Summer Events in Whatcom County

There are a variety of ways to spend your sunny summer days in Whatcom County. Here are a few of my personal favorites.

1. Ferndale Farmers Market: April 17 thru October 9, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. Take a Saturday stroll through Riverfront Park, play in the fountain, and enjoy the variety of booths with white-tented vendors. Finish off your stroll with a walk to Wood’s Coffee to satiate your Wi-Fi and coffee needs.

2. Bellingham Farmers Market: April to Christmas, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. This well-established market hosts nearly one hundred vendors at the corner of Railroad and Chestnut Streets. Their website is filled with information: www.bellinghamfarmers.org. After your fresh produce needs are met you can meet your lunch needs just east of the market at La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza.

3. Scottish Highland Games at Ferndale’s Hovander Park: June 5 and 6. This huge Ferndale-centered celebration features: piping, drumming, dancing, and authentic costumes. Check out their website for a schedule of events: www.bhga.org.

4. Fragrant Garden, Tennant Lake Park in Ferndale: Dawn to dusk. This 624-acre hidden treasure will fill your nostrils with sweet smells, your ears with the sounds of frogs and herons, and your eyes with marshy wetlands and colorful gardens. Walk the boardwalk, climb the fifty-foot tower or wander through the interpretive center. Website: http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/parks/trails/tennantlake.jsp.

5. Northwest Washington Fair: August 16-21, Lynden. This is the largest of the Whatcom County summer events. Hear music greats: “Weird Al” Yankovich, Kenny Rodgers and Rick Springfield. Browse the hundreds of displays and enjoy the old-time country fair feeling. The secret is to get your tickets early. Check out their website: www.nwwafair.com.

6. Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema: Saturday evenings - June 26-August 28. Hear local music and see a film, outdoors and for free on the Village Green in historic Fairhaven. Films include the classics (Casablanca), the not-so-recent (Ghostbusters) and the recent (The Blind Side). Find specific times, musicians and movies on their website: www.epiceap.com/fairhaven-outdoor-cinema.