Entertainment - Entertainment News

POSTED: Wednesday, Jul. 08, 2009

Take in a 'brown bag' concert at Whatcom Museum of History & Art

For parents who want to give their children a taste of classical melodies, the Bellingham Festival of Music offers a free community concert on Thursday, July 16.

The festival, in its 16th season, features performers from some of the nation's top orchestras playing traditional classical music in a variety of settings around Whatcom County. This year's free concert is part of the Whatcom Museum of History & Art's "brown bag" lunchtime series of events, says Herb Fine, who handles marketing duties for the music festival. The performance will be at 12:30 p.m. in the second-floor rotunda of the museum, the Old City Hall at 121 Prospect St., near Flora Street.

Fine encourages people to arrive early, because the 100 or so seats tend to fill up fast. A string quartet - that's two violins, a viola and a cello -will play Beethoven's Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 18, no. 6; and Debussy's String Quartet.

While you're at the museum, plan time after the concert to explore the third-floor gallery (you could also watch the performance from there), which features several fascinating exhibits. There's a collection of antique clocks, plus an example of the clockwork from the 1892 Old City Hall tower and photographs of its construction.

In addition, there's a collection of antique dolls and toys that are guaranteed to set young imaginations alive with wonder.

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

This week continues a period of extremely low tides, with early afternoon minus tides occurring in Puget Sound and adjoining waters though Saturday, July 10. Extreme low morning tides return Friday, July 17, for several days, including a minus 3.1-foot Bellingham Bay tide at 11:49 a.m. Wednesday, July 22.

For tide times and heights, check The Herald's daily weather page or use the tide calculator at saltwatertides.com. It offers localized tidal times and heights for dozens of Washington state coastal areas.

Some good nearby places to explore at low tide would be Point Whitehorn, Larrabee State Park and Padilla Bay, where the Breazeale Interpretive Center is offering several events to coincide with the low tides.

First, there's a Mud Flat Safari for children ages 3 to 5 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 9. There's minus 1.2-foot tide at 1:09 p.m.

Participants must register for the free program at padillabay.gov or by calling (360) 428-1558. Wear a jacket and snug boots or old shoes that tie.

All ages can explore the mud flats during a similar program (registration required) from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Start at the Breazeale Interpretive Center and end at the nearby Bay View State Park. There will be a minus .04-foot tide at 2:11 p.m., and Breazeale Center folks say that any tide less than zero empties Padilla Bay, exposing miles of mudflats and eelgrass that's crawling with intertidal life.

The Breazeale Center's free exhibits and fish tanks are open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The trails and parking lot are always open free. To get there, take Interstate 5 south to Exit 231. Go west on Josh Wilson Road about 6 miles, then turn right on Bay View-Edison Road. Drive north about a quarter-mile past Bay View State Park.