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.
Beginning Sunday, June 15, Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) will introduce new service to several areas and improve service to several others.
Highlights of the service expansion include:
● More frequent service to the Bellingham Waterfront:
○ Route 47 will travel between Downtown Bellingham and Squalicum Harbor every 30 minutes, connecting riders to Squalicum Harbor, the Granary, the Portal Village, and other waterfront destinations.
From My Bellingham Now article by Sam Kristofferson June 4, 2025 10:00 am
If you take a walk through downtown Bellingham on the first Friday of the month, you may hear the sound of live music echoing down the bustling streets as the sun begins to set.
These musicians are curated and booked by one man: Pace Rubadeau, a trumpet player and cornerstone of the Bellingham music scene.
Since moving to Bellingham 10 years ago, Rubadeau has made a unique impact on not just the music community but on the lives of thousands of Bellingham residents.
The Downtown Bellingham Partnership (DBP) is excited to announce the lineup and several new attractions for the 21st annual Downtown Sounds, featuring free live music in the Arts District on five Wednesdays from July 9 to August 6, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. This all-ages event transforms five blocks of Bay, Holly, and Prospect Streets into a lively hub of music, food, and activity, featuring an electrifying mix of funk, soul, and reggae music from national headliners and regional openers to the outdoor stage.
Northwest Youth Services is excited to invite the community to the 2nd Annual Healing Centered Engagement Gathering on Saturday, October 5, from 9 AM to 1 PM at Sehome High School. This event offers a unique opportunity to explore how art and belonging intersect within the framework of Healing Centered Engagement.
Read MoreBeloved pop-culture inspired instrumentalists Vitamin String Quartet have announced their U.S. tour performing the music of Taylor Swift, Bridgerton, and more. With over 2 billion streams, almost 4 million downloads, and over 1 million physical units sold, the Billboard-charting ensemble is known for their classical reinterpretations of pop hits. Their songs have been prominently featured in the Netflix and Shondaland original series Bridgerton, and the quartet performed at the show’s Season 3 premiere event.
Location: Mount Baker Theatre Main Stage Date: Friday, November 22, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM
Price: Tickets start at $15.75*
Mount Baker Theatre (MBT) is thrilled to announce that an all-new version of Shrek The Musical will depart Duloc to embark on a cross-country national tour that includes a stop in Bellingham, Washington on Sunday, November 17. Audiences can expect a Shrek that feels both familiar and refreshingly new, inviting everyone to “fall in love all ogre again.”
Read MoreA holiday dance mash-up for the whole family celebrating 50 years of hip hop! As artists, the industry, and fans celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop around the globe, The Hip Hop Nutcracker announces its 2024 tour to more than 25 U.S. cities including Mount Baker Theatre for one night only on November 13, 2024. The production reimagines Tchaikovsky’s 130-year-old ballet as a contemporary holiday dance spectacle! The performance features hip hop pioneer Kurtis “The Breaks” Blow, the first rapper to be signed by a major label in 1979, performing as the show’s MC.
Read MoreArticle by The Tyee
Excerpt: For nearly a decade, the Spinsters were a fixture at the Bellingham Farmers Market. Their booth was easy to find: market goers just needed to look for their brightly coloured yarns in vibrant cyan and deep magenta. Founders Kate Burge and Rachel Price commuted to the market by bike — neither one owned a car at the time — and set up most Saturdays.
The duo, who named their company Spincycle, specialized in a type of craft practised by few others in the early 2000s: kettle-dyeing and hand-spinning wool into beautiful skeins. Unlike most commercial yarns, which are spun and then dyed, the yarn Burge and Price create is dyed first, before it’s spun into yarn.
Read MoreArticle from Salish Current
Bellingham sandwich shop’s weekly events spark a hot spot, bringing together friends and the community.
Music plays in the background as sandwiches and drinks are slung by the kitchen staff. Voices overlap these sounds as teams prepare to face off in trivia. With different events four nights a week, Cheba Hut, a weed-themed sandwich shop in downtown Bellingham, is becoming a popular hangout spot. And Wednesday nights at Cheba Hut are for trivia.
Read MoreOn September 28, Day on the Bay will invite the community to explore and engage with Bellingham’s active waterfront. Day on the Bay is a joint collaboration with Sustainable Connections’ Eat Local Month, Bellingham SeaFeast, and Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County. This free, self-guided tour encourages folks to stop at more than 12 locations and local businesses along Bellingham Bay on Saturday, September 28 from 10am-4pm. This event aims to shine a light on the vibrant and diverse maritime heritage that shapes our community, and to foster a deeper appreciation for the hardworking individuals and innovative enterprises that sustain Bellingham Bay.
Read MoreThe Downtown Bellingham Partnership (DBP) is excited to announce significant updates to its leadership team, following the appointment of Lindsey Payne Johnstone as Executive Director earlier this year. Payne Johnstone has now promoted two senior managers to Director titles, effective today, further strengthening the organization's capacity to serve the community.
Read More
