Neighborhood-Kids All Local. All for Kids. All the Time.

A Great Weekend for the Arts in Bellingham

by Theresa Carpine4/29/2009 5:08:34 PM

If you head to downtown Bellingham this weekend, you’ll find a variety of visual and performing arts events for and by children in Whatcom County. Kids will have the opportunity to see and appreciate art by others, and also get the chance to create art themselves!

2009 Children's Art Walk poster.

This year marks the 9thAnnual Children’s Art Walk, organized by Allied Arts of Whatcom County. From May 1-13, citizens are invited to enjoy artwork by over 1,500 local students displayed in the windows of various businesses and galleries in downtown Bellingham, including this website's parent company Mindfly.

Opening night festivities on Friday, May 1, also features receptions and activities for families at various locations. From 6 to 9 PM, you can enjoy live entertainment and refreshments at Bellingham School District Central Services, Quist Violins, and The Leopold. Kids will also love stopping by locations like Allied Arts of Whatcom County Gallery to make felt bookmarks with artists LaVera Langeman, and the American Museum of Radio Electricity to work on puppet decoration with Christian Smith and Andy Koch.

Another fun and interactive event for families is the 6th Annual Bellingham Procession of the Species Parade on Saturday, May 2, at 4 PM, starting in front of City Hall. There’s no need to register to participate in the procession. The only rules are no motorized vehicles, no written or spoken words, and no live animals. Animal costumes, however, are highly encouraged, as this is a celebration of the connection to nature in our community. Over the past four Saturdays, workshops were held at the Environmental Learning Center at Maritime Heritage Park to create banners, puppets, and drums for the parade. Visit the website to see photos and videos of previous events, and consider joining in the celebration this year.

For a more laidback event, check out the 3rd Annual Bellingham Children’s Film Festival at The Pickford Cinema. Your family has four chances (May 2 & 3, 11 AM and 12:30 PM) to enjoy the 10 award-winning short films featured at the festival this year, selected from Northwest Film Forum’s Children’s Films Festival Seattle. This year’s titles include the Czech Republic’s “Jiro and Miu,” featuring a guinea pig that learns to fly, and an Australian film about the big soccer game called “My Greatest Day Ever.” Tickets are $6.25 for adults and $3.50 for children age 12 and under.

After enjoying the shows, you can check out free arts and acting workshops at various locations around town. Kids can learn improv with the cast at the Upfront Theatre or learn how to make a Flip video at the Center for Expressive Arts and Experiential Education.

For information about all these fun events, visit Neighborhood-Kids.com Activities!

A Note About the Author: Theresa Carpine

Theresa Carpine graduated from WWU in 2006 with a BA in English Literature. She enjoys yoga, listening to music, riding her bike in downtown Bellingham, and babysitting really cute kids.