Here ya go – bars that will be open Christmas Day/Night, listed in order of opening time. The Wild Buffalo and Cap’s will both have karaoke tonight, with Aireekah Laudert and Zach Zinn as the respective hosts.
Waterfront – 8am
State Street – 4pm (note: the Beaver will be closed)
Rumors – 4pm
Cap’s – 5pm
Galloway’s – 5pm
Grand Ave – 5pm
Jack’s – 6pm
Uisce – 6pm
McKay’s – 6pm
The Orion – 7pm
Wild Buffalo – 9pm
This is the last Night Market of the season, and it’s gonna be a doozy. Bike polo, sea shantys, a climbing wall, and karaoke, alongside local vendors and the Uisce beer garden. Friday from 6pm-10pm on Commercial Street between Magnolia and Holly.
The name kinda says it all unless you, like me, see “SeaBeast,” in which case we will both *probably* be disappointed. SeaFeast encompasses a huge array of activities, so be sure to check their website for complete info. In a nutshell, there’s poetry, art, and film downtown on and seafood galore at the harbor on Friday. Saturday brings demonstrations, activities, music and, of course, more food. Friday noon-11, Saturday 10am-8pm, various locations.
Indivisible is throwing a party, and you’re invited! Grab a brew at the beer garden and chat with the candidates and reps from organizations tabling the event. There’ll be music and dance, and you can even register to vote. Sunday 1pm-3pm at Depot Square Market.
I like it, I love it! Bay area rapper and “serial collaborator” Lyrics Born always puts on a great show, full of melodic funk. He’s touring in support of a new album, Quite a Life, and supported by Seattle hiphop collective All Star Opera and fellow California veteran Bukue One. Sure to be a sweaty good time. Sunday 9pm at the Wild Buffalo.
For a full list of the weekend’s events, see the Bellingham on Tap calendar.
Lost Giants Cider is hosting Sippin’ on Cider, a festival to benefit Shifting Gears. There’ll be nine cideries participating, plus food trucks, music, outdoor living rooms, games, and a photo booth. $25 at the door gets you all that, an 8 ounce tasting glass, and three fill-ups. Friday, 6pm-10pm, 1200 Meador Ave.
Waterfront music booker and N7E Records founder Robby Cleary died unexpectedly this week. This would have been a great show in any event, but now it’s also a chance to honor the memory of a true and tireless punk believer. Waterfront Tavern, 521 Holly St., Saturday at 9pm, $7.
Go up the country and learn “practical new-fangled and old-timey skills. Bee keeping, yarn spinning, native plant foods, fermentation, gardening wisdoms, livestock care, food preservation and much more.” There’ll be hourly classes and a field to barter your stuff in, plus music, food and beer. Admission is $20 a day or $35 for both days, and you can camp Saturday night for an extra $10. Saturday/Sunday, 10am-5pm, on north Lake Whatcom at 2582 North Shore Rd.
by June Hathaway
Food trucks are like the craft breweries of Bellingham grub on the go – they’re trendy, they’re local, and there’s a new one every time you turn around. In fact, the local food truck scene has grown by piggybacking on the proliferation of brewpubs, as the mobile eateries allow kitchen-less breweries to keep hungry patrons bellied up to the bar.
While not all of these fit the classic food truck mold – the taco trucks pretty much stay in one place, and Mile Pie Club is bicycle-based – they all provide satisfying to-go eats. The links will take you to each truck’s Facebook page, where you can see their upcoming locations.
Mouth Hole Chicken and Waffles + Sandwiches
New Public Cafe Plant-based Eats
Sage Against the Machine Vegan Eats
Simmering Tava Organic Indian Food
Something Cheezy Grilled Sandwiches
Streat Food Burgers and Sandwiches
Tonight we say goodbye to two old friends, and Oh Hey! to another. Note that if you have been blessed with stamina today, you could do both of these things.
Long-time ‘hamsters, musicans and all-around cool guys Peadar MacMahon and Bradley Leckron are packing up and moving to Ireland. Say goodbye at Menace Brewing tonight at 7pm, where Peadar and the Black Lung Canaries will be playing a farewell show.
In other news, Jordan Rain, aka DJ Yogoman, has been kickin’ it in Texas for some time now. Yogoman’s back, and he brought Reggae Night with him. Dance and say hello at Boscoe’s, tonight and every Monday night at 9pm.
–June Hathaway
by June Hathaway
It’s easy to forget how lucky we are, and take our local breweries for granted. Good thing the Washington Beer Awards are here to remind us! Here are the Bellingham (and thereabouts) breweries that brought home medals from the 2018 awards.
American-Style Stouts: American Stout
Specialty Saisons:Justice Temple
Berliner-Style Weisses: Disco Lemonade
Best Washington Malt Beer: Triticale
Herb & Spice Beers: Mo’s Saison
Vienna-Style Lagers: Chuckanut Vienna Lager
Other German Amber Beers: Chuckanut Marzen
Bohemian style pilsner: Chuckanut Pilsner
German Dark Lagers: Chuckanut Dunkel
International Lagers: Chuckanut Mexican Lager
Bocks and Doppelbocks: Chuckanut Doppelbock
Other American-Style Lagers: Amber Lager
Bocks and Doppelbocks: Kulshan Maibock
Irish Red Ales: Red Cap
Belgian Strong Ales: Belgian Golden Strong
German-style Pilsner: Kulshan Pilsner
American-Style Strong Pale Ales: Tiger Style
Strong Porters: Melixor Baltica
Abbey-Inspired Ales: Brother Crazy John
Belgian Fruit Beers: No. 13 Baby
English Pale Ales: Flat Penny Pale
Large Brewery of the Year
Irish Stouts: Correspondent
Belgian Ales: Wanderale
Berliner-Style Weisses: Foeder-Aged Berliner Weiss
Wood & Barrel Aged Beers: Wild Warehouse
Wood & Barrel Aged Sour Beers: Plum Bob
German-style Pilsners: Doglost
I’m just gonna share this announcement from the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, who have done a wonderful thing in putting this together:
“$6 craft cocktails! | $5 wines! | $4 beers! | 1/2 off apps! Every Thursday in March from 4:00pm-7:00pm. Simple as that!
Join us for Downtown Bellingham’s first-ever Happy Hour Thursdays, a full month of amazing happy hour specials at some of Bellingham’s best bars and restaurants.
RSVP to keep updated on the deliciously discounted bevies and snacks coming to you soon, all at:
Bayou on Bay
Black Sheep on Holly
Camber
Casa Que Pasa
Cosmos Bistro
Grand Avenue Alehouse
Horseshoe Cafe
Hundred North
La Fiamma :: Wood-Fire Pizza
The Local Public House
Old World Deli
The Orion
The Racket – Bar & Pinball Lounge
Redlight
Rook & Rogue Board Game Pub
Uisce Irish Pub
Vinostrology”
The Washington Beer Open House is a chance meet local brewers, get a peek at the means of production, and sample some tasty brews.
Yes, it’s cold and crappy out, but if you get your crew together and trade off Uber fares, you can spend your whole day in a succession of toasty pubs. Participating breweries are listed below.
Aslan Brewing: Self guided tours with the owners and head brewer available to answer any questions you might have. Check out the newly upgraded brewhouse, and take home an exclusive Aslan Brew Process sheet.
Chuckanut Brewery: Tours will be held at 12 noon and 1:30 pm. All ages are welcome; kitchen will be serving food starting at 11 am. Meet the brewers and learn more about award winning Chuckanut beers.
Illuminati Brewing Company: Tours of brewery/winery facility at noon, 2pm, and 4pm Release of “Hammer of the Gods” Scotch Ale aged in Highland Scotch Whisky barrels.
Kulshan Brewing (both locations): Both taprooms, Sunnyland and Roosevelt, will have beer tastings, food, games, giveaways, and brewery tours. Learn about small-batch beers at the Sunnyland location and canning and production at the K2 Roosevelt location.
Stones Throw Brewery: Tours of the brewery, which has been built in shipping containers, at noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm . The owners will tell of the disreputable history of the property, the sustainable building process, and, of course, how they make their beer. Tours will end with tastes straight from the tanks for those who purchased $2 tasters. Family-friendly, dog-friendly.
Wander Brewing: Brewery and Barrel Den tour at 2pm (shown in the pic up top).
For most responsible adults, you’re a loser if you party all night on a Tuesday. On Mardi Gras, you’re a loser if you don’t.
Fat Tuesday is all about too much fun, so get out there and do stuff that’ll hurt in the morning. Here are a few ideas to get those good times rolling.
The Aireeoke fun machine is throwing a sidewalk Mardi Gras parade at starting at Comics Place on Holly St. at 3:30pm.
Bayou on Bay will be celebrating Cajun-style all night long (and part of the day; they open at 3pm) with tarot readings and face painting, 4pm-9pm, and music from the Hot House Jazz Band at 7pm.
Soul Nite is back at the Wild Buffalo with a Mardi Gras edition at 9pm.
Wrap up the night with the Culture Cafe’s Costume Dance Party Sing-Along with costume prizes, music videos, and bouts of karaoke with Aireekah.
As I go through the sad business of deleting all the Green Frog’s recurring events from the Bellingham on Tap calendar, I’m moved to run through the notable openings and closings in town this past year (and a couple coming up).
Copper Hog (same place, new owners)
OUT
Green Frog
Swillery
Real McCoy
Dos Padres
Glow
Der Schweinhaus
Did I miss anything? Please feel free to dish bar gossip! – June Hathaway
