Events & Activities in Downtown Bellingham
FIRST FRIDAYS
Predictable Schedule, Unique Experiences Every Month
First Fridays is a monthly celebration that showcases local artists and galleries, places to dine and sip, late night shopping, events, live music, and more! Join us Downtown on the first Friday of every month from 6:00pm - 10:00pm. Maps published by Wednesday to begin planning your adventure!
People gather at Odd Fellows Temple Room before a show.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Downtown’s Go-To Event Calendar
Whether you’re looking to explore the city center, enjoy a live musical performance, or tease your brain with some trivia - Downtown’s got you covered.
If you are a business or organization hosting an event Downtown, we want to share!
Photo Credit: Kristina Gray - INSIDER benefits at Black Sheep
BECOME A DOWNTOWN INSIDER
Support & Save At Downtown’s Hottest Spots
Give a little - get a lot.
Ready to get year-round deals at your favorite businesses and support the health and vitality of the Downtown neighborhood? Sign up or gift a membership today starting at $5/month!
Subscribe And Never Miss A Beat
Want to be the first to know when Wine Walk tickets go on sale? Curious about monthly events happening in the city center? Looking for ways to get involved in your community?
Do you own or operate a business in Downtown Bellingham? Want to make sure you are in the know about everything from traffic updates to tax incentives and grants that could boost your bottom line?
More Ways To Engage With DBP
OWN ONE-OF-A-KIND ART
Gallery Alley Doors On Auction Now Through September
Gallery Alley is a summer-long outdoor alley activation in the alley near the Wild Buffalo on 208 Holly Street. Eight artists are selected for each two-month series to paint both sides of a reclaimed door that hangs in the alley, transforming the space into an outdoor art gallery to enjoy all summer long. Bid to own these unique works!
City Block District 5 meeting at the Ranch Room
CITY BLOCK PROGRAM
Connecting Businesses With Their Neighbors
The City Block Program fosters connection, collaboration, and discussion between businesses through quarterly meetings in respective “districts”. Find your district and get plugged in!
Western Wednesday poster on WWU’s campus
WESTERN WEDNESDAY
Welcoming WWU Downtown Every Wednesday With Deals & Discounts
Experience everything Downtown has to offer with deals on everything from coffee to cocktails and everything in between! Featuring 60+ participating businesses, grab your WWU ID and head Downtown to experience the city center on a budget.
Every Wednesday. All. Day. Long.
SUPPORT A VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD
Join Us In Continuing Our Programs, Events & Projects With A Donation
Downtown is the heart of Bellingham and Whatcom County, providing a gathering place for community, offering a wealth of retail, dining, and entertainment experiences, & acting as the focal point for culture and creativity. We are committed to championing the vitality of our community, and can't do it without your support.
2024 Annual Report
From Our Director
Dear Downtown Bellingham Community, Supporters, and Friends,
As I reflect on 2024, my heart is filled with gratitude and excitement for the future of Downtown Bellingham. After 16 years with the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, stepping into the role of Executive Director is a true honor. I am inspired daily by the dedication of our community to build a vibrant, welcoming, and prosperous Downtown-and I am eager to lead us forward into a bold future.
This year, we've inspired more visitors to return Downtown through our award-winning events and a multimedia marketing campaign reaching 3.2M eyes and ears with compelling reasons to rediscover Downtown and build a bold future together. This campaign was vital in encouraging locals to return, bringing energy and support back to our small businesses. Here are just a few highlights that demonstrate our commitment to improving Downtown:
Downtown Sounds 20th Anniversary broke records with 26,000 attendees experiencing free music and community spirit, showcasing the power of shared experiences.
Flowers Bring Joy from April to November; our Landscaping Team adorned Downtown with 40+ baskets of begonias, petunias, and vines, adding beauty and vibrancy to our streets.
Graffiti & Visual Litter Abatement program removed over 2,000 pieces of graffiti, keeping our streets clean through cooperation with partners at the City and Police Department.
Micro Grants Make Macro Impact by bringing new energy to Downtown in exciting ways:
Community Activation Zone Grants supported over a dozen summer events like silent discos and makers markets, breathing life into Commercial Street and the retail core.
Storefront Improvement Grants helped six businesses reduce expenses for facelifts to their signage and entryways, enhancing the shopping and dining district's curb appeal.
Holiday Window Display Grants injected small but mighty funding to allow 30 businesses to invest in festive decor and collectively allow Downtown to shine bright all season long.
Busking Grants supported local musicians performing during First Fridays, enriching the downtown experience and expanding our monthly event's economic impact.
As we celebrate these milestones, we're also looking ahead. In 2025, we will embark on an ambitious three-year strategic planning process to envision a future that's bold, inclusive, and transformative. Thank you for being part of our journey and believing in Downtown Bellingham's future.
Be In The Know
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter about Downtown Bellingham events, happenings, business openings, and more!
Our Donors
& Partners
City Support
The City of Bellingham provides financial support via contracts supporting partial staffing and execution of our signature events, and full funding of our landscaping and cleaning services.
Event Sponsors
Sponsors of our community-building experiences integrate their brand into Bellingham's dynamic cultural scene, gaining visibility among a diverse and growing audience. Thank you to 2025’s roster of over a dozen supporting businesses and foundations who not only contribute to the enrichment of our city's social and economic fabric but gain recognition with residents, visitors, and fellow businesses. Join this roster of economy-building sponsors! With over a dozen events and programs to fit budgets large, small, and in between, we are here to help find the right sponsorship fit for you.
2025 Downtown Sounds Season Sponsors
2025 Seasonal Events Sponsors
Plus Bank of the Pacific, and Voxel Gallery.
Main Street Supporters
A major source of financial support we receive each year is through accreditation with Main Street America and the Washington State Main Street Program, making our organization eligible for the Main Street Tax Credit Incentive Program. Businesses who pledge to the WA Main Street Tax Incentive Program receive 75% credit on their state B&O taxes and the entire donation may be tax deductible. Those tax dollars are then reinvested in the Downtown Bellingham neighborhood - a true win-win for everyone!
Thank you to the over 40 businesses and government entities supporting the Downtown Bellingham Partnership’s mission in 2024.
Financial & Legal Institutions
Realty & Property Management
Construction & Building Services
Education & Personal Health and Well Being Providers
Retailers, Distributors & Consumer Product Manufacturers
Food, Beverage, & Entertainment Venues
Public Utility & Government Partners
Video & Media Production
Regional & Peer
Organization Partners
We recognize the important work of regional economic development organizations and nonprofits supporting commerce, culture, and celebration to further the Downtown Bellingham Partnership’s mission of champion the health and vitality of downtown Bellingham.
This project, co-funded by the Port of Bellingham, City of Bellingham, and Whatcom County, is designed to help all business professionals find the information they need to be successful in Whatcom County.
The Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce is the leading advocate for businesses in the Northwest Washington region. The chamber advocates for a strong business community and aims to make the Bellingham and Whatcom County area a great place to live, work, shop and play by influencing public policy, aiding in economic development, and helping its members succeed.
The Western SBDC brings a consortium of business development resources to your community. These assets are delivered to you through one-on-one counseling with our certified business advisors, our popular and proven training events and our best-in-class small business market and strategy research.
Sustainable Connections advances a regenerative local economy that builds community, strengthens food systems, catalyzes climate solutions, and expands access to housing in NW Washington.