Here’s where to eat your way around Bellingham’s Eat Local Month
Today kicks off Eat Local Month, a “celebration of local food” and all the work that goes into it from the farm to your table.
The month-long event is focused on the Whatcom County residents who grow, fish, make, raise and cook food locally, and is put on by Sustainable Connections.
“We’re fortunate to have so many incredible chefs and farmers in this region. Eat Local Month is a celebration of all the connections that bring food from the farm to our plates – and the connections that bring us together,” Jess Meyer, Sustainable Connections’ food and farming outreach coordinator wrote in a press release.
The celebration is divided into week-long events focusing on restaurants, farms, seafood and markets.
Here’s what Eat Local Month will include and how you can support the local food industry during the celebration:
Restaurant Week: Sept. 2-8
During restaurant week, participating local restaurants will feature special menu dishes that are made up of at least 50% or more local ingredients. The restaurants will continue to feature these special dishes throughout the month.
Restaurants including Aslan Brewing Co., Cosmos Bistro, Keenan’s at the Pier and Pure Bliss Desserts have created special dishes to celebrate the month.
Farm Week: Sept. 9-17
During farm week, you can meet local farmers, visit their farms, and learn how their crops end up on your table.
The Whatcom County Farm Tour allows you to tour 12 local farms including Flynn Farms, Small Acres Farm, Lydia’s Flock and Alluvial Farms.
During farm week you can also visit local farm stands, pumpkin patches and U-pick apples.
Seafood Week: Sept. 17-28
Seafood week starts with SeaFeast, a waterfront seafood festival that includes seafood vendors, education activities and live music. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, and is located at Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham at 2600 N. Harbor Loop Drive
Seafood week also includes the Bellingham Dockside Market where local fisherman sell their catch directly off their boats. The market is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of the month at Squalicum Harbor.
Market Week: Sept. 23-30
Eat Local Months ends with market week, encouraging you to visit local markets and support your neighbors in their small businesses and farms.
The Bellingham Farmers Market has markets from 4-7 p.m. every Wednesday and from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday. Wednesday markets are located at 300 W. Laurel St., and Saturday markets are located at the Depot Market Square at 1100 Railroad Ave.
Other Eat Local Month markets include the Lynden Farmers Market, Twin Sisters Market and others in the area.
