2025 Schedule
The Bellingham Folk Festival will be hosting entertaining and educational events during these hours:
Thursday, January 23rd
Friday, January 24th
Saturday, January 25th
Sunday, January 26th
During those times you can expect a combination of these entertaining and educational elements:
Sessions/Jams (tunes and sing-alongs, some with scheduled leaders, listeners welcome, too!)
Workshops (learning stuff from people, mostly music and dance, some talk/lecture style offerings, descriptions below)
Concerts (performances, some sitting, some standing, some ticketed, some by donation, some free with tips appreciated)
Dances (organized and disorganized dancing to live music)
We are delighted to be collaborating once again with Fire & Story Festival!
A collection of large, unique, and artistically designed sculptural fire pits provides a stage for local storytellers, poets, artists, and folk musicians. Dispersed across the Bellingham Waterfront as lighthouses, attendees will walk between each illuminated story and engage in the rhythm of this event during the darkest days of the Pacific Northwest.
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the schedule is subject to change at any moment, without warning, for no reason…
Thursday, January 23rd
5pm-7pm - Pan-Celtic Session with Sam Vogt and Liam Weydert (jam)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Sam Vogt and Liam Weydert lead a casual jam session featuring tunes and styles from across the Celtic regions.
free, 21+
6pm-9pm - Pub Sing with the Mighty Bards of Menace (jam)
Menace Brewing - 2529 Meridian St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Join us for an evening of social pub singing - “chorus rich” songs led by song leaders with everyone joining in for the chorus with lyrical themes of land, sea, myth, legend, labour, trades, beer, whiskey, loss, love, war, peace, and much more. Genres covered - traditional Scottish, Welsh, English, Irish songs, sea shanties, and ballads, as well as some American civil war and union songs. Bring a song, share a song.
free, all ages
6pm-7pm - Locals on Locals (concert)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
Locals on Locals, hosted by Ted O’Connell, wherein locals play covers of locals, locally, on location. If you would like to perform a song or an instrumental written by a Whatcom or Skagit musician, contact Ted O'Connell for the rules, bylaws, and secret handshakes: capeflatterymusic@gmail.com or Facebook messenger.
free, 21+
7pm-10pm - Open Jam! Ft. an opening set from the Garden St. Boys, Emily Freudenberger (concert/jam)
Blue Room - 202 E Holly St. #301
6pm doors, 7pm show, 8pm jam. This night will feature an opening set from a solo singer/songwriter Emily Freudenberger, and local grassroots/blues band the Garden St. Boys. Whether you are a beginner or pro, be sure to bring your instruments as we will be hosting an open jam after the sets conclude! This jam will start around 8pm and will go late into the evening.
by donation, all ages
7pm-9pm - Quickdraw String Band (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Emerging from the American string band tradition, Quickdraw String Band plays a repertoire of Old-Time, Early Bluegrass, Country Blues, and Ragtime, including some of their own originals.
free, 21+
7pm-9pm - Old-Time Jam Sesh with Stuart & Friends (jam)
Aslan Depot - 1322 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
free, 21+
7pm-8pm - Two-Step Workshop with Bex Bee (dance/workshop)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Package deal dance + workshop: $20
Workshop only: $10, 21+
8pm-10pm - Honky Tonk Dance with Steel Reserve (dance)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Package deal dance + workshop: $20
Dance only: $15, 21+
8pm-10pm - Explorations in Folk Guitar (concert)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
An evening of avant-garde folk explorations with electric and acoustic guitar featuring: Elise Poirier, John Swanke and Sean Curtis Patrick.
free, 21+
9pm-11pm - Pete Irving (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Pete Irving (Hot Damn Scandal) brings his guitar and a songbook full of a distinctive blend of blues, vintage jazz, folk and Americana tied together by some gritty vocals and cynical, absurdist lyrics.
$10 suggested donation, 21+
friday, January 24th
4pm-6p - Dream Goats (concert)
Boundary Bay Brewery (in the taproom) - 1107 Railroad Ave.
Dream Goats play American old-time, Celtic, and original fiddle tunes with some country and folk songs thrown in the mix. Celine, Stuart, Rosie and Claire are multi-instrumentalists who combine fiddles, guitars, banjos, cellos, (and sometimes more) in their interpretations of traditional music.
free, 21+
5pm-7pm - Bluegrass Jam with Kian Dye (jam)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Come down and sit in - or come down and listen! It's happy hour 'til 6!
free, 21+
5pm-8pm - CJ Helekahi & Friends (concert)
Ono Kitchen - 210 E. Chestnut St., Bellingham, WA 98225
The oral tradition of Hawaiian music, history and story is passed down from generation to generation. CJ Helekahi brings the spirit of Aloha to the Pacific Northwest. Born and raised in Hana, Maui, CJ keeps his family musical heritage alive with his impressive vocal range and pure ukulele sound. CJ’s first CD, Ka Mahina, a collection of original, traditional and contemporary Hawaiian songs, was nominated in two categories for a Na Hoku Hanohano award in 2011. Join CJ Helekahi and local musician Taran Ki’ihele Bowlby for an unforgettable night of Hawaiian music and delicious Hawaiian-inspired food at Ono Kitchen in the historic Herald Building. Featuring hula performances by Kimi Bowlby.
free, all ages
6pm-8pm - Pub Sing (jam)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
Join hosts Peter & John for a participatory pub session. As a group, we'll entertain each other thru the sharing of songs. We’ll cover all aspects of life – the land, the sea, the trades, lost loves, the celebration of beer (or mead), and many other themes. Bring along something to share! We’ll have a handful of song leaders present, other leaders can join in, and there will be plenty of opportunities to participate in the choruses. We’ll also have a stand mic available for anyone that wants to be a front and center contributor.
free, 21+
7pm-9pm - Old Growth Graveyard (concert)
Blue Room - 202 E Holly St. #301
Old Growth Graveyard (Ryan McKasson & Colin Cotter) ft. an opening set from Brownyn McKasson, 6pm doors, 7pm show. Longtime partners in crime, Ryan McKasson and Colin Cotter find themselves back in the thick of a creative collaboration spanning many years, bands, gigs, productions, late nights, tours, missed flights, fiddle camps, adventures, time away, and journeys home. A somewhat whimsical diversion for two musicians known best in Celtic and Americana circles for fiddle and acoustic guitar, Old Growth Graveyard features McKasson a lot more on viola and Cotter bringing in the electric guitar and voice. From the moment that they stumbled across the unique combination of the viola’s throaty richness, the electric guitar’s undeniable edge, and the human voice, the two were smitten and immediately took to the mixology of grafting together the electric and acoustic sonorities with a vengeance. This new chapter in their creative journey takes new and familiar music on quite an adventure, giving two musicians – each established in their musical idioms – plenty of room to play around.
$20, click here for advance tickets/$25 day-of, all ages
7pm-8pm - The Living Arrows Trio (concert)
Welcome Road Winery - 300 W Champion St, Bellingham, WA 98225
by donation, all ages
7:30pm-9pm - Kian Dye and Friends (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Kian Dye is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist bluegrass performer based in Bellingham. After the open jam, he'll be hopping on stage to lead a collection of players through a set of great tunes.
$10-$20 suggested, 21+
8pm-10pm - Square Dance with Dear Crow & Friends, Bex Bee calling (dance)
Orion - 311 E Holly St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Old-time tunes, original and trad songs, sweet double fiddles and lyrical banjo, tight vocal harmonies: a sound that is both nostalgic and bright with possibility. Dear Crow is the musical partnership of Brian Lindsay and Penka Jane Culevski.
$10-$20 suggested donation, 21+
8:30pm-11pm - Pan-Celtic Session (jam)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
free, 21+
9pm - 11:30pm - BFF AFTERPARTY: Sweater Weather Stringband w/ Lucy London (dance)
The Shakedown - 1212 N State St., Bellingham, WA 98225
Doors at 8:30 pm, music 9-11:30 pm. With members drawn together from all across the Salish Sea by a mutual love of traditional music and knitwear, Sweater Weather String Band blends old-time, honky-tonk, Celtic, and indie rock influences into a style that has been likened to “the frolicking of sheep before a thunderstorm.” Formed from a series of jams and impromptu gigs, the band quickly developed a wildly danceable sound that’s been heard at festivals, folk dances, and bars throughout the Northwest.
$10 advanced, $15 at the door, 21+
9pm-11pm - Mt. Baker String Band (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Hunter Preston and his Mt. Baker String Band get down and grassy for a Friday night hoedown.
$10, 21+
10pm - Old-Time Jam (jam)
Orion - 311 E Holly St, Bellingham, WA 98225
free, 21+
saturday, January 25th
9am-9pm - A Wonder of Songwriters (workshop/concert)
Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship - 1207 Ellsworth St. Bellingham, WA 98225
A one-day gathering for songwriters filled with classes, conversation, and an evening showcase concert. All writers are welcome—from those who have only dreamed of writing a song to those who have written plenty. Classes in the art and craft of songwriting are led by seasoned songwriters who are also experienced songwriting instructors. There are two class periods during the day, three offerings per period. Instructors will workshop participants’ original songs during an afternoon session. The festival includes a communal lunch and dinner. The evening concert is open to friends, family, and the public by donation. Cost for the day is $200. Workshop is limited to 30 participants. A Wonder of Songwriters Festival is the inaugural event of the nonprofit A Wonder of Songwriters, sponsored by Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, a 501(c)(3) arts and education nonprofit organization. A Wonder of Songwriters intends to open the door to vibrant learning, to the opportunity for songwriters to support each other, and to the discovery of what nurtures us and keeps us thriving as songwriters.
register in advance here, all ages
10am-11am - Scottish Fiddle and Accompaniment Workshop with Ryan McKasson & Colin Cotter (workshop)
Welcome Road Winery - 300 W Champion St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Scottish fiddle and accompaniment with Ryan McKasson (fiddle) and Colin Cotter (guitar). All instruments welcome.
$10-20 sliding scale at door, all ages
11am-5pm - Earth Goods Art Market (vendors)
Karate Church - 519 E Maple St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Earth Goods Market is a folk art centered market. You can find all things earth centered, handcrafted, and made with intention. We welcome 15-20 talented local makers offering a range of quality goods including herbal remedies, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, a tea room and more! Come by and catch some local music too. Follow @earthgoods.market on instagram to stay updated on artists and set times.
free, all ages
11:30am-12:30pm - Sean Connors & Sam Vogt (concert)
Welcome Road Winery - 300 W Champion St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Irish tunes!
by donation, all ages
11:30am-12:30pm - Primo Lara w/ Steve Jones & Jan Peters (concert)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Son Jarocho is a part of Caribbean music culture from Veracruz with clear links to other Afro-Caribbean musics. Primo Lara, a native of Veracruz, plays the traditional instruments of the region while singing and sometimes dancing. His gifted performances are rhythmically sophisticated and completely engaging. The trio adds two familiar NW musicians, Jan Peters and Steve Jones, and while their instruments are less commonly used in Sones Jarochos, the music retains its traditional form. Primo Lara - requinto, leona, Jan Peters - harmonicas, Steve Jones - cajón, bombo, bongó.
$10-20 suggested donation, click here for presale tickets, all ages
1pm-2pm - Old-Time Tune Workshop with Dear Crow (workshop)
Welcome Road Winery - 300 W Champion St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Come learn some old-time tunes with Brian and Penka Jane. Fiddle and clawhammer-banjo specifics will be taught, but all instruments welcome. We'll focus on learning fun tunes and playing them together, and embracing the zen of an old-time jam.
$10-20 sliding scale at door, all ages
1pm-2pm - Ted O’Connell (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Rare solo set by the frontman for Cape Flattery and Scarlet Locomotive.
free, 21+
1pm-2:15pm - Shannon Patiño (concert/workshop)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
The “son” or sound of Mexican folk music is more than Mariachi music. The music of Mexico, like its culture is colorful and rooted in the Mexican people’s love of their heritage and traditions. Come learn about the sounds of Mexican Folk music and enjoy an interpretation of classic Mexican folk songs performed by Shannon Patiño, a singer-songwriter and daughter of Mexican immigrants, along with a performance of her original Spanish music.
$10-$20 suggested donation, click here for presale tickets, all ages
1pm-3pm - Celtic-Leaning Ice Cream and Coffee Jam Session (jam)
Mallard Ice Cream - 1323 Railroad Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Hosted by Nathan, Steven, and Margaret.
all ages, free
2pm-3pm - Square Dance Workshop with the Roots Music Group (workshop/dance)
Blue Room - 202 E Holly St. #301, Bellingham, WA 98225
Learn a dance before the big night! 1pm doors, 2pm workshop.
$10 (or $20 for workshop and evening dance together) click here for advance tickets, all ages
2pm-3pm - Misty Flowers (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Misty Flowers is a timeless, passionate performer blending jazz, folk, country and blues elements into her own unique style. Her smokey sweet voice and hypnotic guitar style reflects her ability to face life honestly and take only the best from all of her encounters.
free, 21+
2pm-4pm - Spoon River + Bex Bee (concert)
Ashuri Baklava Cafe - 103 Grand Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
2-3pm: Spoon River, 3-4pm: Bex Bee. Spoon River is a Bellingham-based alternative folk band founded somewhere between the upper mountaintops and the center of the Earth. Mark Erb, Lea Sklarsky, Sarah Stanley, and Tanner Krysinski write and perform slightly depressing but melodious songs about nature, love, and outer space. Sometimes they throw in the odd old-time tune. Anything could happen. Bex Bee comes from Portland, OR with all original songs and tunes, inspired by the old-time and Celtic fiddle traditions. From the depths of a swampy marsh, rising through cattails and rushes, emerged a sing-songy creature. Covered in duckweed, she wended through the cedar and ferns until she came upon a dirt road, whereupon she hitch-hiked into town and attempted to live as a human. She learned to use the scorching sunlight to grow yellow flowers and attract honey bees, who taught her most of what she knows about banjo, fiddle, guitar, and Bee. Bex will be joined by long-time pal Will Jevne.
$10 suggested, all ages
2:30pm-3:30pm - Scandi Tunes Workshop with Mira, Elise, & Patrick (workshop)
Welcome Road Winery - 300 W Champion St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Join us and learn some of our favorite Scandi polskas to jam on! We will teach the rhythmic groove, melody, and tune chords by ear. All instruments welcome!
Sliding scale of $5-15, all ages
3pm-4pm - Matney Cook (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Matney's passion for music from a love of the connection it brings to a room of strangers, the soothing it brings to an aching heart, and the joy it reinforces in dancing feet! Matney’s vocal style has grown into a charming swinging country tone with songwriting style ranges from soulful achey breaky ballads to uplifting surf rock tales of triumph.
free, 21+
3:30pm-4:30pm - Rio-style Guitar Workshop with Marco de Carvalho (workshop)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Samba and Bossa Nova are distinctive styles of music that originated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In this workshop we will explore the foundational elements of playing these beautiful stories on the guitar which includes rhythm, harmony, and melody. First we'll use basic chords to focus on developing the cool rhythms on both the right and left hands. Then we'll play some Brazilian songs and apply the rhythm to the chord progressions, focusing on how to use the strings and frets as harmonic reference points. Finally, we will address the beautiful Brazilian melodies and bring it all together. Join Marco de Carvalho, a native of Rio de Janeiro, for an exploration of these unique styles of music and learn the secrets and differences between them that will make your music flow and groove.
$10-$20 suggested donation, click here for presale tickets, all ages
4pm-5pm - Sarah Goodin (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Local songwriter expressing heartfelt songs of longing and freedom for over 20 years.
free, 21+
4:30pm-5:30pm - Yodeling Workshop with Lucy Lodon and Buddy Mac (workshop)
Bella Ciao Pizza Tavern - 427 Railroad Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Learn country & swiss yodeling techniques with the yodeling duo The Pinto Pals. We’ll work on finding that exquisite break in your voice, what vowels to use, and plans for next steps on your yodeling journey! Open to all levels!
$10 suggested donation, all ages
4:45pm-5:45pm - "Coreografia" Marco de Carvalho, Neal Chin, & Kat Bula (concert)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Concert with Marco de Carvalho (guitar and vocals), Neal Chin (ukulele), & Kat Bula (fiddle). Marco de Carvalho is a performing artist on guitar, vocals, and music composition. Born in São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he lives in Seattle, Washington where he continues to expand his life's repertoire performing an extensive catalog of original compositions and songs from Rio de Janeiro, recording with fabulous musicians, leading workshops, and teaching lessons on guitar.
Award winning artist and Maui, HI native Neal Chin, has been both an ‘ukulele educator and performer over the course of his musical career of 19 years. His clear and direct enthusiasm for music has come to life in countless workshops, concerts, and private instruction. Neal currently lives, teaches, and performs in Seattle, WA. Longtime former B’hamster Kat Bula has been an active live & recording session fiddler for over 25 years, working on everything from bluegrass to metal. She’s also written for Fiddler Magazine and Mel Bay’s Fiddle Sessions, coaches the Ballard High School Folk Ensemble, and is a regular guest teacher with Seattle JazzEd and The Rhapsody Project.
$10-$20 suggested donation, click here for presale tickets, all ages
5pm-8pm - Robert Burns Dinner (food event)
Hotel Leo - 1224 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Join us at Hotel Leo to honor Scotland’s beloved poet with a night steeped in tradition, featuring a plated Scottish feast, lively music, and the ceremonial Presenting of the Haggis.
reservations here, all ages
5pm-7pm - Steve Webb (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
An eclectic mix of original Neo soul/Americana folk with a twist of lemon.
free, 21+
5:30pm-7pm - Mira, Elise, & Patrick (concert)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
Based in Seattle, Mira Dickey (fiddle, hardanger fiddle), Elise Snoey (fiddle, hardanger fiddle) and Patrick Gunning (fiddle, guitar) bring vibrant harmonies and driving groove to traditional fiddle tunes from Norway and Sweden.
free, 21+
6pm-9pm - Trad Roots Blues Andy "Badd Dog" Koch (concert)
That’s What I Like Island Grill - 3236 Northwest Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
free, 21+
6pm-6:50pm - Samba no Pé Workshop: Mastering the Art of Rebolado (Hip Circles) with Adriane Rodrigues (dance/workshop)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Join us for a vibrant and energetic Samba no Pé workshop, where we’ll dive deep into the essence of Rebolado, the signature hip circle movement that brings Samba to life! This workshop will focus on refining your hip isolations, fluidity, and grace, teaching you how to infuse your style while staying true to Samba's lively rhythm and culture. What to Expect: Technique Breakdown: Learn the mechanics of Rebolado, from small, subtle circles to dynamic, expressive movements. Samba Groove: Connect your Rebolado to the infectious Samba beat, emphasizing musicality and rhythm. Styling Tips: Add flair to your movements with arm and body coordination, creating a complete Samba look. Drills and Choreography: Practice exercises to perfect your Rebolado and integrate it into a short, fun Samba routine. Whether a beginner or a seasoned dancer, this workshop will enhance your Samba skills and boost your confidence on the dance floor. Let's celebrate the joy of movement and the vibrant spirit of Samba together! Wear comfortable clothing, bring your energy, and get ready to dance!
$10-$20 suggested donation, click here for presale tickets, all ages
7-9pm - Ledford, McLaughlin and Company + Dear Crow (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
7-8pm: Ledford, McLaughlin and Company, 8-9pm: Dear Crow.
Ledford, McLaughlin and Company will perform close harmony songs both known and unknown for your pleasure and their own. Old-time tunes, original and trad songs, sweet double fiddles and lyrical banjo, tight vocal harmonies: a sound that is both nostalgic and bright with possibility. Dear Crow is the musical partnership of Brian Lindsay and Penka Jane Culevski. Penka Jane began playing fiddle as a child and has been singing since she first heard the radio. Her forthright and emotive fiddle playing pulls the listener along the journey of every tune, and since she began songwriting in earnest in 2018 she’s become known for her timeless and lyrically potent songs. When she started playing with Brian Lindsay, they found kindred spirits in each other. Brian is half of the powerhouse acoustic duo Countercurrent, and is nationally sought after as a contra dance fiddle player, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. In the heartfelt and vulnerable arrangements of Dear Crow, the harmonies ring easily, the songs pluck your heartstrings, and the tunes roll and tumble with the energy that only dance musicians can muster.
$10-$20 suggested, 21+
7pm-10pm - Contra/Country Dance! + Maybe some Yiddish Squares! (dance)
Norway Hall - 1419 North Forest Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
Always live music. All dances are taught. Everyone is welcome. No partner necessary. We recommend loose-fitting clothing, and soft-soled non-street shoes to protect the dance floor. Please do not wear fragrances to dances, since some folks are sensitive.
$12-$15 suggested, all ages
7pm-7:50pm - Technique and Partnerwork in Rueda de Casino (dance/workshop)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
This beginner/intermediate level Cuban salsa dance workshop will explore the concept of stepping forward in Casino, contextualizing it through both basic and complex moves to see how these variations can transform the Rueda de casino experience.
$10-$20 suggested donation, click here for presale tickets, all ages
8pm-10pm - Steeplechase (concert)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
Steeplechase came about in the tried and true manner of Irish music bands throughout the centuries, which is to say, at the session. It became clear that these horses could pull in the same direction, and thus a band was born. Three of the four members have connections to Maine, but they all managed to find their way to the northwest corner of these United States—fortunately for them, you can get hee-ah from they-ah. In addition to being a multi-generational ensemble, Steeplechase represents a tremendous height disparity; a fact they try to mask unsuccessfully by playing seated. While their paths to taking up traditional music may vary wildly, their passion for, and love of this art form is unquestionably shared. Steeplechase is Hanz Araki on flute, whistle, and vocals; Sam Vogt on guitar and whistle; Zach Bauman on Irish bouzouki and vocals; and David Pender Lofgren on Bodhrán.
free, 21+
8pm - All Ages Square Dance featuring the Roots Music Groups (dance)
Blue Room - 202 E Holly St. #301, Bellingham, WA 98225
7pm doors, 8pm dance. Our Saturday night show will be a HUGE all ages square dance event. We are also offering a square dance workshop earlier in the day for beginners or pros alike, to learn a couple of dances before the big night! You can buy tickets to the dance, or the workshop, or buy a package deal to both the workshop and the show to save some money.
$15 (or $20 for workshop and evening dance together), click here for advance tickets, all ages
9pm-12am - Yambambo (concert/dance)
Cof& - 1209 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
Doors at 8:30 pm, live music 9-11 pm, DJ Chuck 11-12. Led by multi-percussionist Gabriel Cerna, Yambambo is composed of 3 powerful latina singers backed by an 8 piece band of musicians from different backgrounds but together for the same “rumbon de calle”.
click here for presale tickets, $20 in advance, $25 at the door, all ages
9pm-11pm - Box Set (concert)
Ramble Tamble - 1313 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Upbeat Irish tunes from B.C.!
$10-$20 suggested donation, 21+
10pm-late - Trad Session hosted by Steeplechase (jam)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
free, 21+
sunday, January 26th
9:30am-10:20am - Harmony and Ornamentation on Mountain Dulcimer (workshop)
Blue Room - 202 E Holly St. #301, Bellingham, WA 98225
Bring your dulcimer and join Beverly Hoback as she presents a workshop for intermediate mountain dulcimer players who want to make their music more interesting than merely playing chords or melodies. Learn easy techniques for creating harmonies at the same time you play melodies, and learn ornamentations such as hammering on, pulling off, and harmonics. Stick around for the concert immediately after the workshop to see Beverly put those techniques into practice.
free with donations appreciated, all ages
10:30am-11:30am - Grandma Makes You Laugh: family-friendly humor and folk music by Beverly Hoback (concert)
Blue Room - 202 E Holly St. #301, Bellingham, WA 98225
Start your week with a good belly laugh, as Beverly Hoback shares humorous stories, amusing parodies, and folk music on mountain dulcimer and guitar. With originals, parodies, and classic folk music, Beverly shares her joy and love of nature and children. Beverly Hoback joins the Bellingham Folk Festival for her third year, presenting both a workshop for intermediate level mountain dulcimer players and a concert of humor and folk music on guitar and mountain dulcimer. Beverly is a retired public school music teacher with degrees in music education and music composition from Pacific Lutheran University and Cornish College of the Arts. She has performed at the Kindred Gathering Dulcimer Festival every summer for the past 23 years and has presented concerts as a soloist and in the folk group The Arrangement at venues such as Nancy’s Farm, The Firehouse Arts and Events Center, The Western Washington Fair, Roam Coffee House, and Bayview Community Center. This one is for all the early risers and lovers of the mountain dulcimer!
free with donations appreciated, all ages
12:30pm-2pm - The Wandering Seas (concert)
Welcome Road Winery - 300 W Champion St, Bellingham, WA 98225
The Wandering Seas is a dynamic folk trio from Bellingham, WA consisting of guitar/whistle (Casey Connor), cello (Clea Johnson), and fiddle (Colleen Freeman). They play mostly original compositions as well as a range of traditional folk styles from Albanian to Brazilian to Irish to Swedish. Pleasant Bay is their debut album, recorded just before the lockdown in February of 2020. The album includes 17 tracks, 12 of which are original compositions. While several of the Wandering Seas’ feet are planted in traditional dance musics, they inflect all their tunes with the same creative spirit that drives their compositions.
by donation, all ages
1pm-2:30pm - Intermediate & Advanced Moves for Contra Dance and Waltz (workshop/dance)
BAAY - 1059 N State St. Bellingham, WA 98225
Join us to learn how to add flare to your moves on the dance floor! The Leuba team in association with the Bellingham Country Dance Society will demonstrate embellishments and that can be added to contra dance and waltz (as well as square dance and/or ceilidh dance). You’ll see demos, followed by step thru instruction, and have music on hand to accompany practice of your new talents.
free, older teens and adults
3pm-4pm - Morris Pub Sing (jam)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
Morris refers to the dance traditions of England. In English culture, the pub is the place where people gather to socialize and entertain themselves. Following a Morris presentation in a village, the dancers typically gather at the pub to sing and to enjoy “a pint.” Likely that we’ll just plant ourselves in a small area of the Honey Moon and get right into singing in the British style. We’ll have a handful of song leaders present, other leaders can join in, and there will be plenty of opportunities to participate in the choruses.
free, 21+
3pm-5pm - Femme in Folk, featuring Serafima & the Shakedowns, Schmid & Guest, Ivy Ficarra (concert)
Blue Room - 202 E Holly St. #301, Bellingham, WA 98225
2pm doors, 3pm show, seated show.
$15 advance here, $20 day-of, all ages
3pm-5pm - Finger Style Guitar Show Feat: Devin Champlin, Tom Bourne, S. Itterly (concert)
Welcome Road Winery - 300 W Champion St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Three local-regional finger style guitarists in the round! Devin Champlin - solo artist and of Sons of Rainer, Tom Bourne - of Tango Cowboys fame, Steve Itterly - of Pine & Shake and Telluride Blues Challenge Festival Winner. Come listen to these three lovely and brilliant fellows to hear a wide range of finger style guitar prowess from ragtime to tango and all kinds of in between. A Jan Songs/Jan Peters Presentation
$10-$20 suggested at the door, click here for advance tickets, all ages
4:30-7:30pm - Honeymoon Wrap-Up Pan-Celtic Session hosted by the Goods Guild (jam)
Honey Moon Mead - 1053 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225 (in the alley)
The Goods Guild is a collection of musicians that plays lively fiddle tunes weekly at Goods in Bellingham.
free, 21+
6pm-8pm - Son Jarocho by Primo Lara w/ Steve Jones & Jan Peters - Songs of Central Mexico (concert)
Welcome Road Winery - 300 W Champion St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Son Jarocho is a part of Caribbean music culture from Veracruz with clear links to other Afro-Caribbean musics. Primo Lara, a native of Veracruz, plays the traditional instruments of the region while singing and sometimes dancing. His gifted performances are rhythmically sophisticated and completely engaging. The trio adds two familiar NW musicians, Jan Peters and Steve Jones, and while their instruments are less commonly used in Sones Jarochos, the music retains its traditional form. Primo Lara - requinto, leona, Jan Peters - harmonicas, Steve Jones - cajón, bombo, bongó.
$10-$20 suggested in advance or at the door, click here for advance tickets, all ages