As the non-profit dedicated to Bellingham's vibrant downtown, we strive to keep you informed about the exciting developments, events, and initiatives that shape our community. Read and share our press releases about Downtown Bellingham Partnership events, programs, organization, and service announcements. We also share news from community partners and press outlets.
For press inquiries and further information, please contact Jenny Hagemann, our Development & Communications Manager. We look forward to sharing the stories that make our downtown a thriving and engaging destination.
See below to subscribe to our monthly newsletters, which highlights news each month, and for quick links to local publications and the City of Bellingham’s official news.
The City of Bellingham along with Visit Bellingham and Downtown Bellingham Partnership are thrilled to announce the slate of grant awardees that will participate in the Bellingham Fan Zone – an official SeattleFWC26 Fan Zone celebrating the world’s games in June and July 2026.
Two community watch party locations will anchor the soccer festivities in the city’s center to showcase Seattle matches. Trackside Beer Garden by Kulshan Brewing will bring the games to screens near the waterfront, while The Den and the Wild Buffalo will host a Commercial Street Block Watch Party in Downtown’s heart.
Rooted in the heart of our city, Julian & Company is more than a real estate team; it is a lifelong advocate for the culture that makes Bellingham extraordinary. As a proud Title Sponsor of Downtown Sounds, it believes that vibrant neighborhoods start with a vibrant downtown.
Downtown Bellingham is the heart of our city—a heart that cherishes character, creativity, small business spirit, connection, kindness, and pride. Like any heart, it’s been tested by pressure and pain, but it keeps beating because people continue to show up and care for it.
In recent years, Downtown Bellingham has been pressured by regional and national stressors, including community mental health issues, housing scarcity, high cost of living, and a changing generation of small business owners. These challenges have drawn the attention and dedication of not only the staff and board at the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, but also Mayor Lund’s leadership team through the Downtown Forward actions and commitments.
Prepare for a mind-expanding journey on Saturday, August 3rd, 2024, at 4 PM at the Trackside Beer Garden! The 3rd Annual Acid Ball Psych Rock Music Festival promises to be a highlight of your Summer with:
Festival Headliners:
● Frankie and the Witch Fingers: Known for their high-octane live shows and psychedelic rock infused with garage punk, this band delivers a visceral experience with intense riffs, wild energy, and mind-altering melodies.
Read MorePrepare for an extraordinary evening as Black Violin commemorates 20 years of musical innovation with their BV20: Then & Now tour, coming to Mount Baker Theatre on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. This groundbreaking duo, renowned for their genre-defying fusion of classical music and hip-hop rhythms, is set to captivate audiences with live performances across the country once again this fall. In celebration of the band’s 20th anniversary, their new single “Legends in the Making” is out now.
Read MoreWhatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) is excited to announce the return of the Kids Art Contest. The event will take place on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at two locations: Bellingham Kids Fest and the Ferndale Block Party.
Kids will create their drawings aboard a WTA bus parked at each event. Winning submissions will be permanently displayed on one of two Hybrid buses.
Read MoreWhatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) is now accepting applications for the 2024 Community Van Grant Program. This program aims to enhance public transportation in Whatcom County by providing surplus vanpool vans to qualifying not-for-profit and government organizations.
Program Highlights:
Eligibility: 501(c)(3) not-for-profits and government organizations serving Whatcom County.
Vehicles: Up to eleven retired vanpool vans, seating 12-15 passengers, are available and all are in good working order.
Application Deadline: Friday, August 23, 2024, at 3 p.m.
Requirements: Recipients must use vehicles for community transportation, track ridership, and submit monthly and year-end reports.
Downtown Sounds has returned to the Arts District with a lineup of musical acts that span genres of funk, soul, R&B and jam rock to bring a unique spin to one of Bellingham’s hottest community events. But as Downtown Sounds celebrates 20 years of summertime memories, the team behind it wanted to make this year bigger and better than ever before.
Read MoreBellingham Whatcom County Tourism, in collaboration with the Port of Bellingham and Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026, will host a free Team USA Watch Party for the women’s soccer match between USA and Germany on Sunday, July 28 at Kulshan Trackside Beer Garden.
Read MoreBack in Summer of ‘05, Fiamma Burger made its debut at the Bellingham Farmers’ Market in the form of a mobile unit. Fiamma aimed for a West Coast spin on the smash style burger, thus the flagship Fiamma Burger was born - a patty smashed and cooked to order that still holds the thickness and texture West Coasters had come to expect. The community embraced the flagship burger, especially in regards to the quality of ingredients. As Bellingham continues to evolve, Fiamma burger is still committed to using those same, quality ingredients to create a flavorful smash style burger with a variety of additions available.
Read MoreThe Squirrel Nut Zippers Jazz from the Back ‘O Town show is an intriguing look at the birth of jazz, focused on the prodigious musical neighborhood of New Orleans called Back ‘O Town. Mount Baker Theatre (MBT) will be hosting Squirrel Nut Zippers on the theatre’s Main Stage Wednesday, September 25, 2024 as part of their 2024-25 season.
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