U.S. Representative Rick Larsen Visits Bellingham to Champion Fan Zones and Tourism
U.S. Representative Rick Larsen Visits Bellingham to Champion Fan Zones and Tourism
On June 18, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen visited Bellingham to help celebrate the world’s games and discuss preparations for the Bellingham fan zone. He visited Menace Brewing, a designated fan zone viewing party location, where he enjoyed a beer and learned about their brewing process. He then watched the Canada vs. Qatar game at Aslan Depot alongside local officials and community leaders.
“We were delighted to welcome Representative Larsen to enjoy a match in Bellingham. The Representative has long been an advocate for tourism in Whatcom County, and we couldn’t appreciate his efforts more,” said Visit Bellingham President & CEO Dylan Deane-Boyle.
In addition to supporting tourism at the national level, Representative Larsen—a Co-Chair of the Congressional Soccer Caucus—advocated for North America to bid to host the 2026 World Cup. He also supported plans for Bellingham to be chosen as a fan zone, advocated for $100.3 million in transit funding for match host cities, worked with local leaders to boost excitement for the games, and received briefings from local officials in Bellingham on security preparations.
From a tourism perspective, Representative Larsen has worked to highlight the connection between the world’s games and tourism, reminding local leaders that these games are an opportunity to spotlight our area as a travel destination and encourage visitors to return to Northwest Washington in the future.
Bellingham will continue to host watch parties through June and into July. You can find information about these events and more at belllingham.org/fanzone .
Visit Bellingham | Whatcom County is an independent, 501 (c)(6) nonprofit economic development organization whose purpose is to improve the economy by marketing Bellingham Whatcom County as a premier, year-round visitor, sports, outdoor recreation, arts and cultural, and meetings destination, which supports all travel, tourism, and hospitality businesses and nonprofits in Whatcom County.
