Life
Photo by Anna Ghinea
Photo by Cindy Verge
Heard Around the Sound
Venue With a View The Blue Room Grand Opening
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HERE IS A new, all-ages event
venue in the heart of downtown Bellingham! The Blue Room, located at the corner of Holly Street and Railroad Avenue above K-POP Chicken & Beer, opened on March 4 and is set to feature local bands, artists, comedians, and more. Co-founders Ben Hodson, Martijn Wall, and Nick Hastings acquired the beautiful two-story space, which has panoramic views of downtown and Bellingham Bay, with the intention that it would provide an inclusive venue for creatives in Bellingham to show their craft and build a following. “We essentially just wanted to start a company to really bring the art scene back after this pandemic and give artists an opportunity to
grow and connect in a collaborative environment,” says Hodson. The Blue Room will have live shows every Friday and Saturday night. For now, the venue won’t be selling alcohol, with hopes that this will ensure more people feel welcome at their events. However, being above K-POP Chicken & Beer, the venue has arranged to sell their guests food from downstairs in a program they have jokingly dubbed “Stair Dash.” The venue will also be open during the day and will showcase kids’ craft tables, art galleries, fashion shows, and workshops. The goal is to provide the Bellingham community with a catch-all venue for any event that could bring people together. “We really hope that this is going to help propel that creative economy in our city,” says Hodson. For ticket and event info, visit The Blue Room’s website. 202 E. Holly St., Ste. 301, Bellingham, 360.742.2381, blueroombham.com JILLY GRECO
Get the Family Involved
Spring Cleaning Top Tips WRITTEN BY BRENDAN PRIOR
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BellinghamAlive.com
Spring cleaning isn’t just more productive in groups — it’s also more fun! Give everyone a specific job, put some music on, and turn cleanup from a chore into a lively activity.
By the Numbers: Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
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T’S THAT TIME of year again:
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is returning for its 39th year. If you’re planning to see the blooms in person, here’s some fast facts to know before you go:
The tulips: Tulip fields located within a 15-MILE radius • 350 ACRES of tulip bulbs planted • TENS OF MILLIONS of bulbs in total • Tulips in EVERY COLOR (except blue and black!) •
The festival: • • •
350,000 annual attendees Visitors from all 50 states …Plus an average of 85 countries!
Beyond the tulips, events such as art shows, bike rides, a wild salmon barbecue, and even a parade are scheduled throughout the festival month (April 1–30). For more information, visit tulipfestival.org. COCOA LANEY
Limit the Amount of Cleaning Products Used The goal of cleaning is to remove clutter, so buying a bunch of new products is only counterproductive. Allow multipurpose products (as well as creative homemade solutions) to guide your cleaning this year.
