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Upcoming Special Events…
Blaine's 4th of July Celebrations, July 4th and 5th
Fun on the 4th of July....Come spend the day in downtown Blaine celebrating the 4th of July! Join thousands of people who come to celebrate the 4th with day-long activities that include a pancake breakfast, a Grand Parade at noon, arts & crafts fair with over 80 vendors, Show-N-Shine, live entertainment, and plenty of good food and Family Fun, including a Kid's Sidewalk Chalk contest at 4pm! Shuttle Bus available from the Blaine Cost Cutter to Downtown Blaine from 11am to 4pm on the 4th! Get your spot in Blaine Marine Park for a community picnic and jazz concert. Ride the historic Plover Ferry from Blaine to Semiahmoo Resort where you can make an afternoon and evening of it with a salmon BBQ. The grand finale will be a Spectacular Fireworks Display over Semiahmoo Bay starting at 10:15PM
Fun on the 5th of July...Downtown Blaine, G Street & Peace Portal Drive, Blaine, WA 98230, G Street Plaza, Time: Noon to 4 PM Raspberry Festival - Downtown Lynden - July 17-18 Washington State is the number one producer of raspberries in the entire world! The Raspberry Festival is held in downtown Lynden as well as outlying areas. This year the festival includes a basketball tournament, a fun run, live jazz, street vendors, food booths, a classic car show, and of course...enough raspberries to tourn your hands a beautiful shade of pink! Details: www.lynden.org and http://lynden.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=58 Skyhoundz Frisbee Dog Contest, Saturday, July 18th, starting at 3pm, Bloedel Donovan Park I realize most of us don't have a frisbee dog, but kids sure like to watch this fun event! There are points given to the dogs, an overall winner, and the best part is that they looooove spectators. Get out there and cheer them on! Discovery Days - Birch Bay - July 18-19 Known as a "Family Fun Festival", Disovery Days includes a parade, arts and crafts, food, fun and music. http://www.birchbaychamber.com/events.html Old Settlers' Picnic - Pioneer Park and Downtown Ferndale - July 23-26 This is the 114th annual "picnic"!! Three days of live entertainment, a talent show, a junior and grand parade, a fun run/walk, flower show, a classic car show, horse-drawn wagon rides, and tours of the historic cabins at Pioneer Park. The event celebrates the early pioneers of the Nooksack River Valley. http://www.whatcomoldsettlers.com/picnic-agenda/ 20th Annual Kids' Festival, Bellingham, Saturday August 1, 11-3pm, Bloedel Donoval Park, FREE! B'ham Parks and Rec puts on a great Kids' Fest every year. It is crowded, so get there early and there is a free shuttle from Civic Field so you can avoid a parking fiasco. There will be be free food, performers, inflatables, face painting, clowns and more! Anacortes Arts Festival, August 7, 8, and 9 In downtown Anacortes...first class fine art exhibitions at Arts at the Port...Culinary Art with an international selection of foods... a full lineup of Entertainment with free music on three stages during Festival hours and $15 concerts in the evenings... and a creative Youth Activities area for the youngest artists. http://www.anacortesartsfestival.com/ Northwest Washington Fair, August 17-22 Whatcom County's favorite fair! Scope out the animals, ride a few rides, and let the kids run amock on cotton candy and fair fries and scones (why not? it's only once a year!). Fun for the whole family and they're sure to sleep well that night! http://www.northwestwashingtonfair.org/ Ongoing Events... Plover Ferry Ride, Blaine, Friday - Sunday through Labor Day Ride the historic Plover Ferry, built in 1944, from the Blaine Visitor's Dock. The ferry leaves every hour, taking an 11 minute ride to Semiahmoo where riders can get off and wander on the beach for as long as they want. The ferry returns every 1/2 hour, taking a 23 minute ride on the way back complete with views of wildlife. A great mama said that the driver even let her nephew "drive" the boat. So cute. There is a suggested donation of $3 for adults and $2 for children. Try it out before it docks for the fall! The mini train in Birch Bay Running weekends April through May, then every day in June and through the fall. 4620 Birch Bay Lynden Road, Birch Bay $3.50 per person or $3 per person for a family of four or more. 371-7700, www.miniatureworld.org Children's Craft Fair at the Bellingham Library, Some Tuesdays This year is the 40th annual Children's Craft Fair. Children under 14 make and sell their own crafts and goodies. This should be a really fun event to bring the kiddos to and support all the local children and community! 10am -3pm on the Bellingham Children's Library lawn. All Comers Track Meet - Civic Field, Mondays from 6 - 9:30pm Upon a suggestion from a friend, I'd like to offer up the all-city track meet. My friend said that her two younger girls immensely enjoy it and that kids all the way down to 3 or 4 years old can have a blast. Having had a people-watching baby myself, I can imagine that this is a fun place to go, watch the festivities, and who knows...maybe join in an adult race yourself! Free Movies at Bellis Fair, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am During the summer, there are free movies every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am from July-August, showing G and PG movies every week. Little Boy has never had the attention span to watch an entire commercial, so I have not tested this out, but from what I've heard, anything goes. The theaters are loud, loud, loud so kids can be free to laugh, chat and ask for more popcorn without using their quiet voices. So moms of toddlers looking for a short break, try out one of the shorter G movies! Bellingham Preschool of the Arts Summer Camps - July through August A variety of summer camps for preschoolers ages 3-5. All classes are held at the main campus at 1059 N. Sate St. All Sessions are from 8:30 – 11:30; $125 for one session, $225 for two sessions or $310 for 3 sessions. Additional discounts for four or more sessions. Call 306-1546 for more information or to register. A-B-C’s and 1-2-3’s…July 7-11 Music and Discovery…July 14-18 Science is a Blast…July 21-25 Kidzart…July 28- Aug. 1 Food is Fun…Aug 4-8 Movin and Groovin…Aug 11-15 Waterparks are open in the summer! There are two amazing waterparks that Bellinghamsters with kids in tow migrate to when the weather gets hotter. On a not-so scorching day, I recommend Fairhaven Park’s water park. It is an awesome park, but not a lot of shade around to get out of the sun. The second is located in Cornwall Park. There is also a nearby creek with natural wading pools to wade (not deep enough to swim) in. Cornwall’s waterpark offers quite a bit more shade to escape the sun, so head there on the hottest of days. Free Summer Concert Series…Starting Mid-July Tuesdays, 6-8pm Fairhaven Village Green Wednesdays, 6-9pm, Alley downtown between Holly and Champion/Bay Streets Thursdays, 6-8pm, Elizabeth Park Fridays, 12-1pm, Bellingham Library Lawn, CHILDREN’S CONCERTS Saturdays, 7-9pm, Boulevard Park Sundays, 3:30-5pm, Big Rock Garden Park Arellanes Family Farm and Giggles the Clown - Summer Activities and Camps Fun, fun, fun! The Farm offers pony rides, a petting farm, kids trails, and a summer camp program. Coming soon is miniature golf and a zipline! They are open daily, from 10am - 8pm starting June 16th. The farm also offers space for birthdays, company picnics and familiy picnics. 8651 Kendall Road, Maple Falls, 350-599-1515, http://www.gigglestheclown.org Toddler Time - Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-11:30, Bloedel Multipurpose Room This is the PERFECT place to go for little ones to run off some steam, or just be distracted! Aimed at 0-3 year olds (and desperate parents - there is coffee provided!), the parks dept. sets out some balls and hoops and you bring a ride on or something for your child to play with. Don't bring something you aren't comfortable sharing, in my experience this is a free-for-all of sharing. It's a fabulous way to burn off some energy while I get to enjoy a cup of coffee! Toddler Time - page 16 Bellingham Parks and Rec. Kindergym - Mon, Wed, Fri from 10-11:30 Kindergym has been my savior this winter! It is a drop-in parent and child class for 2-5 year olds. The drop-in class operates on a punchcard system ($4 per class, minimum punchcard purchase is $20 and then you can reload it all season). The only catch was that you had to sign up in the Fall, however you can call the COB and get on a waiting list. Chances are good that you can get in before the rainy season is over. Contact Sarah Longman at the COB to be added to the waiting list - 676-6888. Bellingham Railway Museum, Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat - 12-5, Downtown Bellingham The Bellingham Railway Museum offers different options for little ones, from various sizes of of model layouts, to interactive exhibits where people can run the trains. There's even a floor layout for kids to play with. Admission cost is $3 for adults, $1 for students, $5 for families of 4, and free for children under 3. See Bellingham Railway Museum for more information. Swimming! The little slope pool is open almost every day, almost all day... The Arne Hanna Aquatic Center has a wonderful slope pool and great toys that they set out pretty much every day. Their schedule is fairly difficult to read, but I called and they said it's basically open for parent and child swimming from 6am to 4:45pm. From experience, I'd recommend a quick call ahead to make sure they're not cleaning it or a random lesson hasn't been scheduled. Arne Hanna Aquatic Center Bellingham Bay Gymnastics and Preschool - Various Classes for 9 months - preschool and beyond! (Bellingham) Parent/Child gymnastics classes are aimed for kids from 9 months to 4 years old. Classes include movement exporation, songs, parachute games, ball play and bubbles. Bellingham Bay Gymnastics, Haskell Business Center, Bellingham 715-8842 Mini-Gymmys - 9-22 months, Mondays from 10:30-11:15 Terrific Tots - 22 months-2 3/4 years, Mon 11:30-12:15, Tues 10:30-11:15, Thurs 10:30-11:15 Super Tots - 2 3/4 years-3 1/2 years, Wed 10:30-11:15 Tater Tots - 1-4 years, Mon 5:30-6:15, Wed 11:30-12:15 Gym Star Sports Center - Various Clasess including Baby N Me, Gymnastics, and Preschool (Ferndale) An all encompassing gym center that includes anything and everything from parent-child classes to cheerleading classes. Check out their website for specifics on schedules, classes and pricing. Gym Star Sports, 384-3861 An Interactive Museum - Mindport, Bellingham A recommendation from another park-parent - Mindport. An interactive museum that is sure to delight the senses. Judging from their website, you may need to do a little more "minding of the hands" than other museums, but it looks like a fun place to spend an hour or two! Days of operation are: Wednesday through Friday 12-6 Admission is $2 per person. Dancing 4 Joy, Various Classes for 6 months up to preschool and beyond, Bellingham A dancing and movement studio that offers classes for Baby n Me from 6 months to 2 years, creative movement for ages 3-4, and Pre-Ballet/Jazz for 4-6 year olds. Check our their website for specifics on times, dates and costs. Dancing for Joy, 715-0900 If your kid loves water and you're willing to travel...Watermania in Richmond, B.C. I'm including this on recommendation that this is a really neat and very toddler friendly place to spend the morning, afternoon or all day. The site is a little difficult to read, but I surmise that there is a little pool for kids, waterslides, a wave pool and I've heard there is a park-like playstructure in the water for toddlers to play on. Sounds pretty cool! According to Mapquest, Watermania is about 45-50 minutes from Bellingham. *We drove up one day to check this out (and go to Ikea!) and low and behold - it was AWESOME! It is about 45 minutes from downtown B'ham. It costs about $4 Can. per person and free for kids under 2. There are toys to play with, a wave pool for kids and toddlers, and a big climbing toy, complete with a slide and sprayers to wander around in. We arrived shortly before nap and stayed for 2 hours! The complex that it is located in also has a toddler climbing center (Go Bananas), an iceskating rink, and a bowling alley. We also enjoyed the kid friendly Brewery, or there's a Subway if you'd rather. We've been twice now - that's how great it is! Library Storytimes meet again! Mondays...and check your individual libraries Bellingham's Children's Library meets on Mondays and Tuesdays at 10, 10:30 and 11 for storytime full of games, singing and reading for birth to 3 years. Blaine Toddler Time (at the library) - Tuesdays at 10:30am Deming Preschool Storytime (Deming Library) - Tuesdays at 10:30am Lynden Preschool Storytime (Lynden Library) - Tuesdays at 10:30am Mom and Baby Yoga and Prenatal Yoga - classes starting in mid-September through the beginning of October 10 sessions for $100 or drop-ins $15. Taught by Amy Robinson at The Yoga Room in Bellingham. Click here for a full list of dates, times and classes: http://www.neighborhood-kids.com/Activities/General/1207.aspx Treasure Chest – Fridays at the Bellingham Children’s Museum Different activities or crafts each week between 10:30 – 11:30. These activities are supposed to be for 3-6 years olds, however the very patient and encouraging staff allows my exuberant 16 month old to join in the fun. $3.60 Admission to museum includes workshop or free with family pass. www.whatcommuseum.org Wonder Workshops – Saturdays at the Bellingham Children’s Museum Exploration workshops with a hands-on craft or activity, 1-3 pm. $3.60 Admission to museum includes workshop or free with family pass. www.whatcommuseum.org Farmer’s Markets – Every Saturday and Wednesday Bellingham’s main Farmer’s Market at the Depot Square (southern end of Railroad) is a mixture of local food, plants, produce and craft items. A fun place for moms and dads and a world of wonder for the little ones. There’s usually live music, kettle corn and plenty to look at. The Bellingham Farmer’s Market operates from April – December, 10am to 3pm. The last Saturday of every month is Kids Day at the market where kids are encouraged to set up their own booths of hand-made or self grown products. What fun! A slightly smaller version operates in Fairhaven on Wednesdays between 12-5 pm from June 4 – September 3. This smaller scale and slightly more relaxed version is centered around the Fairhaven Green - a perfect place to let kids run around and experience another fun market full of local produce and worthy crafts. Have a Baby or Toddler with Special Needs? The Whatcom Center for Early Learning offers several different types of support in the form of parent/child classes, in home therapy and consultations, theraputic playgroups, parent support sessions, and family resources. They are a GREAT resource! WCEL
The celebration continues on the 5th with Live Music by Local Bands on the G Street Plaza with lots of Food and Family Fun!
07/29/2008-07/31/2008 Wallace And Gromit (G) Surf's Up (PG) 08/05/2008-08/07/2008 Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G) Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG) 08/12/2008-08/14/2008 Everyone's Hero (G) Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (PG) 08/19/2008-08/21/2008 Arctic Tale (G) Firehouse Dog (PG) 08/26/2008-08/28/2008 Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (G) Happily N'ver After (PG)
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 12-4
Closed Monday & Tuesday
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