Celebrating Memorial Day in Bellingham

Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who’ve died in service to our country. Every year we observe this day in acknowledgement of the courage and sacrifice the people of our armed forces have shown us all so that we may continue to live as a truly free nation. It is with those people in mind that we gather every year over Memorial Day weekend to celebrate our freedoms with our friends and family. Check out this thorough Washington Post article to read about the histories and differences between Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day.

This Saturday, May 28th, starting at noon, is the Blossomtime Parade which has been a Bellingham tradition since 1920. Presented by Sanitary Service Company (SSC), the Blossomtime Parade features local marching bands, floats, fire trucks, dance troupes, clowns, the Bellingham SeaHawkers and much more! This year, Bellingham’s favorite hometown parade theme is “Making Memories” and our Grand Marshal is David “Mac” McMaster. The parade route will start at the corner of Alabama and Cornwall, progress south on Cornwall, turn east on E. Champion and then turns north on N. State where the parade ends at N. State and York street.

Then on Sunday, it’s the annual Ski to Sea Race! First run in 1973, the Ski to Sea is the original adventure race. A team relay from the Mt. Baker Ski Area to Bellingham Bay, a Ski to Sea team consists of eight racers competing in seven different sports: Cross Country Ski, Downhill Ski/Snowboard, Running, Road Bike, Canoe (2 paddlers), Cyclocross Bike, and Sea Kayak. The Race course runs through the towns of Glacier, Maple Falls, Kendall, Everson, Lynden, and Ferndale, finishing at Marine Park in the historic Fairhaven district of Bellingham. Together with the Historic Fairhaven Festival, Ski to Sea is the largest one-day event in Whatcom County and Bellingham, drawing racers, spectators, and tourists from the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and around the world!