Fall Activities

With cool temperatures and changing leaves, fall is a wonderful season to experience Bellingham and Whatcom County. Take a scenic drive, go on a walk or hike to see fall colors, or head out for a bike ride.

Prefer to stay inside? Enjoy Bellingham's local art and culture. Whether you're into theater and music or museums and galleries, there's a lot to keep you busy the whole season!

North Cascades Bluegrass Festival – This festival includes delightful food, a beer garden, a main stage with nonstop music, and so much more!
Halloween – Whatcom County offers a variety of Halloween activities perfect for little ghouls and goblins (and their parents) to take part in throughout the season. Businesses also open their doors in Downtown Bellingham, Fairhaven, and Ferndale for annual trick-or-treating events.
Doctober – Each October, the Pickford Film Center hosts Doctober, a month-long documentary film festival. It’s the largest documentary festival in the northwest, screening more than 30 films in three weeks!
Bleedingham – This festival features short films that showcase the blood-curdling creativity of PNW filmmakers from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
Bellingham Exit - This new multi-day, multi-stage, multi-sensory music & arts festival in downtown Bellingham, WA is all about the unexpected!
SeaFeast - Celebrate food, fishing, art, and music at this weekend festival on the Bellingham waterfront!
Whatcom County Farm Tour - See the bounty of Whatcom County on this free, family-friendly self-guided tour of local farms. Enjoy leisurely strolls through fields and orchards, exciting interactive activities and the chance to discover the roots of abundant food grown in Northwest Washington. Choose a favorite few stops or be ambitious and hit them all.
Whatcom Artists Studio Tour - Over a two day weekend in October, the public is welcomed into artists' working studios for a self-guided tour and sale. The tour features both emerging and established area artists. Each studio highlights the work of the primary artist, and some may include additional artists as well, providing a unique and compelling variety of artwork.

There are MANY more annual events! Click here for a full list.

Compete in Sporting Events

Run along the water, bike around a volcano, dress up in costumes! This season, several large scale and fun athletic events can truly test your skills:

September - Bellingham Bay Marathon & Mt. Baker Hill Climb

October - Trails to Taps Relay

We acknowledge that Whatcom County is located on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples. They cared for the lands that included what we’d call the Puget Sound region, Vancouver Island and British Columbia since time immemorial. This gives us the great obligation and opportunity to learn how to care for our surrounding areas and all the natural and human resources we require to live. We express our deepest respect and gratitude for our indigenous neighbors, the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe, for their enduring care and protection of our shared lands and waterways.

Fall Activities

What to Do This Fall

Annual Fall Events

More Fall Fun