The Ultimate List of Annual Bellingham and Whatcom County Events

I feel like I should create a bingo sheet for these annual events because they are all so fun and feel like they are the purest forms of the community distilled into a weekend, day, or even a few hours! From festivals, food, parades, walks, runs, and indoor to outdoor events there is something happening each month that deserves to go on your calendar!

Some of the events I’ll link to the main organizations, others you might have to search because they don’t have a website!

January — Annual Events

January Annual events ask you to bundle up and experience the cold! From story telling to taking the dive. While Bellingham doesn’t get that cold (read: not a lot of snow) it can still be hard to give up your hibernation nest, but these event have proven they are worth braving the cold!

• Fire and Story by Paper Whales

• Polar Plunge in Birch Bay

• Padden Polar Dip & Resolution Walk/Run

• Bellingham Folk Festival

February — Annual Events

Of course, love is in the air! Love for chocolate, the arts, and each other! The My Circus Valentine is a staple put on by professionals of the circus arts and never fails to delight (plus their regular shows!).

• Fairhaven Chocolate Walk

• My Circus Valentine by The Bellingham Circus Guild

• Allied Arts Annual Membership Showcase

March — Annual Events

March is my favorite! It’s one of the longer months with no holidays in it and it sure seems like the main events involve running from something… Maybe we are trying to run toward Spring!

• St. Patrick’s Day Parade

• Runnin’ O’ The Green

• Chuckanut 50K

April — Annual Events

April is that cameo of Spring before it becomes a main character! It’s all about the weekend and week long themed events in April!

• Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival

• Dirty Dan Murder Mystery Weekend

• Bellingham Beer Week

May — Annual Events

Between you and I, May is the teaser trailer for Summer. I always, without fail, get sunburnt in some small patch while attending Ski to Sea. I don’t regret it at all, but it’s like the little warning that summer is coming!

• WWU Block Party

• Jr. Ski to Sea

• Fairhaven Festival

• Ski to Sea

• Whatcom Memorial Day Parade

June — Annual Events

By now, I’ve used at least two tubes of sunscreen because June is all about being outside! These events are simply stunning and there is always so much to see at each one. June annual events hit the ground, logs, and water with gusto!

• Lummi Stommish Water Festival

• Kit Festival in Birch Bay

• Lake Padden Triathlon

• Chuckanut Writer’s Conference

• Bellingham Scottish Gathering

• Deming Logging Show

• Shoestring Circus

July — Annual Events

July Annual events are all about the music. July is also when Bellingham celebrates it’s Pride Month. It’s just a full collection of exploring, listening, enjoying, and everything in between!

• Downtown Sounds

• Bellingham Festival of Music

• Northwest Tune Up

• Northwest Raspberry Festival

• Birch Bay Rollback Weekend Car Show

• Pride In Bellingham

• Tour De Whatcom

August — Annual Events

August can get hot, so suddenly everything is focused on being near the water one way or another!

• Noisy Waters Mural Festival

• Beats on the Bay

• Northwest Washington Fair

• Annual Sand Sculpture Competition

• Birch Bay Duck Derby

• Drayton Harbor Pirate Festival

September — Annual Events

Then in September, everyone’s focus seems to shift to food and being home. Perhaps it is because of school schedules, or having so much fun in the sun the prior months. This transition into food-focused events is really cool and also helps with the transition as college students return to town!

• Bellingham SeaFeast

• Whatcom County Farm Tour

• U-Pick Apples at Bellewood Acres

• Bellingham Bay Marathon

• Floating Lantern Pet Memorial

• Fish Tales and Ales

October — Annual Events

Bring on the spooky season! Bellingham really goes all in on it’s creativity, artists, and audiences in October! Film festivals galore (and gore) plus oysters become the star of the show (or maybe the villian if you’re not into that).

• Doctober Film Festival

• Bleedingham Film Festival

• OysterFest

• FearHaven in Fairhaven

• Rocky Horror Picture Show at Mount Baker Theatre

November — Annual Events

As the days get shorter, the events get silly and spirits remain high as the winter begins to gray up the days.

• Bellingham Improv Festival

• Ciderfest

• Fairhaven Winterfest

• Allied Arts Holiday Festival of the Arts

• Marker’s Holiday Market

• Nordic Fest

December — Annual Events

Everything in December is about lighting up the night and looking forward to the promise of what’s to come! I love all of these events for their ability to bring everyone together.

• Holiday Port Festival & Gingerbread House Contest

• Bellingham Yacht Club Lighted Boat Parade

• Downtown Lighted Bike Parade

• Downtown Bellingham Tree Lighting

• Olde Fashion Christmas in Ferndale

• Lynden’s Lighted Parade

• Annual Ring of Fire and Hope

Annual Events for everyone! Which are you adding to your calendar?

Did I miss anything? There really are so many delightful events happening constantly. I hope you get a chance to attend a few as the year goes on. It’s attending events like these in Bellingham that really bring the community together and elevate our connection to one and other. Even if you’re not a passionate mountain biker or know the names of old cars, the delight in seeing other’s joy in what they are passionate it will never get old.