A grand-opening celebration for several local businesses features a unique twist this weekend - circus acts from the Bellingham Circus Guild.
It's from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Public Market,1530 Cornwall Ave. between Commercial and York. The businesses are the Trapeze café, bakery and deli; Carmen's food trailer; and Mount Baker Books. In addition to the performances, there will be special discounts and free food and beverage samples.
Trapeze, which has a circus-themed décor, donates a portion of its profits to the Bellingham Circus Guild - a local corps of jugglers, acrobats, clowns, aerialists, stilters and myth-makers.
Members of the group will be performing at the grand-opening celebration, said Dream Frohe, a Circus Guild aerialist. She said visitors can expect the intermittent performances to last five to seven minutes. There likely will be jugglers, stilters and some examples of aerial work, Frohe said.
In addition, the guild is offering its monthly Vaudevillingham performances at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, in the Depot Market Square, corner of Maple Street and Railroad Avenue. Admission is by donation.
Bellingham Circus Guild also offers classes in a variety of theatrical skills. For more information, go online to bellinghamcircusguild.com.
READ-IN MARKS MLK DAY
A free read-in for children ages 3 to 8 is from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, in the downstairs Readings Gallery at Village Books, 1200 11th St.
Parents are welcome to participate in the event, which is in its seventh year, and is sponsored by the Center for Service-Learning at Western Washington University.
"We're trying to engage children in social-justice issues in a fun way," said Alyssa Jones, the Center for Service-Learning's VISTA project coordinator.
During the event, WWU professors and students will read from a selection of age-appropriate books that have a social justice or multicultural theme, in keeping with the teachings of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jones said. There also will be coloring and other activities.
Books will include "Boundless Grace," by Mary Hoffman (part of the "Amazing Grace" series), and "What Does Peace Feel Like?" by Vladimir Radunsky.
In addition, the Center for Service-Learning is conducting a book drive through Jan. 20 for local elementary school libraries. There will be a list of books to purchase at the site, or bring gently used books to donate during the event.
For more information, contact the Center for Service-Learning at 360-650-7520 or wwu.edu/csl.
GOSPEL MUSIC FOR MLK DAY
A concert by the Bellingham Community Gospel Choir celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, in the rotunda of the Whatcom Museum's Old City Hall galleries, 121 Prospect St. Suggested donation is $3. The choir is composed of local residents and is conducted by the pastor Jay Johnson of Roosevelt Community Church.
While you're there, take time to examine the semi-permanent exhibition "Artifactual" on the museum's first floor, and the exhibits of dolls, toys, tools and clockworks on the third floor.
For more information, call the museum at 360-778-8930.
BEACH CLEANUP
Martin Luther King Day often is observed as a day of community service, so Bellingham-based environmental organization RE-Sources and the North Sound Baykeeper are sponsoring a family-oriented cleanup effort from 1-4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at Locust Beach on Bellingham Bay north of the city. Because of local tides and currents, it's a place where much of the litter in local waters washes ashore.
"It's a beautiful stretch of beach to walk," said RE-Sources' Lindsey Taylor. She said children enjoy such events as a sort of Easter egg hunt for the environment.
Locust Beach is at the end of Locust Avenue south of Marine Drive. Limited parking will be available at a kiteboard shop near the end of the road. Car-pooling and public transit is encouraged. The area is served by Gooseberry Point bus route No. 50 from the downtown Bellingham transit station.
Light refreshments will be available at the check-in table. Gloves and trash containers will be available, and participants can bring their own gloves or bucket if they wish. Dress in layers for the weather.
For more information, contact RE-Sources at 360-733-8307 or lindsayt@re-sources.org.
