Cellist performs with Whatcom Symphony Orchestra

John Friesen, Canadian cellist and an associate professor of music at Western Washington University, performs Haydn's Concerto in C Major with the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra at 3 p.m. Jan. 27 at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. The program also includes Bach's "Passacaglia and Fugue" and Respighi's "Metamorphoseon."

Tickets cost $12 to $30, and you can bring a teen for free. Details: 360-734-6080, mountbakertheatre.com.

Chuckanut Radio Hour

The Chuckanut Radio Hour, a radio variety show hosted by Village Books co-owners Chuck and Dee Robinson, celebrates its sixth anniversary with a special show of highlights Jan. 31 at The Leopold's Crystal Ballroom, 1224 Cornwall Ave. There will be live music by the original house band, The Walrus; a new essay by Cascadia Weekly columnist Alan Rhodes; poetry by house poet Kevin Murphy; and a new episode of "The Bellingham Bean."

Tickets, $5, are available at Village Books and BrownPaperTickets.com. Doors open 6:30 p.m., and you must be seated by 6:45 as the show begins promptly at 7.

The Radio Hour also airs at 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday on KMRE 102.3FM.

Brush up on Jefferson Bible

Imagine the president of the United States cutting up copies of the New Testament and pasting the words he considered "authentic" into a study Bible of his own invention. That happened in 1804, when Thomas Jefferson created the Jefferson Bible.

Michael Johnson, who received his bachelor's degree from Western Washington University, is writing his master's thesis on the Jefferson Bible through California State University. He's also offering a course on the Jefferson Bible through Western Washington University's Academy for Lifelong Learning. The class will be 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on two Saturdays, Feb. 16 and 23, at the WWU Library Presentation Room.

Cost: $32 for academy members, $42 general. Details: 360-650-3717 or acadweb.wwu.edu.

Rick Steves to discuss 'Europe Through the Back Door'

Travel expert Rick Steves - acclaimed for his bestselling guidebook series and public TV and radio shows - shares the latest in smart European travel at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at Bellingham High School, 2020 Cornwall Ave. Steves will explain practical, money-saving tips for independent travel.

Tickets, $5, are available at Village Books and at Brown Paper Tickets. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit Bellingham High's PTSA.

Novelist David Guterson coming to Bellingham

Whatcom READS! welcomes David Guterson to Whatcom County Feb. 19-21 to talk about "Snow Falling on Cedars," his featured novel for the organization's sixth year. Set on an island in Puget Sound in the 1950s, the novel involves the death of a white fisherman and a Japanese-American man charged with murder. The novel, which touches on issues of race, war, honesty and betrayal, was a best-seller when it came out in 1994 and again when it was adapted into an Oscar-nominated film.

Guterson talks about the book at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at Whatcom Community College's Syre Student Center, 237 W. Kellogg Road, and discusses his writing process in a talk Feb. 21 at Western Washington University. All events are free. Details: whatcomreads.org.

Reach Margaret Bikman at 360-715-2273 or margaret.bikman@bellinghamherald.com. Follow Bellingham Entertainment on Facebook or @bhamentertainme on Twitter.