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🐹 World Record Attempt ❄️🐻❄️

🐹 World Record Attempt ❄️🐻❄️

March 03, 2025

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

That springtime feeling is in the air. I know it's too soon to say that, but I'm saying it anyway. 😆 Crocuses are croaking, snowdrops are dropping, and the cherry trees will soon burst into bloom. Woohoo!!!

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Val & Evan

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

South Forest Street at Sunrise - 📷 by Tom Schneider

Clayton Beach Golden Hour - 📷 by Richard Shelmerdine

Snowdrops - 📷 by Rita

Estuary at Little Squalicum Beach - 📷 by Karen Natale

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

Weather Forecast

Monday: 51°F 🌡️ 41°F | 🌧️ Chance of Rain | 🌧️ 40% | 💨 SW 3 mph

Tuesday: 54°F 🌡️ 42°F | 🌧️ Rain Showers | 🌧️ 80% | 💨 SE 5 mph

Bellingham Bay Tides

Day	Time	H/L	FT
Mon	12:48 AM	L	2.44
Mon	6:58 AM	H	9.08
Mon	1:44 PM	L	0.42
Mon	8:11 PM	H	7.17
Tue	1:31 AM	L	3.79
Tue	7:26 AM	H	8.98
Tue	2:36 PM	L	-0.30
Tue	9:39 PM	H	7.01

Moon Phases

Weather & Tides from NOAA. Moon data astronomyapi.

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

Alfredo Arreguín at Old City Hall

The Whatcom Museum is showcasing "The Exquisite Veil," an exhibition of 13 original oil paintings by artist Alfredo Arreguín, on view at Old City Hall through July 6. Presented in Spanish and English, the collection includes six works generously donated by Arreguín’s estate to enrich the museum’s permanent collection.

Born in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico in 1935, Arreguín immigrated to Seattle at 21 and later earned an MFA from the University of Washington. His work—characterized by intricate, lace-like overlays—draws on themes from the Mexican jungles of his youth and the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. His paintings, including symbolic portraits of cultural figures, are featured in prestigious institutions such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.

The exhibits at Old City Hall are easy to overlook since the Lightcatcher building was opened, but it's still one of my favorite places. The Hall of Birds on the second floor and Northwest History photos on the main floor are worth revisiting. Alfredo's works add to the draw. 👍️

Blue Ghost Lander Footage

I’ve always found that seeing the world from far above shifts my perspective on the little things. It might be looking down from the High Pass on Mount Larrabee, over the patchwork of farms from the Blanchard Lookout, or even the view from the Viking Union courtyard on South Hill.

This video 👆️ posted by Firefly, the company behind the Blue Ghost landing vehicle that successfully landed on the moon yesterday, gave me the same feeling of perspective. It's taken from the landing craft as it maneuvers in a low lunar orbit 100 km above the surface. It has nothing to do with Bellingham… just really cool.

YWCA Shelter Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Announced

The YWCA Bellingham is holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 17 from 12–1 PM at 315 Lakeway Drive to mark the grand opening of their new shelter for unhoused single women and children. The event will feature a ceremonial ribbon cutting with Mayor Kim Lund, celebrating the addition of 19 new shelter units providing vital housing and support services.

This new facility, funded with contributions from Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham, is set to begin operations addressing a critical need in the community. The shelter offers safe housing, comprehensive case management, and empowerment programs designed to help residents transition into permanent housing and improve life skills.

In other news…

🎨 The Bellingham Arts Commission meets tomorrow (March 4) in the Mayor’s Boardroom on the 2nd floor of Bellingham City Hall at 5 PM. The agenda includes an ongoing discussion of the Bellingham Plan and the approach to the WhatComm Facility and Post Point Project.

Also listed in the agenda is a review and feedback period for the proposed Lettered Streets Neighborhood sign above. 👆️ You can read more about this sign and initial feedback on the Agenda Packet for this meeting.

❄️ The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce announced this week that they’re gearing up for a Guinness World Records attempt at next year’s Polar Bear Plunge. They estimate that 1,600 plungers this past New Year’s Day, which sounds plausible. It was a heck of a crowd! The current record of 1,799 participants was set in Poland in 2015, so only a few hundred additional participants would put Birch Bay over the finish line.

Registration for the record-breaking plunge will open over the summer. The Chamber’s announcement notes that “having the Guinness World Records brand associated with this event brings global recognition and credibility, emphasizing the significance of the attempt and the achievement itself. The organization is synonymous with extraordinary accomplishments, and its endorsement highlights the importance of this moment for Birch Bay, attracting attention from across the world.“

🚢 The Port of Bellingham Board of Commissioners meets tomorrow (March 4) at 4 PM. Attend in person at the Harbor Center or stream live on the port’s YouTube channel. Matt Rodriguez from Bellingham International Airport will share an update on Air Traffic Control Tower staffing. Tiffany DeSimone will present updates on marina rules and regulations, Stephanie Wiley will discuss adjustments to events rental rates, and Rob Fix will provide a strategic planning update.

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)
Tezpoteco Taco @ Stemma Brewery

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
Tezpoteco Taco @ Stemma Brewery
The Galley @ Ponderosa Beer + Books

Test Your Knowledge

Bellingham & Whatcom Trivia

What Bellingham business hired 65-year-old Carl Pirscher in 2001 to dress up as a cowboy and feed downtown Bellingham parking meters?

The correct answer to last Wednesday's question: “What was the name of Bellingham's first professionally organized baseball team?” was the Bellingham Gillnetters.

In 1905, the Bellingham Gillnetters made their debut as the city’s first professionally organized baseball team, playing in the Class B Northwestern League. The team played its home games at Fairgrounds Park—a site located north of Iowa Street that the city leased from the Bellingham Bay Improvement Company in 1899.

Fairgrounds Park c. 1905

The Gillnetters, managed by Kirby Drennen and Dad Clarke, finished the season with a 49–48 record, securing second place in the league behind the Everett Smokestackers. The Gillnetters lasted a single season within the league and did not play in the 1906 season.

Learn more about the Bellingham Gillnetters at WhatcomTalk.

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Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

Snoring Beauty @ BAAY

THEATRE - DANCE - FILM

BAAY Theatre:
Beetlejuice Jr. | Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sat, Sun 2 PM

BAAY Theatre:
Snoring Beauty | Sat, Sun 11 AM

iDiOM Theater:
Exit the King | Thurs, Fri 7:30 PM

Meridian High School:
Alice in Wonderland | Thurs, Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sun 2 PM

Squalicum High School:
Gretel! The Musical | Thurs, Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sun 2 PM

The Claire:
Lion King Youth Production | Fri, Sat 7 PM; Sat, Sun 2 PM

COMEDY

Uisce Irish Pub:
Guffawingham | Mon 8:30 PM

Greene's Corner:
Comedy Open Mic | Wed 7 PM

Mount Baker Theatre:
Ben Miller | Fri 7:30 PM

PARTICIPATORY DANCE

Bachata : WWU Salsa and Bachata Club @ Viking Union MPR | Mon 7 PM
Tango : Urban Salon Tango @ The Majestic Ballroom | Mon 7 PM
Swing : B’ham Hop @ Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom | Tues 7 PM
Cuban Salsa : Beginning Cuban Salsa @ Cof& | Tues 6 PM
Party : Fat Tuesday @ Firehouse A&E Center | Tues 7 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
Social Partner Dance : Flow Fusion @ Karate Church | Thurs 7 PM
Line Dancing : Country Night @ Bar 211 | Fri 8 PM
Party : Skybox @ Blue Room | Fri 10 PM
Party : Nightcore Rave ft. DJ ColdHandsofGod @ The Shakedown | Fri 8:30 PM
Contra : Open Band Orchestra + Joe Micheals @ Fairhaven Library | Sat 7 PM
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

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!!