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Arts, Culture & Entertainment DowntownMUNICIPAL BUILDINGS

1 City Hall210 Lottie St.(360) 778-8000cob.org

2 County Courthouse311 Grand Ave.(360) 676-6700co.whatcom.wa.us

3 Public Library210 Central Ave.(360) 778-7323bellinghampubliclibrary.org

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

4 Whatcom MuseumLightcatcher Bldg./FIG 250 Flora St.(360) 778-8930whatcommuseum.org

5 Whatcom Museum1892 Old City Hall121 Prospect St.(360) 778-8930whatcommuseum.org

6 Whatcom MuseumSyre Education Center201 Prospect St.(360) 778-8930whatcommuseum.org

7 Spark Museum1312 Bay St.(360) 738-3886sparkmuseum.org

8 BellinghamRailway Museum1320 Commercial St.(360) 393-7540bellinghamrailwaymuseum.org

9 Mindport210 W. Holly St.(360) 647-5614mindport.org

10 Allied Arts1418 Cornwall Ave.(360) 676-8548alliedarts.org

THEATERS

11 Mt. Baker Theatre104 N. Commercial St.(360) 734-6080mountbakertheatre.com

12 Pickford Film Center1318 Bay St.(360) 738-0735pickfordfi lmcenter.org

13 Limelight Cinema1416 Cornwall Ave.(360) 738-0735pickfordfi lmcenter.org

14 Sylvia Center for the Arts205 Prospect Street(360) 305-3524sylviacenterforthearts.com

15 Upfront Theatre1208 Bay St.(360) 733-8855theupfront.com

RECREATION

16 Maritime Heritage Park500 W. Holly St.(360) 778-7000cob.org

17 Depot Market SquareBellingham Farmers Market1100 Railroad Ave.(360) 647-2060bellinghamfarmers.org

BREWERIES

18 Aslan Brewing Co.1330 N. Forest St.(360) 778-2088aslanbrewing.com

19 Boundary Bay Brewery1107 Railroad Ave.(360) 647-5593bbaybrewery.com

20 Chuckanut Brewery& Kitchen601 W. Holly St.(360) 752-3377chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.com

21 Gruff Brewing Co.104 E Maple St. #101(360) 734-0115gruff-brewing.com

22 Structures Brewing1420 N. State St.structuresbrewing.com

23 Wander Brewing1807 Dean Ave.(360) 647-6152wanderbrewing.com

Visitor Information i Main Offi ce904 Potter St.(360) 671-3990bellingham.org

i Downtown 1306 Commercial St.

Parking Garage1300 Commercial St.Free Parking on weekends, and after 5pm on weekdays

WTA (Bus Station)205 E. Magnolia(360) 676-7433ridewta.com

Local CulturalAttractions

The Spark Museum Megazapper is thrilling fun for the whole family. Catch a movie at the Pickford, or check out one of their many of events.

Mount Baker Theatre Whatcom Museum

Upfront Theatre 15

Established by world renowned improviser Ryan Stiles, The Upfront Theatre is a cabaret style venue that offers live improv comedy every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The Upfront is for all ages and continues to attract all walks of life searching for a good time.

Whatcom Museum 4 5 6

The Whatcom Museum provides innovative and interactive educational programs and exhibitions about art and Northwest history. We seek to stimulate curiosity about our changing cultural, natural, and historical landscapes, for the youngest to the oldest minds, and to inspire preservation of and creative contributions to our region and beyond.

Mount Baker Theatre 11

The Mount Baker Theatre in Downtown Bellingham’s Arts District is the largest performing arts facility of its kind north of Seattle. A beautifully restored 1927 architectural treasure, listed on the register of National Historic Places, the theatre is dedicated to show-casing some of the best live performing artists on both the professional and community levels for audiences in the North Puget Sound area and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

Pickford Film Center 12

Pickford Film Center provides a forum and resource for independent cinema, strengthening community through education, dialogue, and the celebration of fi lm.

Limelight Cinema 13

70-capacity independent cinema for all ages. Available for rent for business or personal events.

Spark Museum of Electrical Invention 7SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention offers an exciting and educational experience for audiences of all ages. Compelling, interactive exhibits spanning four centuries of scientifi c achievement and cultural heritage are featured in a world-class collection.

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The Bellingham Circus Guild entertains at the Night Market.

HistoryDowntown Bellingham was home to the

Coast Salish peoples of the Lummi and

neighboring tribes, and colonization by

settlers occurred in the 1850s due to the

Fraser River Gold Rush. This caused

thousands of miners, storekeepers, and

others to migrate to the region, turning the

area into a seaport with an active nightlife

industry. The population grew to several

thousand, all living in tents on the beach.

It is said that in the summer of 1858 there

were more people living in Whatcom than

in all the rest of Washington Territory put

together. One small brick building remains

from the 1858 gold rush days at 1308 E

Street. It is the oldest brick building in

Washington State.

The area was originally comprised of

four smaller towns with separate business

districts: Bellingham, Whatcom, Sehome,

and Fairhaven. Due to rapid population

growth, the towns consolidated into one

on November 4, 1903 and formed what

we know today as Bellingham. By the early

1900s, shops included wholesalers, feed and

seed stores, construction material distribu-

tors, printing press shops, blacksmith shops,

and bicycle repair, with downtown as a main

hub of the local economy. At this time, the

culture in Bellingham began to shift from its

rogue seaport mindset to the cultivation and

promotion of families and neighborhoods.

Today, Downtown Bellingham continues as

a thriving business district, home to local

government, small businesses, and software

companies. It is a growing art, culture, and

civic center, and remains the heart of the city.

For more information about the history of

Downtown Bellingham, a self-guided Down-

town Historic Walking Tour is available at

cob.org/historytours.

Annual EventsFor additional events information see the online calendar at: www.bellingham.org

Memorial Day Weekend EventsJoin us on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend for Bellingham’s traditional Blossomtime Parade. www.bellingham.com The next day is the legendary Ski to Sea Race from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay. www.skitosea.com

Downtown Sounds Summer Concert Series – July and AugustFirmly cemented as downtown’s hottest summer attraction, this free urban music festival showcases high-quality bands, local food, award-winning beer, unique vending, and activities for the entire family. Wednes-day evenings on Bay Street.www.downtownbellingham.com

Bellingham Festival of Music – JulyOne of America’s premier virtuoso orchestra festivals. Each summer, orchestral and sym-phonic musicians come together to perform a repertoire of the fi nest symphonic music. www.bellinghamfestival.org

Bellingham Traverse – SeptemberA Northwest rite of passage, the BellinghamTraverse celebrates the lifecycle of wild salmonduring this 40 mile multi-sport challenge. Beginning and ending in downtown. Great fun for participants and observers alike! www.bellinghamtraverse.com

Bellingham Bay Marathon – SeptemberOn the last Sunday in September, athletes enjoy beautiful marathon, half marathon and 5K courses showcasing Bellingham seascapes, landscapes and communities. www.bellinghambaymarathon.org

Commercial St. Night Market – May thru SeptemberA true refl ection of the community’s charac-ter, the monthly Night Markets infuse Com-mercial Street with energy and excitement featuring artisan vending, intriguing enter-tainment, delicious fare and local music.www.downtownbellingham.com

Bellingham Farmers Market – SaturdaysSupporting local, sustainable agriculture by connecting the public with local farmers, artisans, and other producers in an economi-cally viable marketplace. www.bellinghamfarmers.org

Arts and CultureBellingham and Whatcom County are

proud to hold the second highest number

of arts businesses per capita in the country.

The minute you set foot downtown you’ll

be surrounded by galleries, theatres,

museums, and studios.

On the fi rst Friday of every month, the

Downtown Bellingham Partnership hosts the

downtown Art Walk, an event that features

galleries, studios, museums, shops, and

restaurants showcasing the creative talent

found in Bellingham’s growing art scene.

For more information, please visit:

www.downtownbellingham.com

Welcome to Downtown Bellingham!Downtown Bellingham is located on the

shores of Bellingham Bay, providing a

breathtaking destination for visitors to

enjoy. Our downtown has something for

everyone, and boasts a unique variety of

public art, specialty shopping, fi ne dining,

and cultural entertainment. If visiting the

surrounding area, Downtown Bellingham is

the perfect hub with its easy access to trails,

lodging, and local transit systems.

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism360.671.3990Email: tourism@bellingham.orgwww.bellingham.org

Downtown Bellingham Partnership360.527.8710Email: info@downtownbellingham.comwww.downtownbellingham.com

Downtown Bellingham Map and Guide

Arts | Culture | Entertainment | Info

TransportationHOW TO GET HEREI-5 Exit 253: Take the Lakeway Drive Exit 253. Go west on Lakeway Drive. Lakeway Drive becomes E. Holly Street. Follow to Downtown.

The Whatcom Transportation Authority can help you get downtown, to and from the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, Amtrak and Greyhound stations, and numerous other locations. For more information, call 360.676.RIDE or Visit: www.ridewta.com

Parking downtown is available on the street in metered spaces or in the Commercial Street Parking Garage (between E. Holly and Magnolia). Parking is free in both of these areas after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends. There are also various privately owned lots.

Downtown is very bike and pedestrian friendly. Leave the car at home and explore Downtown Bellingham!

The historic Whatcom Museum building overlooks the bay.

Enjoy Downtown Bellingham’s many breweries.

Family-friendly fun at local festivals.

Bellingham Bay Marathon – The most beautiful in the PNW.

Friendly locals are happy to share insider info.

Walk to restaurants, breweries, shopping and entertainment.

Bellingham Bay is a great place to paddle, sail, kite or windsurf.

Downtown Sounds closes Bay Street in Downtown Bellingham

one destination, many adventures

BellinghamBellinghamdowntown

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