This month, Wednesday on the Waterfront opens, Whatcom Museum offers tours of its exhibits, Studio UFO presents masks created during the pandemic, Whatcom County farmers and Scots celebrate their heritage and Bellingham Symphony closes its season. Plus, there are ballet, music, theater and dance performances by local artists and the return of Bellingham’s Naked Bike Ride takes place after a two-year hiatus.
Wednesday Market
The Bellingham Farmers Market opens its Wednesday on the Waterfront season from 4–7 p.m. Wednesday, June 1, at Granary Avenue and West Laurel Street, near Kulshan Trackside and the pump track. This is its second year in this location and there will be fresh produce, prepared food and more.
Attendees will also find a Kids’ Booth where youth can learn about gardening and participate in fun activities. Kids can also earn $3 in “Kid Coins” which can be spent on fresh produce. SNAP EBT is accepted, and well-behaved dogs on leashes are permitted.
After shopping, head to Kulshan’s Trackside Beer Garden for a fundraiser from 5–9 p.m. For every beer sold, Bellingham Farmers Market will receive $1. Find out more at bellinghamfarmers.org.
Whatcom Museum’s June programs
Events at the Lightcatcher, 250 Flora St., and at the Old City Hall, 121 Prospect St., elucidate the museum’s ongoing exhibits. The events are on a walk-in basis and no longer require pre-registration; they are included with admission and are free for museum members.
Docent Tours of “Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea” are at 1 p.m. every Thursday and Saturday in June at the Lightcatcher. A Curator Tour of “Many Wests” is from 1–2 p.m. Friday, June 3, at the Lightcatcher.
Saturdays with the Symphony kicks off from 2–3 p.m. Saturday, June 4, in the Lightcatcher’s Family Interactive Gallery. In collaboration with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra and Bellingham Festival of Music, the new summer series focuses on kid-friendly performances the first Saturday of each month.
Guests will meet a musician, hear them play and participate in a related art activity. The first guest will be renowned guitar soloist Daniel Bolshoy. While a guitar in an orchestra sounds a little wild, Bolshoy will talk about being a guest artist for the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra.
Old City Hall History Tours are from 1–2 p.m. every Sunday in June at Old City Hall, led by docents who will take participants through the building and down to the basement of Old City Hall to see the historic jail rooms, including a padded cell from the days of prohibition. Info: whatcommuseum.org.
Bellinghome School of Music Recital
Bellinghome School of Music presents its annual spring recital by performers of all ages covering a variety of instruments and voices from 5–8:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, at the FireHouse Arts and Events Center, 1314 Harris Ave. Students will share music they have been learning about and practicing in their private studies. Donations are appreciated. Details are at bellinghomeschoolofmusic.com.
“Book of Masks”
The “Book of Masks” exhibit, opening during the monthly Downtown Art Walk from 5–8 p.m. Friday, June 3, at 301 W. Holly St. in Bay Street Village, comprises five journals that are the result of Studio UFO’s weekly Zoom class. Each page follows a current event theme inspired by noted artists and prompts given.
The books are an intimate peek into the cloistered lives of these accomplished artists who were spurred onward with new vision not because of the pandemic, but in spite of it. Contributors are Susan Guerrero, Ann Chaikin, Nancy Thomson, Lori Hill, Trish Harding and Lori Vogel. Info: studio-ufo.net.
“Men on Boats”
Jaclyn Backhaus’ historical play is based on an 1869 expedition when a one-armed Captain John Wesley Powell and a crew of insane, yet loyal, volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River.
Reimagined with female and nonbinary actors playing the roles of these historic men, Western Washington University presents the play June 3–5 at Western’s Performing Arts Center Mainstage Theater. Tickets are $16 general, $8 students. Details: cfpa.wwu.edu.
Farmers Day Parade
Lynden’s Farmers Day Parade, one of the longest-running parades in the Northwest, honors the agriculture industry of Whatcom County. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 4, on 10th Street and travels to Third Street, with an eclectic menagerie of cars, bands, tractors, trucks and horses. Get the scoop at Lynden.org.
Bellingham Scottish Gathering
Watch the Celtic arts highland dance championship, participate in the “Scotland FOREver” golf tournament, listen to bagpiping and drumming, visit Scottish-breed animals, peruse food and merchandise vendors, and cheer on athletes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at the North Bellingham Golf Course, 205 W. Smith Road. Go to scottishdancesociety.org for details.
Sondheim Serenade
Kulshan Chorus and Sno-King Chorale will join forces to present a choral celebration of the late Stephen Sondheim’s music in “A Sondheim Serenade” at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at Bellingham High School, 2020 Cornwall Ave.
A second concert will take place at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 11 at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Ave. Dustin Willetts is the artistic director for both choirs and the performance will include approximately 80 singers. They will be accompanied by a pit orchestra of some of the area’s most talented instrumentalists.
The performances will feature selections from many of Sondheim’s iconic musicals, including “Company,” “Follies,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” “A Little Night Music,” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “Into the Woods.” Tickets are $20 to $25, and are available at kulshanchorus.org.
Young Musicians Benefit
The seventh annual “Bro Ray benefit” for Bellingham’s sixth-grade band enrichment is from 2–6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 5, in Boundary Bay Brewery’s Beer Garden, 1107 Railroad Ave. The lineup includes Mark Kelly’s KidSax Ensemble, Sehome High Jazz Band, Squalicum High Jazz Band, Bilongo Quintet, and The Atlantics with special guests.
The event celebrates the life of Ray Downey, a founding member of The Atlantics and an award-winning composer, multi-instrumentalist and teacher who helped launch countless young students down the jazzy road of music. He died in 2014.
To honor Downey, Paul Klein and others launched a drive to help Bellingham sixth graders navigate their way around different mouthpieces, reeds, breathing techniques and musical enunciation.
Since its inception, the event has provided more than $40,000 dollars to bring in musicians from our area to help teachers launch students into a world of music. Details: 360-733-2076 or kleinbham@comcast.net.
Bellingham Naked Bike Ride
The Bellingham World Naked Bike Ride is back after a two-year COVID hiatus. This year’s theme is “Riders of the Post-Apocalypse.” Come and enjoy body painting, music and the freedom to exist the way you were born.
The body painting starts at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 5, in the parking lot of Flow Shalah, 203 W. Chestnut St. The ride begins at 4 p.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. in the same spot, followed by a body-positive dance party and Mad Max fashion show. Details are at bellinghamnakedbikeride.com.
“Resounding Joy”
Bellingham Symphony Orchestra ends its 46th season with classical guitarist Daniel Bolshoy at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 5, at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. Bolshoy solos on Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Guitar Concerto. Also on the program is Wojciech Kilar’s “Orawa,” closing with the magnificent “Beethoven Symphony No. 5.”
Ryan Dudenbostel’s informative virtual pre-concert lecture will air on the symphony’s website during the week of the concert. Free live broadcasts take place on concert Sundays at 3 p.m. on the symphony’s Watch & Listen page. Tickets are at mountbakertheatre.com.
Before attending an in-person event, check with individual venues to make sure it is taking place as scheduled.
Margaret Bikman’s column runs every Wednesday. Reach her at margaret.bikman@gmail.com.
