SeaFeast is back. Here’s what to expect at this year’s event
This year’s Bellingham SeaFeast event will be a toned-down affair, but will still be a celebration of the maritime industry with plenty of music and seafood for participants.
After being canceled in 2020 and postponed a month this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, SeaFeast is returning 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30.
A sprawling event in past years, much of this year’s event will be focused near the Zuanich Park area, including the new Fisherman’s Pavilion.
While SeaFeast is expecting a smaller crowd than in previous years, it could be more than 500 people, so it will follow current Washington State Health Department guidelines for large events. That includes requiring masks for all attendees over the age of 5, even if vaccinated.
Events will include a Halloween-themed Harvest Harbor walk, several seafood vendors, a Boundary Bay beer garden and live music. Those attending will be able to grab lunch at one of around seven food trucks as well as the popular Lummi Nation salmon grilling event. Food truck menu items include grilled oysters, soups/chowders, fish and chips and seafood paella.
Local fishing families will also be on hand, selling fresh seafood to take home. The event will also have a few artist and education stands, but not nearly as many as previous years, said Deb Granger, founder of the event and program manager for the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County.
Along with live music, the Lummi Nation Black Hawk Dancers will be performing.
Given the challenges festivals and other big events have had to contend with during the pandemic, Granger said they chose to eliminate some of the traditional events like the boat tours and the long vendor row along the wharf that crowds of people could wander through.
“We’re working to keep Bellingham SeaFeast alive in the fabric of our community, celebrate our significant waterfront and maritime sector, and look forward to peering over the edge of the perils of the pandemic when we can, once again, celebrate with gusto,” Granger said in an email.
One thing that appears to be working in favor of the event is the weather. Current forecasts are for a break in the rain in Bellingham on Saturday, with temperatures in the mid-fifties. Given that it is happening the day before Halloween, costumes are also encouraged.
Details about the event can be found on the SeaFeast website.
This story was originally published October 27, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
