Friday, November 6th is FREE First Friday in downtown Bellingham and that means FREE Admission and extended hours at the Whatcom Museum!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
November is Native American Heritage Month. Check out the schedule of events for the day!
Film Screening: The River Remembers
Old City Hall · Rotunda Room · 121 Prospect St.
6 – 7:30 pm · Followed by a Q&A · Seating first come, first served
Join us for a screening of The River Remembers, a documentary that follows Tribal members of the Elwha and lower Klamath Rivers as they lead the largest dam removals in U.S. history, restoring salmon and renewing culture after a century of struggle. The film is a story of resilience and hope, showing that when rivers heal, people heal too. Anchored in the experiences of Vanessa Castle and Frankie and Molli Meyers, the film braids together intimate family stories and sweeping historical battles: parents teaching their children to fish, catastrophic salmon kills that galvanized action, and generations who refused to give up a century-long fight.
Hosted in partnership with the Whatcom Museum, Setting Sun Circle, and the Whatcom County Library System.
Sweet Art Tour of Forested
The Lightcatcher · Gallery
250 Flora St.
10:15 am
Tour the new Forested exhibition with an educator for a short & sweet introduction to regional artists whose work was inspired by forests of the Pacific Northwest. 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.
Ages 1–5 with a caregiver
10:30, 11 & 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.
Tree Slice Magnets
The Lightcatcher · Lobby
250 Flora St.
Ages 1–5 with a caregiver
10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Design repeating patterns using natural materials and stickers on a cut tree slice. Once you’ve decorated to your heart’s content, put a magnet on the back to create an autumnal masterpiece for your fridge.
Guided Docent Tours of Art Galleries
The Lightcatcher · Gallery
250 Flora St.
1 & 6 pm
Explore the current exhibitions Forested and Luminous Glow with a guided tour.
Whiteswan Environmental Tabling & Salmon Woman Storypole
The Lightcatcher · Lobby
250 Flora St.
1:30 – 3:30 pm
Join Whiteswan Environmental to experience the Salmon Woman Storypole, honoring the ancestral teachings and cultural traditions of the Coast Salish peoples. The story of Salmon Woman reminds us of the sacred relationship among salmon, the people, and the natural world, and our responsibility to care for one another and the Salish Sea. Families and children are invited to learn about this cultural heritage through storytelling, educational activities, and Salmon Woman coloring pages shared by Whatcom Intergenerational High School students.
Nooksack Dance Performance
The Lightcatcher · Courtyard
250 Flora St.
3:30 pm
See dances performed by Nooksack youth, including members of the Nooksack Royalty from this year’s Nooksack Days Pow Wow.
“Meet a Musician” with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra
Family Interactive Gallery
250 Flora St.
4:00 pm
Bellingham Symphony Orchestra’s “Meet a Musician” offers kid-friendly performances where guests can get to know a local musician, listen to music, and be introduced to orchestral instruments! In November, meet viola player Morgan Schwab.
Make some noise! Meet a Musician now includes a mini instrument petting zoo with Wind Works. Kids can try an instrument after learning about it and hearing a musician play it.
Setting Sun Circle Tabling and Market
Old City Hall · Rotunda Room
121 Prospect St.
4 – 6 pm
Learn about current and upcoming projects from the staff of Setting Sun Circle. Setting Sun artists will also be on site to sell work before The River Remembers film screening.
Film Screening: The River Remembers
Old City Hall · Rotunda Room
121 Prospect St.
6 – 7:30 pm
Join us for a screening of The River Remembers, a documentary that follows Tribal members of the Elwha and lower Klamath Rivers as they lead the largest dam removals in U.S. history, restoring salmon and renewing culture after a century of struggle. The film is a story of resilience and hope, showing that when rivers heal, people heal too. Anchored in the experiences of Vanessa Castle and Frankie and Molli Meyers, the film braids together intimate family stories and sweeping historical battles: parents teaching their children to fish, catastrophic salmon kills that galvanized action, and generations who refused to give up a century-long fight.
Hosted in partnership with the Whatcom Museum, Setting Sun Circle, and the Whatcom County Library System. Seating will be first come, first served.
Setting Sun Circle Coast Salish Living Mural Tour
Setting Sun Circle · Alleyway
210 W Holly St.
7:30 pm
Join artists Free and Raven Borsey following the film for a walk to Setting Sun Circle’s future home for Indigenous storytelling. On the alley side of Setting Sun Circle (210 W Holly St.), hear from the artists of the Coast Salish Living Mural and watch the animals and characters come to life with a special illumination projection!
About the mural: The Coast Salish Living Mural, designed by artists Tsx’vilum Free Borsey, Xwesultun Raven Borsey, and De’sh’he’um Roy Nicol, honors the stories, presence, and true history of the Coast Salish people on the land where Bellingham now stands. The mural brings to life teachings carried Since Time Immemorial, with images of relatives like kweleng’sen (eagle), scha’newx (salmon), and qwe’thol’mechin (orca) as guides, and includes Lhaq’temish (People of the Sea) traditional ecological technology like the Sxwo’le (reef net) and clam gardens. The mural, near an original Lummi village site Xw’otqwem (Whatcom Creek) and in the shadow of Komo Kulshan (Mt. Baker), reminds us of gratitude — hy’shqe — and the ongoing relationship among people, land, and story. Setting Sun Circle was able to create this public art installation with the support of the City of Bellingham and Bellingham Tourism Commission.
