Quirky art, quenching beers make Bellingham more than just a college town
BELLINGHAM – Most visitors to this college town make a beeline for Fairhaven, the understandably popular gentrified historic district at the north end of Chuckanut Drive. On your next visit, mix it up: Head downtown, where Whatcom Creek meets the bay.
Two downtown draws worth your time: lively arts and good beer.
Is the first of the month near? Go for the First Friday Art Walk, with up to 30 or more participating venues in a walkable downtown from 6 to 10 p.m. the first Friday of every month.
Don’t expect the ordinary. You won’t find a lot of traditional galleries; you will get to meet outside-the-box artists in cozy studios and shops sprinkled across a walkable downtown.
The downtown arts scene has several anchors:
• Whatcom Museum’s classy Lightcatcher Gallery, 250 Flora St., whatcommuseum.org
This innovative museum with its 180-foot-long translucent wall is the current must-see destination, with its special exhibition, “Vanishing Ice.” The exhibit melds art, science and eco-politics in an intriguing look at how glaciers, polar ice caps and icebergs have played a role in life on Earth – and what their disappearance may mean to our future. The exhibit ends March 2.
• Pickford Film Center, 1318 Bay St., pickfordfilmcenter.org
I didn’t expect to spend a pleasurable evening in Bellingham watching David Tennant as “Richard II” with the Royal Shakespeare Company from Stratford-upon-Avon. But I did, at the nonprofit Pickford theater, offering a daily, year-round schedule of independent, art house and noncommercial films.
The film center, named for silent-screen maven Mary Pickford, occupies a lovingly restored 100-year-old building on Bay Street with two screens and a raw-brick lobby worthy of spending time in for wine and cheese before a show. Also don’t miss the locally made Nanaimo bars at the snack counter, or the GMO-free popcorn, with brewer’s yeast available for sprinkling.
• Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St., mountbakertheatre.com
This beautifully restored 1927 Moorish-style architectural treasure, listed on the register of National Historic Places, is a popular venue for live theater as well as music performances.
Musicians appearing soon include Judy Collins, Keb’ Mo’, Ani DiFranco and Arlo Guthrie. Coming theater productions include an onstage adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps” and traveling shows such as “The Addams Family” and “Hair.”
Drinking deep
Bellingham is being touted as the Northwest’s next great craft beer destination. Before or after a show or art walk, sample one of Bellingham’s brew pubs.
The newest downtown haunt is The Local Public House, 1427 Railroad Ave. Opened in October, it lives up to its name with a rotating 14-tap sampling of local and regional ales. Freshen up with something like a Chili Bravo ale, from Ferndale’s Menace Brewing, the pub’s affiliated brewery, or relax over a dark and brooding Locomotive Breath Imperial Stout, from Anacortes.
What you won’t find: Stella Artois or – drumroll, please – sports TV.
“We’re trying to encourage conversation,” manager Chris Guard said.
Visit at mealtime; every menu item comes with a beer-pairing suggestion. The changing dinner menu recently included Pork Belly Tacos (“pairs with hoppy pale ales,” $9) and Curried Fish and Chips, with a titillating curry-beer batter and coconut-chili aioli ($11).
Other good downtown options:
• The venerable, award-winning Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro, three blocks down the street (1107 Railroad Ave., bbaybrewery.com). It’s been here 19 years, and it felt a tad tired on our visit, but maybe the crowds are the only endorsement it needs. Sports TV in the taproom.
• Copper Hog Gastropub, 1327 N. State St., claims to serve “fine foods, tasty beers, select wines and non-pretentious cocktails.” While not associated with a brewery, it is close to the hearts and gullets of Bellingham beer lovers. In a recent check of its 15-tap draft list, only five were from outside Washington or Oregon, with interesting choices such as Snipes Mountain Jackal, a sour brown beer from Yakima County. thecopperhog.com
On the edge of downtown is Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen, 601 W. Holly St., with a locavore menu listing strictly local dishes. It also does menu pairing, specializing in German-style lagers. chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.com
Closer to Interstate 5 is 2-year-old Kulshan Brewing, whose Kulshan Fresh Hop Ale took first place in the Yakima Valley Fresh Hop Ale Festival this past fall. Kulshan doesn’t serve food but frequently features local food trucks. kulshanbrewery.com