COCOA’S PICKS
Tide Talks: Sail Like A Mother
6–7 p.m. Wednesday, March 26
Community Boating Center, 555 Harris Ave.
The Community Boating Center (CBC) is known for fostering small-watercraft education and access — but “education” means more than teaching folks how not to sink a sailboat. Case in point: Tide Talks, a community speaker series meant to “steer conversations, spark connections, and chart new horizons.”
CBC’s next Tide Talk, “Sail Like a Mother,” features Melissa Roberts and Katie Gaut, two moms who decided to compete in the Race to Alaska. Gaut is a cartographer and experienced sailor, whereas Roberts is an “aquatic ecologist turned ER nurse who knew next to nothing about sailing but lots about Type 2 fun.”
On March 26, Gaut and Roberts will share their reflections on their decision-making process, the journey itself and the lessons they took away from it. Tickets are $15, though CBC also offers a pay-what-you-can option. Info: boatingcenter.org.
Bellingham Children’s Film Festival
Saturday and Sunday, March 29–30
Pickford Film Center, 1318 Bay St.
If you’re a parent, attending a film festival usually requires hiring a babysitter. But at the Bellingham Children’s Festival, the whole point is to bring the little ones along for the show. This annual family event happens at the Pickford Film Center each March and features “works of exhilarating imagination and creativity — just for kids!”
Detailed information about showings is available online, but here’s the gist: “The New York International Children’s Film Festival: Little Kid Flicks” has 10 a.m. screenings on both Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30. It features six shorts: “Pufferfish,” “Forever Seven,” “Coquille,” “My Name Is Edgar and I Have a Cow,” “Hoofs on Skates” and “Tabby McTat.” Families can also catch the fantastical adventure film “Bookworm” on Saturday, and “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” on Sunday, both at 11:45 a.m. Info: pickfordfilmcenter.org.
‘Lincoln Stars Variety Show’
7 p.m. March 28–29 and 2 p.m. March 30
Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. 1st St., Mount Vernon
I’ll be honest: We didn’t have enough room to print this production’s full name in the event title. That name, I should add, is “Lincoln Stars Variety Show: Steam-Powered Spectacles and Extravaganzas (with Revolving Bills of Gilded Platypuses)!”
In addition to being a mouthful, that title is indicative of the tone you should expect from this one-weekend-only extravaganza. The “Lincoln Stars Variety Show” spotlights everything from feats of skill to singing, dancing, and I quote, “wonky instruments.”
The Lincoln, of course, was once a vaudeville theater — and it doesn’t get more vaudeville than a variety show. But while the main event is entertaining, I’m most excited about the historical component. The Players will walk the audience through the Lincoln’s storied, 99-year history. Through feats of storytelling, they’ll “travel from the present day to yester-year, exploring historical kerfuffles and vaudeville rivalries.” Info: lincolntheatre.org.
‘Behind the Scenes of Legendary Cinema’
Times vary, March 28–30
Concrete Theatre, 45920 Main St., Concrete
Concrete is an hour’s drive from Bellingham, but if you haven’t yet explored this charming mountain town, the “Behind the Scenes of Legendary Cinema” event may be a good excuse to do so.
The weekend of March 28–30 is a can’t-miss for classic cinema buffs, beginning with “Apocalypse Then: The Making of Apocalypse Now” on Friday, March 28. Actor Mac Macdonald — who you might recognize from Rainier Beer commercials — will share exclusive stories and photographs from the making of Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic film. His talk also features a screening of the documentary “Hearts of Darkness,” which further chronicles what it took to bring the 1979 classic to life.
The fun continues on March 29 and 30 with a screening of the “Rainier Beer Movie,” which also screened during the 2024 installment of Doctober at the Pickford. Macdonald will once again make an appearance for the Saturday screening, along with filmmaker Justin Peterson. Altogether, the event “promises to be an unforgettable mix of nostalgia, humor, and local flavor.” Info: concrete-theatre.com.
‘Rusalka’
Times vary, March 28 and 30, April 4 and 6
McIntyre Hall, 2501 E. College Way, Mount Vernon
American audiences know “The Little Mermaid” as told by Disney — but Hans Christian Andersen’s original telling was a tragedy, not a feel-good fairy tale. Pacific Northwest Opera’s upcoming performance of Antonín Dvořák’s opera “Rusalka” is based on Andersen’s version, tragic ending and all.
“Rusalka” tells the story of a water nymph who makes a fateful bargain after falling in love with a human prince, and the folks at Pacific Northwest Opera say it’s a must-see for opera veterans and newcomers alike. (Note that the performance is sung in original Czech with English subtitles.) Dvořák’s source material is bolstered by a renowned cast: Soprano Bryn Holdsworth, who plays the titular Rusalka, was heralded for her “limpid-toned, articulate soprano” by the New York Times. Info: mcintyrehall.org.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
The following is a selection of events submitted by CDN readers. Click here to add yours.
For questions, ideas and feedback, email cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com.
Before heading out to attend in-person happenings, check with individual venues to make sure the event is still taking place as scheduled.
The A-List appears weekly. To submit an event for consideration, email calendar@cascadiadaily.com.
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
