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🐹 The Great Blizzard of 2025 ❄️❄️

🐹 The Great Blizzard of 2025 ❄️❄️

February 03, 2025

Good morning, Bellingham. This is your Monday update from The Hamster Wheel.

Is it me, or are these kiddos barely attending school this year? 😆 Winter break seemed to flow right into late-winter break (whatever that was), and now snow closures are on the menu. Yikes!!! Get these kids back in school. Please! ❄️😜 ❄️

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Val & Evan

In today’s Hamster Wheel:

Chuckanut Bay Distillery Ballroom
4x400 Relay Teams
Food & Drink
Music & Nightlife

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

Lake Padden - 📷 by Walla Trails & Community

Ice at Sunset Pond - 📷 by Carol White

Lake Whatcom - 📷 by Barb Rocks

Tag @bellinghamsterwheel on Instagram or reply to this email to get your photos in The Hamster Wheel.

Weather Forecast

Monday: 33°F 🌡️ 22°F | ❄️ Chance Snow Showers | 🌧️ 50% | 💨 NE 13 mph

Tuesday: 33°F 🌡️ 20°F | ❄️ Chance Snow Showers | 🌧️ 50% | 💨 NE 12 mph

Bellingham Bay Tides

Day	Time	H/L	FT
Mon	1:49 AM	L	1.92
Mon	8:26 AM	H	9.43
Mon	3:19 PM	L	1.78
Mon	9:12 PM	H	6.12
Tue	2:30 AM	L	3.45
Tue	8:54 AM	H	9.32
Tue	4:15 PM	L	0.76
Tue	11:12 PM	H	6.07

Moon Phases

Weather & Tides from NOAA. Moon data astronomyapi.

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

Experience Music at the Chuckanut Bay Distillery Ballroom

In mid-2024, Chuckanut Bay Distillery unveiled a ballroom-style event space in its new 1309 Cornwall Ave location. Since then, the space has hosted weddings, business events, and a NYE party. This coming Sunday, they will host their first music-focused event showcasing the room's unique acoustics. This is a great chance to check it out! 🎶

Bad Posture Club 👇️ is set to make their long-awaited return to Bellingham. This folk duo, consisting of Maren Day and Morgan Kavanagh, has been away for seven years since relocating to the Midwest. They have roots in Northwest Washington and a recorded debut album in Bellingham, they craft harmonies with banjo, guitar, and a century-old pump organ to create an original, therapeutic soundscape.

Bad Posture Club

The Shadies 👇️ will kick off the social hour before the main performance. This local ensemble of music enthusiasts has been a part of the community for nearly 20 years, known for their eclectic mix of obscure fiddle tunes, early twentieth-century melodies, and classic country favorites.

The Shadies

This intimate acoustic performance will take place on Sunday (Feb 9). Doors open at 6 PM for a social hour, followed by the Bad Posture Club from 7 to 8:30 PM. Tickets are available in advance. This event is 21+ and includes a cash bar.

Western’s 4x400 Relay Teams Set New Records

The WWU relay squads took center stage at the UW Invitational on Saturday, setting program records and earning top-10 GNAC marks. With standout performances from the women's and men's teams, the Vikings are now strong contenders to advance to nationals in March.

The women's 4x400 relay team—Hannah Polkinghorn, Caitlyn Cheney, Kennedy Cook, and Bec Bennett—clocked an impressive 3:45.10, breaking their previous school record of 3:47.31 for the third time this season. This performance ties for third-best in GNAC history and ranks 10th in Division II nationwide.

The men’s relay team shattered their prior school record at 3:13.10, improving on the old mark of 3:16.37. Runners Evin Ford, Brian Lee, Maurice Woodring, and Isaac Ford combined for a stellar performance that placed them third among ten teams, ranking 11th in Division II nationally and third in GNAC history.

In other news…

🛥️ Cpt. Ray White with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Bellingham reached out with a great reminder to signup now for the 2025 spring Washington State Basic Boater Education Course. “The course is for anyone wishing to learn safe boating skills and qualify for a Boater Education Card, issued by the Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission.”

Washington state law requires residents operating power boats over 15 horsepower carry a Boater Education Card. This requirement applies to individuals over 12 years old and to those born after January 1, 1955.

The eight-hour course is broken into two-hour sessions over four days and will be online using Zoom. Details and registration.

🚜 The Whatcom County Council meets tomorrow (Feb 4) at 9 AM in the Council Chambers at the County Courthouse or watch via Zoom. You can review the agenda online. The council will discuss population and employment projections for the County as a whole, Urban Growth Areas and the Rural & Resource Lands associated with the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update.

⛵️ The Port of Bellingham Board of Commissioners meets tomorrow (Feb 4) at 4 PM. Attend in person at the Harbor Center or stream live on the port’s YouTube channel. Review the agenda for this meeting online. The commission will discuss a land lease between the Port of Bellingham and Granite Construction, an updated Bellingham International Airport Rules and Regulations, and modifications to the Airport’s tariff and fee schedule.

🎨 Bellingham Arts Commission meets tomorrow (Feb 4) at 5 PM. Topics on the agenda for this meeting include the ”Post Point Sludge Tank Project Art Approach”, and the “Squalicum Creek Fish Passage and Roeder Lift Station Percent for Art Approach.” This public meeting is held in the Mayor’s Boardroom at City Hall or watch online.

Food & Drinks

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Monday Food Trucks
A Que Tacos @ Goods Local Brews
Burnt Side Down @ Stemma Brewery
Calcutta by Simmering Tava @ K2
El Tapatio @ 4124 Strider Loop Rd
Falafel Feast @ 4370 Meridian St
Luchadora @ Wander Brewing
Outpost Eats @ Kulshan Brewery (James St.)
Tacos El Tule @ West Marine (Meridian St)

Tuesday Food Trucks
A Que Tacos @ Goods Local Brews
Burnt Side Down @ Stemma Brewery
Calcutta by Simmering Tava @ K2
El Pollo Feo @ Kulshan Brewery (Roosevelt K2)
El Tapatio @ 4124 Strider Loop Rd
Falafel Feast @ 4370 Meridian St
Galley 2 Go @ Stones Throw Brewery
Luchadora @ Wander Brewing
Outpost Eats @ Kulshan Brewery (James St. K1)
Tacos El Tule @ West Marine (Meridian St)
Tam Tam Pizza @ Fringe Brewing
The Galley @ Ponderosa Beer + Books

Mow the lawn? Nah.

Killer Condos & Apartments

1101 McKenzie Avenue UNIT 206
This sweet condo is in the newer building at the corner of 11th and McKenzie in Fairhaven. This is an excellent spot with Southside Bar, and Cafe Blue below you. 1-Up Lounge is across McKensie Alley, and Skylarks is across the street. How can you beat that? 🙂 Listing.

819 High Street UNIT 318
This little High Street condo is so cute! Whoever picked the finishes and staging did a great job. At 633 square feet, this unit is ideal for a student or single person who wants a sweet unit within walking distance from downtown. Listing.

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

LIVE THEATRE & DANCE

iDiOM Theater:
Tower of Air | Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun 7:30 PM

Bellingham TheatreWorks:
Deep Blue Sound | Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sun 1&5 PM

Bellingham Theatre Guild:
Home, I’m Darling | Thurs, Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sun 2 PM

Mt Baker Theatre:
Dear Evan Hansen | Tue 7 PM

New Prospect Theatre:
36 Questions | Fri, Sat 7:30 PM; Sat, Sun 2 PM

Western - College of F&PA:
The Storyteller | Fri, Sat 7:30; Sat 2 PM

Mount Baker High School:
Little Woman | Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sun 2 PM

Lynden Christian High School:
High School Musical | Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sat 2 PM

Nooksack Valley High School:
Frankenstein | Thurs, Fri, Sat 7 PM

COMEDY

The Blue Room:
Tanael Joachim | Thurs 8 PM

Uisce Irish Pub:
Guffawingham | Mon 8:30

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Bachata : WWU Salsa and Bachata Club @ Viking Union MPR | Mon 7 PM
Argentine Tango : Beginning Argentine Tango @ The Majestic Ballroom | Mon 7 PM
Argentine Tango : Intermediate Argentine Tango @ The Majestic Ballroom | Mon 8 PM
Swing : B’ham Hop @ Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom | Tues 7 PM
Cuban Salsa : Beginning Cuban Salsa @ Cof& | Tues 6 PM
Cuban Salsa : Intermediate Cuban Salsa @ Cof& | Tues 7:15 PM
Scottish Country : Scottish Dancing Workshops @ Fairhaven Library | Wed 7 PM
Tango : Tango Practica @ The Majestic Ballroom | Wed 6:30 PM
Bachata : Bham Bachata @ ‘ONO Kitchen & Bar | Thurs 7:30 PM
Rave : Clown Rave @ Shakedown | Thurs 8:30 PM
Social Partner Dance : Flow Fusion @ Karate Church | Thurs 7 PM
Latine : Baila Con Amor @ Blue Room | Fri 9 PM
Party : Crank That @ Wild Buffalo | Fri 9 PM
Party : The Bad Bunny Party @ Wild Buffalo | Sat 8 PM
Contra : Geneva Convention + Bob Rentz @ Fairhaven Library | 7 PM
Salsa : The Salsa Collective @ The Majestic Ballroom | Sun 5:30 PM

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Music & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

Monday Games & Trivia
Trivia Night @ Ono Kitchen & Bar | 7 PM
Trivia Night @ Paws for a Beer | 6:15 PM
Trivia Night @ Zeeks Pizza & Fountain Brewing | 6 PM
Trivia Night @ Overflow Taps | 6:30 PM

Hakuna matata

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Have a great Monday!!