May 1st is FREE First Friday in downtown Bellingham and that means FREE Admission and extended hours at the Whatcom Museum!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
Here’s a schedule of events and info for this month’s FREE First Friday at Whatcom Museum from their website:
Join us on May 1 for our third annual Free First Friday LEGO® Festival! We’ve built a schedule full of exciting activities for builders of all ages, including building challenges hosted by local LEGO® Masters TV show contestants Brad Bergman and Mike Tarrant in the Brick Pit. Feeling extra creative? Submit your own original build for our third annual all-ages Community LEGO® competition (details here) by April 22. Competition judging starts at 6 pm followed by evening music by Limited Addition and Children’s Art Walk. Plus, don’t miss out on toddler music classes, gallery tours, and more. We can’t wait to continue building community, curiosity, and joy with you at the museum!
Sweet Art Tour of Personal to Political for ages 1 – 5
The Lightcatcher Gallery | 250 Flora St. | 10:15 am
Walk through the Personal to Political exhibition with an educator for a short & sweet introduction to the artists of the Paulson Fontaine Press. Developed for children 1 – 5 with an accompanying caregiver, we’ll explore the gallery, read a short story, and make a craft inspired by the exhibition.
Baby & Toddler Music Classes with Little Sapling Music
The Lightcatcher Studio | 250 Flora St. | 10:30 am, 11 am & 11:30 am
A fun and engaging music class for littles ages 1 – 5 with an accompanying caregiver. Facilitated by award-winning singer + songwriter, educator, and kid enthusiast Taber Darland.
Community LEGO® Competition Gallery
Old City Hall | 121 Prospect St. | 12 – 9 pm
View submissions for our third annual Community LEGO® competition in the Rotunda Room. Colorful creations from local builders of all ages will be on view from April 25 to May 3. After you explore, vote for your favorite! The winner will receive a people’s choice award. Brad Bergman and Mike Tarrant will announce each age category winner at 6 pm on Free First Friday.
Floral Picture Frames by Bellingham Blooms and North Sound Flower Cooperative
The Lightcatcher Building | 250 Flora St. | 12 – 9 pm
Pop your face into a frame of flowers for a quick selfie! Enjoy a series of floral installations decorating Bellingham’s sidewalks during Children’s Art Walk, made possible by our awesome local florists. Frames will be located at the Whatcom Museum, Pure Bliss, Allied Arts, Aslan Brewing, and more. Each frame has a different style and design. Take a selfie at each location!
LEGO® Brick Pit
The Lightcatcher Studio | 250 Flora St. | 1 – 5 pm
Calling all LEGO® lovers, ages 4 – 99! The LEGO® Brick Pit is a place for LEGO® enthusiasts to dream, craft, and build to their heart’s content. Brad Bergman and Mike Tarrant (from FOX’s LEGO® Masters Season 4, available on Hulu) will be on hand throughout the day to run mini pop-up LEGO® building stations and share their expertise with the next generation of young builders!
LEGO® Friendship Bracelets
Old City Hall | 121 Prospect St. | 2 –- 4 pm
Build and braid a friendship bracelet using LEGO® bricks. Create colorful jewelry with this make & take craft.
Painted Forest Tours with George Mustoe
Old City Hall Gallery | 121 Prospect St. | 2 pm & 5 pm
Join George Mustoe, research associate at Western Washington University’s Geology Department, for a tour of Painted Forest: The Science and Beauty of Petrified Wood. Step back in geologic time as George talks about the scientific process of permineralization that created these colorful ancient forest specimens.
Guided Docent Tours of Art Galleries
The Lightcatcher Gallery | 250 Flora St. | 1 & 6 pm
Explore the exhibitions From the Vault: Hard Edge/Soft Ground and Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press with a guided tour.
Meet a Musician with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra
The Lightcatcher | Family Interactive Gallery | 250 Flora St. | 4 pm
Bellingham Symphony Orchestra’s Meet a Musician offers kid-friendly performances where guests can get to know a local musician, enjoy listening to their music, and be introduced to orchestral instruments! In May, meet trumpeter Karolyn Labes.
Children’s Art Walk Colorful Coaster Craft
The Lightcatcher Courtyard | 250 Flora St. | 4 – 6 pm
Stop by the Lightcatcher Courtyard for yard games, bubbles, and crafting. Make a tiled coaster using wooden blocks to take home, plus enjoy the longer evenings with cheerful music and outdoor fun. Games and bubbles will be available until 8 pm.
Meet LEGO® Masters TV Show Contestants Brad & Mike + Competition Winner Reveal
Old City Hall Rotunda Room | 121 Prospect St. | 5:30 – 6 pm
Meet local LEGO® Masters contestants Brad Bergman and Mike Tarrant before the judging of our Community LEGO® Competition at 6 pm. Brad and Mike will answer questions about their time on the show and their experience building a micro fig scale model of the museum’s Old City Hall building. Learn how builders conceptualize designs from their imaginations brick by brick. While you’re here, don’t forget to vote for the Whatcom Museum’s Old City Hall in LEGO® Ideas!
Live Music with Limited Addition
Old City Hall | 121 Prospect St. | 6:30 – 8 pm
Limited Addition is a seven-piece jazz and pop band, comprised of Western Washington University students. They take inspiration from Clairo, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, and more! They play regularly at Cafe Rumba and can’t wait to share more of their music with other Bellinghamsters.
