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🐹 The Rockn'est Show ⛏️⛏️

🐹 The Rockn'est Show ⛏️⛏️

March 28, 2025

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

This weekend is packed with fun events—too many to cover fully in this edition! We’ve only scratched the surface of what’s happening.

The sun may make an appearance late in the weekend, so pack your indoor fun into the next couple of days and set aside Sunday for soaking in some rays. 😎

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Val & Evan

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

Spring in the Columbia Neighborhood - 📷 by Susan Ryan

Lightning - 📷 by Aurora Johnson

Blue Heron at Padden - 📷 by Jessica Turner

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

Champlin Guitars

Synthesizer Exposé, Vol 2

Sunday, March 30

Wanna learn about synths & associated electronic music making? Local filmmaker and musician Sean Curtis Patrick will present a rare Buchla synthesizer, explaining its functions and demonstrating its unique sounds. This free event provides attendees an opportunity to learn about electronic music-making in a small, community-focused setting.

Champlin Guitars (in the alley behind the farmers market) specializes in vintage and new instruments, amps, accessories, records, and tapes and provides high-quality repairs for string instruments, including unique pieces.

Open to All
Sunday @ 6 PM

Weather Forecast

Friday: 56°F 🌡️ 45°F | 🌧️ Rain Showers | 🌧️ 100% | 💨 SE 12 to 15 mph

Saturday: 54°F 🌡️ 40°F | 🌧️ Rain Showers | 🌧️ 80% | 💨 SSE 3 to 7 mph

Sunday: 60°F 🌡️ 45°F | ⛅ Partly Sunny | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 NNE 2 to 7 mph

Bellingham Bay Tides

Day	Time	H/L	FT
Fri	5:18 AM	H	8.45
Fri	11:17 AM	L	2.52
Fri	5:04 PM	H	7.54
Fri	11:19 PM	L	1.26
Sat	5:39 AM	H	8.59
Sat	11:56 AM	L	1.12
Sat	6:10 PM	H	7.80
Sun	12:01 AM	L	2.25
Sun	6:03 AM	H	8.71
Sun	12:38 PM	L	-0.16
Sun	7:14 PM	H	7.98

Moon Phases

Weather & Tides from NOAA. Moon data astronomyapi.

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

Amtrak Cascades Parks Horizon Cars

On Wednesday, Amtrak Cascades announced that its Horizon trainsets have been removed from service due to issues with aging equipment. What does this mean for Hamsters commuting by train? All tickets will be honored for now, but transportation will switch to buses. ☹️

Hopefully, it's a short-term solution as Amtrak expressed their determination “to replace the grounded Horizon trains by redistributing other trains in its national fleet.” For now, the only remaining train service will operate between Seattle and Eugene.

While researching this topic, I learned that Amtrak Cascades is set to receive a new fleet of trainsets in 2026. The image above 👆️, a rendering from the WSDOT Flickr page, shows the design, with more views available, including the café car. They call the color scheme “evergreen and mocha,” which seems a little on-the-nose. 😆 I’d prefer something like opalescent purple.

Fairhaven Plant & Tree Sale

It’s plant sale weekend in Fairhaven! The 37th Annual Fairhaven Plant & Tree Sale takes place on Saturday, from 10 AM to 3 PM at the Hillcrest Church parking lot, located at the corner of Old Fairhaven Parkway and 14th St. Nearing its 40th year, this event brings together garden enthusiasts from Whatcom and Skagit counties to shop from local and regional vendors.

The sale features a range of plants and garden items, including veggie starts, native plants, specialty grasses, berries, bamboo, trees, and carnivorous plants, alongside garden décor and gifts. Vendors donate a portion of proceeds to Fairhaven Neighbors, which shares up to half with other local non-profits. Street parking and the lot across from the church on Larrabee are available. Details.

In other news…

⛏️ This weekend, the Mount Baker Rock and Gem Club is holding its 63rd Annual Gem and Mineral Show. Look for a range of attractions at the Pioneer Pavilion Community Center in Ferndale, including educational displays, a fluorescent mineral exhibit, and a kids’ spinning wheel, alongside a silent auction and club sales of rocks by the pound or in priced trays.

The show runs Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM, with free admission and parking. Attendees can enter door prize raffles upon arrival. The club operates on cash only, while vendors may accept credit cards. All proceeds fund a geology scholarship at Western Washington University. Details.

Local Business Updates

Haggling With Local Folk

American Legion Post 7 Spring Craft Bazaar

Two Hamster Wheel readers will have tables at the American Legion Post 7 Spring Craft Bazaar & Bake Sale from 9 AM to 3 PM this Saturday.

Darragha Foster, a local author and intuitive psychic with 50 years of experience, will offer tarot readings. Darragha specializes in Norse mythology tarot and runes and works out of Karma Kards on West Bakerview.

Linda Scoboria, is a local author and artist who creates paper collage landscapes. Look for Linda’s table, where her works will be available as prints and cards.

Garage & Estate Sales

Your Source For Vintage Can Openers

Check Link For Address (Sat, Sun 10-4)
This small estate downsizing sale includes cute furniture, home goods, jewelry items, and sweet-looking quilts. There's also a darling old Kenmore sewing machine with a pearlescent pink body… really sweet. Listing.

2929 Sunset Dr, Sat, Sun, 11-5 PM, map
840 St Andrews Way, Sat, Sun, 9-1 PM, map
Key St. near Laurel, Sun 10 AM, map
E Maplewood Ave near Northwest Ave, Sat, 9-3 PM, map
504 Forest Circle (Lynden), Fri, Sat, 7-4 PM, map

Food & Drinks

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Because it’s fun to be a lookie-loo

Crash an Open House

516 E North Street (Open Sat 11-1 PM)
This little Sunnyland home has so much potential. The location is sweet, with a short walk to Broadway Park, Memorial Park, and Trader Joe's. The exterior is cute, with solar installed, and a yard screaming for oodles of dahlias. Someone has made many high-cost improvements, like sewer lines and a heat pump, so it's primed for creative finishes. Listing.

3866 Marine Way (Open Sat 1-3 PM)
I’m fascinated by the homes being built on the outer perimeter of the Bellingham “metro” area. It seems that modern styles are in vogue among builders, which likely indicates that buyers are looking for the same. 🤷 This one’s perched over Smith Gardens and features all the modern, high-end finishes. Listing.

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Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

THEATRE - DANCE - FILM

BAAY Theatre:
Snoring Beauty | Sat, Sun 11 AM

BAAY Theatre:
Farewell to the Hundred Acre Wood | Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sat, Sun 2 PM

iDiOM Theater:
Serial Killers | Sat, Sun 7 & 9 PM

Options High School:
Working a Musical | Fri, Sat 7:30 PM; Sun 2 PM

Pacific Northwest Opera:
Rusalka | Fri 7:30 PM; Sun 1:30 PM

New Prospect Theatre:
The Blazing World | Fri, Sat, Sun 7:30 PM; Sun 2:30 PM

COMEDY

Larrabee Lager Co.:
Laughs at Larrabee | Fri 8 PM

The BlueRoom:
Dr. Brady Smith | Sat 7 PM

The Upfront Theatre:
IMPROV the Musical | Fri 7:30 PM
March Madness | Fri 9:30 PM
IMPROV the Musical | Sat 7:30 PM
March Madness | Sat 9:30 PM

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Belly Dance : Belly Dance Workshop @ FireHouse A&E Center | Sat 12 PM
Silent Disco : Sunset Silent Disco @ Zuanich Point Park | Sat 6:30 PM
Contra : Blueberry Jam + Eric Curl @ Fairhaven Library | Sat 7 PM
Bollywood & Bhangra : Rhythms of India @ Cordata Pavilion | Sat 10:30 AM (reg required)
Salsa : The Salsa Collective @ The Majestic Ballroom | Sun 5:30 PM

Help Spread The Word

Refer three Bellingham friends to join our newsletter community, and we’ll include a birthday callout to one person you specify on their B’day 🎂. Get your referral link here. Your current referral count is: 0. You’re so close!.

Music & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

Friday Games & Trivia
None Scheduled

Saturday Games & Trivia
None Scheduled

Sunday Games & Trivia
Bingo @ Paws For A Beer | 3 PM
Trivia Night @ Stemma Brewing Co. | 5:30 PM

Hakuna matata

To All Our Readers

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Have a great weekend!!