer. Back in 2013 Christos and Anna Adams, owners of the Old World Deli in Bellingham developed their Food + Wine Club in order to make the search for that perfect pair a little easier.
Patrons enjoy lunch at the Old World Deli located at 228 N State St. in Bellingham. Photo credit: Conor O’Keefe.
The program is simple and affordable. For a price of just $85 per month you receive three bottles of wine, one artisan cured meat, one house-made meat, one specialty cheese, one specialty market good and 10 percent off bottles of wine in the shop all month long.
“We thought the Food + Wine Club would be a great way to pair our house-made meats, cheese from our case and other accouterments with the wines selected for the month,” Anna said.
In addition to all of the items you acquire when joining the club, you also get guaranteed seating at Old World Deli’s various special wine events hosted throughout the entire year. Anna says they have been trying to incorporate a greater number of events since they moved to their current location in 2010.
With live music, a wine happy hour and an eclectic evening menu, the Old World Deli has seen more customers come into the space throughout the years, but that doesn’t stop them from wanting to try new methods to get people familiar with their products.
A selection of cured artisan meats on display at the Old World Deli in Bellingham. Photo credit: Conor O’Keefe.
Anna said they are planning to launch a new monthly evening program that focuses on a theme (country, area, holiday, etc.) for each wine and food pairing which will tie in with their current Food + Wine Club.
“We have so many great things to offer with our wine – market, house-made meats and deli case meats and cheeses, but we need to do a better job of tying these all together and making them more accessible to people,” Anna said.
Anna and Christos are working to make customers aware that Old World Deli is more than just an eatery you visit for lunch. They look to solve this problem by creating new programs to influence immersion with their customers. “A lot of people eat lunch here and never notice the wine and market section or don’t know the meat and cheese in the deli case is for sale or that we make our own bacon, corned beef, pastrami, sausages, pate, duck confit and smoked duck breast,” Anna said.
The monthly 10 for $10 Wine Tasting has become one of Old World Deli’s more popular and successful events recently launched. The 10 for $10 is an event that happens on the last Thursday of every month. Anna said the event has brought lots of new people into Old World Deli. Thursday is typically the deli’s slowest night so the 10 for $10 event is a great way to fill the place up, she said.
Although formed in 2007, The Old World Deli opened up its State Street location in 2010. Photo credit: Conor O’Keefe.
“We’re brainstorming new events for the year but haven’t nailed anything down quite yet. We are also planning a big event for our 10 year anniversary coming up Tuesday, June 13,” Anna said.
Although already hosting a plethora of different options to enjoy fine wines, artisan meats and specialty cheeses, the Old World Deli isn’t done exploring ways to introduce the Whatcom County community to perfect pairings that will please the taste buds.
Old World Deli
1228 N. State Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-738-2090
Hours: Monday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday
Old World Deli’s Happy Hour offers $3 house wine, $2.00 off all sandwiches and $1.00 off beers (dine in only). Plus, there is no corkage on house retail wine daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and all night on Thursdays. Buy a bottle off the shelves and enjoy at market price, with $5 corkage after 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Rain, rain go away, come again another day … or not. Grey and cloudy is the definition of spring in the pacific northwest. Being a transplant to the area, I’m still relatively new to these soggy days. But I’m finding ways to combat the gloom. Hot chocolate, regular chocolate, feel good movies and good books all help. But the most helpful, if counter-intuitive, solution of all is going out to play anyway. Nothing beats the gray like a day of fun. Fortunately, there is lots of fun to be had in Whatcom County. Here are a few Whatcom County weekend events to get you started. And don’t forget to check our full events calendar for all the fun happenings.
Get into the St. Patrick’s day spirit and support Meals on Wheels at this Traditional Irish Dinner and Silent Auction. You’ll enjoy delicious corned beef and cabbage provided by Haggen Market Street Catering, local brews, a silent auction, entertainment by the popular Celtic band, Maggie’s Fury, and more at the beautiful Bellingham Cruise Terminal.
Laugh away the rainy day blues with The Upfront Theatre at “Against All Odds” and “Face Off.” “Against All Odds” is an inspirational underdog story of triumph against the odds. It features a crazy coach, a nasty rival and, best of all, a classic inspirational training montage. “Face Off” takes improv to a whole new level by making it competitive. Watch as improvisers enter the proverbial coliseum of comedy to battle against each other with the audience serving as the judge and jury of comedy quality.
Get ready for spring with Pruning 101 at the Blaine Library. Discover which tools to use, why pruning matters, what decisions are needed depending on the growth habits of your trees/bushes and more. Learn how to get those overgrown trees back in shape too.
Join the revolution to end child abuse at the Brigid Collins Family Support Center Annual Benefit. The “All We Need is Love” 60s inspired event will feature approximately 200 silent and live items, a dessert dash and paddle raise. There will be something for everyone at this event, which culminates with a dance party sure to make you twist and shout.
Cast away with a band of swashbuckling pirates for joyful tunes and the timeless magic of Gilbert and Sullivan with The Pirates of Penzance at Mount Baker Theatre. Join this theatrical band of buccaneers, bumbling British bobbies, frolicsome Victorian maidens and the delightfully dotty “model of a modern Major-General” for a rollicking romp over the rocky coast of Cornwall. This exuberant musical theater masterpiece is sure to please.
Take a cue from Talking to Crows and Women’s History Month and take some time to honor the women in your life. We have all been positively impacted by good women. Offer a heartfelt thank you and take some time to return the favor.
WhatcomTalk aims to be your source for positive information and events happening in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Bellingham and the surrounding area, visit our events calendar. To submit an event of your own, visit our events calendar and click on the green “Post Your Event” button.
Kathy Washatka, Board President of ReUse Works, announced today that Dallas Betz has been hired as Executive Director of ReUse Works. Betz had been acting as Interim Executive Director since August.
Dallas Betz has been hired as Executive Director of ReUse Works. Photo courtesy: ReUse Works.
As chief executive officer of the organization, Betz will be responsible for implementing policies set by the board of directors, including management of the financial, programmatic and administrative functions of the corporation.
Betz is familiar with ReUse Works and its two environmentally focused job-training businesses, Appliance Depot and Ragfinery. At times throughout the previous 10 years, he’s been both a staff member and a board member, working to increase exposure of the programs in their goals toward self-sufficiency. He started as an Americorps VISTA with the young organization in 2008.
“The board is thrilled to have Dallas in this role as his rich history with and knowledge of the organization will help us continue to grow these two programs that benefit our community,” said Washatka.
Betz has a background in education, program development and marketing, all of which he put to use with previous employers, The Ashokan Center, in New York and the Community Boating Center in Bellingham. Upon returning to Bellingham from New York, Betz immediately stepped into the role of Media Specialist at ReUse Works.
ReUse Works keeps items out of the landfill and offers skills training to the community. Photo courtesy: Ragfinery.
“I felt very fortunate to be able to come back to work for this organization that I had learned so much from over the years,” Betz said. “And it has been really humbling to step into the position of one of my key mentors, Duane Jager, who created this nonprofit business model that serves our community so effectively in so many ways.”
Appliance Depot and Ragfinery both use discarded materials (appliances and textiles) to drive their business models and provide job training for unemployed residents. Appliance Depot sells refurbished appliances with a 90-day warranty and Ragfinery is a community hub for textile artists and crafters to purchase fabric, clothing, notions and attend workshops on creative upcycling.
Betz’s priority will be to grow awareness and customer base of both programs to increase their capacity to serve Whatcom County.
The Port Commission has authorized $65,000 in cost sharing funds to support economic development projects in Blaine, Lynden, Ferndale and Everson. The funding is offered as part of the Port of Bellingham’s small cities economic development program, which supports and leverages projects stimulating private investment and jobs in the six small cities of Whatcom County.
The Port of Bellingham’s Small Cities Economic Development Program is making a big differrence in Whatcom County. Photo courtesy: Port of Bellingham.
“An important part of the Port’s mission is to promote economic development throughout the region,” said Port Commission President Dan Robbins. “This program is a terrific resource for the smaller cities of Whatcom County to address local economic development needs.”
“We really appreciate the Port of Bellingham’s willingness to partner with our City on important community development projects,” said Everson Mayor John Perry. “The Port’s Small City Development Fund has been vital in our light industrial and commercial development.”
Since the matching fund was created in 2004, the Port has provided over $650,000 to small cities to advance projects ranging from downtown enhancements, street and utility extensions, and retail market analysis. The small cities have provided over $1 million in matching funds and the program has leveraged over $45 million in local capital project funding.
“We were the first Port in the state to start such a program,” said Port Economic Development Specialist Dodd Snodgrass. “Our small cities have been successful leveraging these funds from the Port to encourage development in their communities, and now other Washington Ports have replicated the program for their communities.”
Here are the projects funded for 2017:
City of Blaine: $15,000 in Port matching funds with a $15,000 city cash match to design an access to downtown properties on the west side of Peace Portal Drive along an existing easement. Once constructed by the city and/or private developers, the alley access will facilitate development of vacant and underutilized buildings. Building owners have expressed support for this project.
City of Everson: $20,000 in Port matching funds with a $20,000 city cash match to provide engineering support for the Lincoln Street improvement projects. The City has secured state and federal grant funds for the construction project but has a gap in construction engineering funds. The Phase one project benefits existing local employers on the west side of the city and will connect to developable property via a Phase two project.
City of Ferndale: $15,000 in Port matching funds with a $15,000 city cash match to fabricate new visitor and business signs based on design work underway by the City. The project is intended to create more destination opportunities for Pioneer Village and contribute to a heritage tourism development program.
City of Lynden: $15,000 in Port matching funds with a $15,000 city cash match to evaluate cleanup, redevelopment and funding options for a closed city landfill in West Lynden. The evaluation will provide direction for the City to reclaim the eight-acre site into buildable industrial land.
MBT's organ still has all its original pipes. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
While shiny and new has its appeal, have you ever noticed that we really enjoy returning to our old favorites? We cherish our classic books, songs, plays, musicals and films. Our culture has a place in its heart for timeless originals and we love to revisit them over and over.
The MBT main stage hearkens back to a bygone era. Photo credit: Damian Vines Photography.
We also enjoy them when they are reimagined and remade. Bellingham’s own Mount Baker Theatre (MBT) is a stunning example of how history can be preserved and shared while serving the demands of modern, continuously changing society. Several of this season’s enthralling shows also transport us back to an earlier, nostalgic time.
The Historic Movie Palace is Reborn
Built at the peak of the elaborate movie palace era, MBT opened on April 29, 1927. It is the only survivor of five movie palaces built in Whatcom County during that time. It was built under the guidance of architect R.C. Reamer with an imaginative Moorish-Spanish motif and elaborate interior. It was originally equipped to show motion pictures with the latest gadgetry, a flying screen, and a top-of-the-line Style 215 Wurlitzer theater pipe organ that is still in use today.
In 1978 the theater was placed on the National Historic Landmark Register. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
In 1978 the theater was placed on the National Historic Landmark Register. But by the 1980s it was in need of significant repair and was slated for demolition. In 1984, the community rallied and saved MBT by developing a partnership between the city, county and the community that resulted in a city-owned facility managed by the Mount Baker Theatre Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Since then, taxes have funded the theater’s management and private support has provided several phases of remodeling and renovation. Significant restoration and remodeling was completed between 1994 and 2004 to preserve the original architecture and improve restrooms, dressing and green rooms, the tower and other backstage functions. In 2008 infrastructure was upgraded including electrical, heating and ventilation systems, along with fire and security systems. Lighting, sound and projection technology has also been upgraded with the times over the past two decades. Over $14 million in capital improvements transformed MBT’s three venues to their current forms which now support more than 400 events and 110,000 visitors annually.
2017 Season Shows Highlight the Revisited and Remade
The American Folk legend, Arlo Guthrie, still has the same laid-back style as his music. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
On April 20, Arlo Guthrie will return to MBT to revisit his musical heritage with his “Running Down the Road Tour,” an album first released in 1969. Guthrie will take us back to that time while his modern performance of each song will be influenced by the experiences gained over the last four-and-a-half decades. Guthrie and his band will also celebrate the best of Guthrie’s American Folk catalogue from the late sixties and early seventies including “Coming into Los Angeles,” which Guthrie sang at the legendary Woodstock music festival in 1969, and “Oklahoma Hills” that was originally performed by his legendary father, Woody Guthrie. This tour brings back the sound that shaped a generation, carrying audiences to their most remarkable memories of the time, while breathing new life and vitality into each legendary song.
Like the theater itself, MBT’s Wurlitzer theater pipe organ has been able to balance preservation with modern high-quality sound. “The organ is one of few remaining Wurlitzers that is still in use in its original location,” explains MBT Executive Director Brad Burdick. “We have all the original pipes. We’ve added a few over the years. A few years ago, we went through a process making changes to the organ while protecting its history. A donated larger console was incorporated and we eliminated the aging hardwire system and introduced an infrared one that transmits the original, unaltered sound. Now the organ can be moved wherever it’s needed.”
MBT’s organ still has all its original pipes. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
Over the past few years, world-traveling organist Dennis James has played the historic, modernized Wurlitzer while he accompanies historic films that MBT allows modern audiences to revisit through MBT’s Silent Film Series. “Dennis considers our Wurlitzer among the top 10 theatrical organs in the country,” notes Burdick. “So many have fallen into disrepair over the years. We’re proud to be able to maintain and care for this historic instrument.”
On May 14, James will play alongside a film that made history in its time. The film “Ben-Hur” was remade in 1959 and 2016 but is even better revisited in its original 1925 silent film glory.
The film was ground-breaking for its time in many ways. Shot in Italy and Los Angeles, its cast was rumored to be over 125,000. The sea battle filmed in Anzio, Italy used many native Italian extras who were engulfed in real-world political struggles as supporters or opponents of Benito Mussolini.
Forty-eight cameras were used to film the battle, which was a record for a single scene at that time. The U.S. extras included unknowns that would someday become film icons including John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Myrna Loy, Clark Gable, Mary Pickford, Carole Lombard, Fay Wray and Samuel Goldwyn. Although the film has been remade over the years, revisiting the original while James plays the Wurlitzer will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The Midtown Men take you back to the 60s classics with their Broadway flare. Photo courtesy: Mount Baker Theatre.
On May 18, The Midtown Men will bring their Broadway brotherhood to MBT. Together, these four talented performers played over 1,000 shows as the stars of Broadway’s “Jersey Boys.” Tony-Award-winner Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and Tony-Award-nominee J. Robert Spencer bring iconic hits from the 1960s in this dynamic show. The Midtown Men have remade each song with their own style while allowing audiences to revisit all their favorites including a few by the Beatles, the Four Seasons and some Motown classics.
Because of community support and volunteer efforts, MBT’s historic venues, fantastical Wurlitzer pipe organ and captivating shows continue to showcase the remade and revisited. MBT has become a historic home to a premiere Pacific Northwest cultural tourism destination. It sustains the regional community through its arts education programs and substantial economic impact. In return, our community continues to work together to keep MBT accessible to future generations.
The community is invited to enjoy a hearty Irish meal of corned beef and cabbage and support San Juan and Whatcom County’s Meals on Wheels. The event will also offer local beer, a silent auction and live music from Maggie’s Fury.
Meals on Wheels and More is hosting its second Traditional Irish Dinner & Silent Auction at the Bellingham Ferry Terminal. The event will take place Saturday, March 11, from 6 until 9 p.m., and will include an array of local beers, a silent auction and live music by local Celtic band, Maggie’s Fury. Sponsor, Haggen Market Street Catering, will provide a hearty corned beef and cabbage dinner and fun is sure to be had by all.
Tickets cost just $35 and are expected to go quickly as they sold out last year. Tickets are available now online at BrownPaperTickets.com or in person at the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, Village Books or the Community Food Co-op.
All proceeds from the event will support Meals on Wheels and More, a program of the Whatcom Council on Aging, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Bellingham Ferry Terminal is located at 355 Harris Ave. in Bellingham.
Meals on Wheels and More supports the health and independence of older adults in Whatcom and San Juan Counties by delivering nutritious meals to homebound adults age 60 and over, serving senior meals at local community centers and senior housing and providing nutrition education and nutrition case management.
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