Where's Waldo? In Fairhaven, of course. He's turning 25 this year, and to celebrate the famous fellow in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting 20 Fairhaven businesses through the month of July.

Waldo figures will be showing up in public areas of local establishments. People who spot him can win prizes, including buttons and books.

In celebration of Waldo's longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, is teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and 250 independent bookstores across the country, including Village Books in Fairhaven, to have fun and encourage people to visit local businesses.

Beginning Sunday, July 1, anyone who wishes to participate can look for the Waldo decal on participating business windows and doors to pick up a "Find Waldo in Fairhaven!" search list with the names of all the businesses.

After finding each Waldo, participants will collect an "I Found Waldo at _________ " card for each Waldo spotted from the business employees. Collecting cards in 16 or more businesses and turning them in at Village Books will win you a Waldo button and an entry for other, larger prizes to be drawn at a Waldo party at 6 p.m. July 31 at the bookstore.

The grand prize is a complete, six-volume set of Waldo books. People who prefer a shorter version of the hunt can collect the cards from eight businesses and pick up a Waldo button at Village Books. There is no charge to participate.

Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in 1987. There are now more than 55 million Waldo books in print worldwide, and they've been translated into 18 languages.

BELLINGHAM RECOGNIZES CITY PHOTO WINNERS

Six local photographers were honored at the Bellingham City Council meeting June 18 for submitting winning images to the "Essence of Bellingham" Photo Competition. Their photos were among almost 300 submitted by area residents for the seventh annual competition, sponsored by the city and Whatcom Museum.

The winning entries and others submitted to the competition are posted on the city of Bellingham website. They also will be displayed at City Hall during July, with a reception July 6.

Entries receiving highest honors:

Best of Show, first place: "After Hours" by Jeff Aspnes.

Best of Show, second place: "Got To Get To Class" by Tomas Calderon.

Best of Show, third place: "Walking Off Into the Sunset: by Philip Humphries.

Best of Class, K-fourth grade: "Up to the Sky" by Marley McMahon.

Best of Class, Fifth-eighth grade: "Rapids" by Autumn Veatch.

Best of Class, Ninth-12th grade: "Mystic Currents" by Athena Aspnes.

The annual competition is a low-cost way to celebrate Bellingham, preserve photos as historic records of our times and engage people in the community. Photos submitted to the competition are preserved by Whatcom Museum for future generations to enjoy.

The 297 entries submitted this year by 81 photographers were juried by representatives from Whatcom Museum, Bellingham Arts Commission and the city of Bellingham. Winning entries are selected for photographic quality, subject matter and how well they capture the "essence" of Bellingham.

Community members are invited to begin taking photos now to enter in next year's competition. Details: cob.org/eob.

PORT NAMES WINNERS OF GP ART CONTEST

The Port of Bellingham has announced winners in the first Georgia Pacific Mill Site Art/Photography Contest. As demolition and environmental cleanup continue on the site, the port decided to institute the contest as a way to involve the community and capture the ever-changing landscape Bellingham's central waterfront.

A wide variety of entries were received: photographs, charcoal drawings and watercolor paintings. Winning entries will be on display at Squalicum Boathouse from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 4, during the Haggen Family 4th of July Festival.

In addition, the port is putting together a traveling exhibit of the image. A slideshow of the winners is on the port's website at portofbellingham.com/gallery and on the port's Facebook page at facebook.com/portofbellingham.

Reach MARGARET BIKMAN at margaret.bikman@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2273.