CGNW Recommends: Holiday Events

It’s December now and there are plenty of holiday events and winter festivals happening here in our county! Here’s a roundup of things to see, hear, do and experience in Whatcom County:

Festivals & Markets

There are several happening this very weekend! Downtown Holiday Festival - this used to be Bellingham’s Tree Lighting Ceremony and includes an artisan market, pictures with Santa, live caroling and more. Ferndale hosts their annual Olde Fashioned Christmas: tour log homes with costumed hosts and take pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus. 

Fairhaven Winterfest happens all the way up to the 21st, with local author storytelling, dancing, caroling on the Village Green, window display competitions, and a half-mile wooded pathway lined with luminaria.

Lights Around Town

Drive through a neighborhood with glorious light displays while blasting your favorite radio station: This map compiles family, neighborhood, and lights-to-music displays from Seattle to Vancouver. 

And the Northwest Lighted Christmas Parade is back, coming up in just a few days, at 6pm this Saturday evening. Cars, trucks, wagons, farm equipment are decked out in thousands of lights and roll down Front Street in Lynden. Pro tip: get there early and stake out a place not too far from the public restrooms (on the corner of Front & 4th), then stop in at Avenue Bread for a sandwich or Overflow Taps for a pint before the event. 

Wanting to stay in Bellingham? Bundle up and hit the Bay for the Lighted Boat Parade, also happening on the evening of the 7th. 

Drama & Concerts

The Claire vg Thomas Theatre in Lynden presents the musical Narnia, with shows running until the 15th. The Mount Baker Theatre is hosting two midweek performances of The Nutcracker (Dec 18-19) and a single showing of a national tour of A Christmas Carol (Dec 22). 

Also at MBT, the Bellingham Symphony is playing a holiday concert with free hot chocolate for kids in attendance, and the Bellingham-based Swing Connection Big Band is presenting their 14th annual “Swing Christmas Carols” production this weekend.

Christmas Caroling

There are caroling opportunities around town! Barkley Haggen hosts half-hour singing slots next weekend, for groups to carol to patrons, and donates funds to charity with each performance (details in-store).  

Or sing in the streets of Fairhaven, then compete (or watch the top teams compete) against other caroling groups at the Winterfest Fa-La-La event Saturday, Dec 21 on the Village Green (benefitting Skookum Kids).

This is just a smattering of the small and large events happening here this season! For more, check out Tiffany’s favorite community calendars:

Bellingham.org

WhatcomTalk

Mandy’s To-Do List