In case you've been sleeping for the past couple of years, Bellingham has become a beer town with a…read morecapital B. We've got so many breweries now I've pretty much lost count, but let's just say there are PLENTY to choose from. And along with breweries, we've now got plenty o' beer festivals too. Brewers By The Bay, which came along before many of the new breweries, is one of the best. Sponsored by the Bellingham Rotary, BBtB features local and regional beers often poured by the brewers themselves. Your entry includes several tastings, live music, and yes FOOD IS INCLUDED. I didn't believe it, either, but it's true. You just walk up to the BBQ area and get yourself a burger, a dog, and some sides and they don't ask you for a dime. Seating is plentiful, too. although I would have appreciated a bit more shade to sit in on this hot day. But you never know with the weather around here!

Up here in Bellingham we like to do things differently, so our local Pride Festival (the second…read morelargest of it's kind in the state...by the way!) is held a few weeks later than most of the national festivities. The result is our festival attracts people not just from these parts, but from Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver BC as well. The festivities begin with a colorful parade through downtown Bellingham, and end at Depot Market Square where the entire street is shut down for food trucks, vendors, live music, and plenty of space to hob-nob with all the friends you'll run into. Be sure to wear your brightest, most festive attire - this is one of the few days in Bham where people aren't wearing various shades of khaki, tan, and brown!

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Pride is a big deal in Bellingham with many events offered in the days…read moreleading up to the actual festival and parade. The parade starts near or at Bellingham High School and proceeds down Cornwall. The parade ends at the Market Depot on Railroad where the festival is held. The usual haters led the parade and was then followed by happy, singing, and supportive people from all walks of life. Kings, Queens, kids, and grannies marched in the parade alone with church groups and other organizations. The festival included vendors, drag performers, and other forms of entertainment. If you're easily offended by exposed skin, you're in the wrong place. Bellingham Pride is much smaller than Seattle Pride, but it's definitely more enjoyable. You can get a good viewpoint at all times and not feel overwhelmed. I'm looking forward to next year already.

First time checking out this festival. I enjoyed the different variety of foods. There was a…read moreBlack forest mushroom stand where they sell Alder tree logs for $45 inoculated with chestnut mushroom spores. The Lummi Nation island salmon lunch plate was $18 but it was wild salmon, pasta, bread and beans + water bottle. I like how they air grilled/smoked the fish. That line was the longest. Trident also had a stall where they were giving away shirts, key chains, fish oil, chocolate swag. The boat building offered a demo on sea urchins which i missed out on. They also had a Whatcom Maritime museum station where kids can build wooden boats. Enjoy coming to this place eventhough a bit far for us. It was nice to be by the water and free parking.

So much fun packed in two days. Today's weather was perfect for the Seafeast...sunny and hot at…read moretimes but dry the whole day. We got there around 12 and stay until 5:30pmish. Parking at that time was a bit challenging but we manage to find a free parking lot close by and walk toward the festival. Once there we saw tons of vendors with all kind of marine info and education. My girls (ages 9 & 11) found the "Passport" section where the girls get their passport stamp as they go thru and learn about each booth. I find myself learning a few things too. Food court was loaded with an abundance of sea and non-sea food options. Nice that most if not all took credit cards. My meal pick was Fish and Chips from Fork & Fin food truck. A huge portion for $12( definitely shareable.) Girls got a huge hotdog ($5) from a hotdog stand. For dessert we grab some ice cream($2) next door to the hotdog stand. Only wish there was a water station so we could re-fill our water bottles instead of having to buy the plastic water bottle. Maybe next year a water conservation vendor would sponsor that to keep us water drinker from contributing to the plastic landfill and from the ocean. We headed to the main stage with all our food goodies to eat while enjoying some live music. Definitely a fun family festival for the whole family.

I liked the Church so much that I joined. Great place for newcomers, made a lot of friends. Never…read moreleave on Sunday without a smile.

Fab food!!! Desserts, pastries, souvlaki!! When I went there was not a big crowd. Which was very…read morenice. Because it is a hot time of the year.

Beautiful building. Exhibits were sparse when we were there, though the First Nations exhibit…read moreupstairs is quite good. Not really worth the entry fee.

The light catcher museum is one of my favorite downtown activities in Bellingham. The staff are…read morevery friendly, the exhibits are great, and the FIG for children is a little gem. I always recommend parents take their kids to the FIG at least once. The new addition of Bar Cicotti is just the cherry on top that rounds out the whole experience.

There's one thing you can say about Bellingham: we love our outdoor movies! Because when the sun…read morefinally comes out for the season, you can bet we want to spend as much time outside as possible. And that is why, on any given Saturday summer night, you will find most of the populace on the lawn at the Village Green, enjoying recently-released flicks projected onto a huge white screen (which is also the side wall of a Fairhaven building). The movies alternate weekly, with a kid-friendly movie every-other-week and - on the opposite weekends - a still family-friendly but more PG movie. Sometimes they show very new releases, and sometimes they show classics. It's a great mix! Before the movie (which always starts late, depending on when dusk is) they have live music and it's fun to dance on the grass in your bare feet. They also have popcorn and a limited number of vendors. This movie does charge for entrance, and if you prefer to sit in a chair you better get there early because they aren't allowed on the lawn so you have to find a place on the adjacent concrete walkway (and they go fast).

The Dog Days of Summer are upon us, so head to Lake Padden park (east entrance) and make the most…read moreof it. This is a FREE, annual summer festival hosted by the Whatcom Humane Society. It usually happens on a Sunday in August from 10 am to 3 pm. The public is invited to bring their well-behaved, leashed dogs to enjoy the festivities. Parking is free. Here is a little taste of the fun to be had: 5k Doggie Dash - Lace up you running shoes and hit the Lake Padden trail with or without your dog. There is a registration fee for this race, but all proceeds benefit the animals at the shelter. You can usually find a 2-for-1 Groupon deal, so bring your friends and family. Hound Hill - Dogs love to dig. Let them go crazy kicking up dirt to find toys and treats buried in the sandbox. Finders keepers! Swimming Pools - Various wading pools are available for your dog to take a soak. Agility Course - You and your dog can try running/walking though an agility course. Volunteers help guide you through the course if you are unsure what to do. Treats provided to help lure your furry friend through jumps, weave through poles, step through the ladder, crawl through the tunnel, and climb the stairs. Contests - Throughout the day, there are different contests taking place on the main stage. Dress your dog up for the costume contest. Sign him up for the kissing or peanut butter eating contest. Food - Feast at one of the food carts serving vegetarian only options. Bring cash, but several of the carts can take credit cards. Family Friendly - Bring the family. There is face painting for the kids. You and your dog can pose to have a characturist draw you. Exhibitors - Vendors who sell dog supplies and services will be giving away samples. Several rescue organizations will be on site educating the public about their offerings. This is a great, family-friendly event, and did I mention that it is FREE! Even though I don't currently have a dog, I love seeing the wide variety of breeds that show up for this event. Everybody seems to have lots of fun, especially the dogs.

I haven't stopped talking about how much fun this event was! I am so proud of my pup for struggling…read morehis way around the course. The 5K was strictly fun. No one was trying to break any records (except my dog...most times stopping to drink from the lake) and the atmosphere was very encouraging. The "after-party" was also awesome. Soooo many dog vendors and happy people and dogs! My fur-baby and I loved the dog-themed activities like digging in the dirt for treats. It was one of the highlights of my summer and I will definitely be back next year for the fun and to support such a great cause! One suggestion would be to have water stations for the 5K, especially for the dogs when the lake wasn't accessible on a hot day! Full disclosure: I attended this festival as part of a Yelp-sponsored community event.

What a fun, mostly well-organized event! The mass of volunteers for the Ski to Sea is impressive!…read moreThe website that supports the live feed leg finish times was equally impressive and important to communication and organization. We had a seven person team for each of the seven legs of this challenge: cross country to downhill skiing (the downhill section requires a 900 foot elevation gain scramble) to running to canoeing to cycling to cyclocross to kayaking. None of this is for the faint of heart and it is inclusive--from top level athletes to recreational athletes (who can run 8 miles, canoe 18 miles, cycle 40 miles, kayak 5 miles in dynamic bay conditions. The site communication was great at the kayak launch and less crisp at the finish. The cyclocross route was extended by a couple of miles to avoid a sharp left turn--this change felt like the last minute to the planned and practiced cyclist on our team, but we appreciated the safety move. This was the first time in two years the event happened, due to Covid, and the excitement of being here to cheer or to participate was palpable. Three cheers to the organizers, the many volunteers, and to the awesome Boy Scout troupe who safeguarded the kayaks the night before the event. The people who pulled the kayaks out at the finish line and safely stored them until pickup were also outstanding, encouraging and rugged. We'll be back for more!

Ski to Sea is an annual, multisport, 90-mile, relay competition from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay…read morethat culminates with a community block party in Fairhaven. The event has been going on since 1973. Those who are freakishly fit, top in their sport or just looking for a fun, but grueling challenge form teams of 8 people to compete in the following 7 events: 1) Cross country ski 2) Downhill ski (proceded by an uphill hike with your skis...no t-bar to the top.) 3) Run 8 miles (downhill on pavement...can you say shin splints?) 4) Road bike 42 miles (usually on wet, downhill roads filled with hairpin turns...the wipeouts are epic!) 5) Canoe 18.5 miles with a partner (and a forceful river current...oh and walk your canoe across dry land twice during the race.) 6) Cyclocross 14 miles 7) Sea kayak to Bellingham Bay Even though many of the competitors are often sore and tired by the time they have finished, the block party is the place to celebrate their accomplishment and share their race report. Family, friends, spectators, competitors, locals and visitors alike are all invited to the free street party. Parking is free too, if you can find it. Best to carpool, take the bus or ride your bike to avoid traffic and the nightmare of finding parking. At the festival, you can replenish your calorie count by paying cash to food vendors from local establishments like Pizzazza, Jekyll and Hyde, Indian Grill and a plethora of others who setup tents. Artisans and small businesses sell their goods and share information. Kids have face painting and bouncy houses. There's even a beer and wine garden; as well as two stages with bands performing all day. If you're in B'ham for Memorial Day Weekend, it is absolutely worthwhile to go participate in this annual event.