Whether it’s our popular annual events, monthly meet ups, networking series or educational workshops, we like to make it a better party. View our current events or scroll down to see our popular annual events for businesses and the community at large.

Sustainable Connections Events

Jul 2017

	Independents Month - July 01 - July 31, 12:00 am

Sep 2017

	September Eat Local Month - September 01 - September 30, 12:00 am
	Whatcom Food Fest - September 08 - September 10, 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
	Whatcom County Farm Tour - September 09 - September 10, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
	Downtown Market Walk - at 1701 Ellis St, Bellingham WA September 16, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
	Chefs Breakfast: Large Scale Food Production - at Rifugio’s Country Italian Cuisine, Deming WA September 18, 7:30 am - 9:00 am *Network * Eat Good Food * Learn about important stuff Open to all food & farming businesses and organizations Large scale food production is a...

Nov 2017

	Farmer Chef Mixer - at Drizzle, Lynden WA November 08, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm What? Sustainable Connections and the NW WA Chef Collective is hosting a Farmer/Chef/Food Business Mixer to get together farmers and food producers, and food buyers...

Dec 2017

	Chefs Breakfast: 2018 Food Trends - at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro, Bellingham WA December 12, 7:30 am - 9:00 am *Network * Eat Good Food * Learn about important stuff Open to all food & farming businesses and organizations Buddha bowls, charcoal, charcuterie, chilled red...

If you are a member and would like to share an event, please submit your event here.

February
Local Lovers Tour, Feb 13
A fun filled way to love local, featuring 4 Bellingham business! The day before Valentine’s, Participants take home: decorated conversation heart cookies, a love plant terrarium, upcycled Valentines, massage skills + aroma oil, and a heart filled with local love.

Farm to Table Trade Meeting, Feb 21
An annual one-day conference and connections event bringing together around 200 food and farming businesses of all kinds for a day of networking and education. Find local products, new markets, and grow your business.

March
Member Lunch, March 1
Our new lively and fun format for our business members to network, learn and make connections: ½ speed networking, ½ local experts speaking on pertinent topics. Join us the 1st Wednesdays in March, April, and May.

Meet Your Farmer CSA Fair, March 18
How to get local food boxes from local farmers. Meet our farmers, learn about Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), sign up for summer local food deliveries, and find out why local food is all about value, quality, and community. There will also be prize giveaways!

Chef Breakfast: The State of Shellfish, March 22
A new quarterly series for all chefs, food buyers, and food businesses of all kinds. Includes a family style breakfast, networking, and a speaker; with a focus on hot issues, ingredients, sharing best practices, and good food. Cost: $25, free for Chefs Collective members.

CSA Happy Hour for the Community & Businesses, March 29
Join Sustainable Connections Membership Coordinator and the Food & Farming team to learn about the benefits of signing up for Community Supported Agriculture – both for your employees and our community. We’ll be providing lots of valuable resources and showing businesses exactly how to get a workplace CSA started!

April
Whatcom Food & Farm Finder Release, April 1
Join us, opening day of the Bellingham Farmers Market to get your 2017 Whatcom Food & Farm Finder – the guide for all things local food: farmers, markets, restaurants, locally-made products, and more.

Member Lunch, April 5
Our new lively and fun format for our business members to network, learn and make connections: ½ speed networking, ½ local experts speaking on pertinent topics. Join us the 1st Wednesdays in March, April, and May.

 YIMBY: Yes in My Backyard!, April 28-29
Sustainable Connections and the Happy Valley Neighborhood Association will be hosting an event that invites residents from Happy Valley and surrounding neighborhoods to determine how to build more affordable and accessible housing in their neighborhood and to re-invent the way the neighborhood can develop (and continue to be) one of the best places in Bellingham to live and play.

May
Member Lunch, May 3
Our new lively and fun format for our business members to network, learn and make connections: ½ speed networking, ½ local experts speaking on pertinent topics. Join us the 1st Wednesdays in March, April, and May.

Cascade Cuts Plant Sale, May 20
Cascade Cuts, the extensive wholesale perennial, annual, veggie, and herb nursery is open to the public just one day a year as a fundraiser for Sustainable Connections Food & Farming Program. Everyone is invited to pick up veggie starts, hanging baskets, flowers, and exotic oddities for the summer season at incredible prices, all proceeds go to support our local farmers and food system.

June
KAPOW! Pop-Up Plaza: Making spaces into lively places, June 2&3
The Herald Parking Lot will transform into a public platform for placemaking; with a Pop-Up Plaza. This temporary initiative will illustrate the economic potential and benefit of incrementally activating currently unproductive spaces while creating a more vibrant downtown. The 2016 KAPOW Placemaking Competition projects will be brought to life along State Street’s sidewalks, where pedestrians can experience, explore, and interact with the placemaking tactics.

Chef Breakfast: Adjusting to the Change in Minimum Wage, June 20
A new quarterly series for all chefs, food buyers, and food businesses of all kinds. Includes a family style breakfast, networking and a speaker; with a focus on hot issues, ingredients, sharing best practices, and good food. Cost: $25, free for Chefs Collective members.

Imagine This Home and Landscape Tour, June 24
We will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Imagine This Home and Landscape Tour this year! With guided and self-guided options, tour participants will learn how to create eco-friendly homes and landscapes and connect with the businesses that can make it happen.

July
Independents Month, entire month of July
Independents Month is an annual celebration to engage local independent businesses and citizens in celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit and freedom our local businesses embody. Independents Month is also an occasion to recognize small businesses’ contributions to the community–and to affirm citizens’ role in shaping their community’s future.

September
Eat Local Month
Sustainable Connections Food & Farming Program annual month-long celebration that highlights local foods, farms, and fishers. Eat Local Month is a reminder to celebrate the bounty in Whatcom’s backyard, and support the folks who grow, raise and prepare our food by buying locally. It makes eating local easy with a variety of tools, resources, and events that are shared or happen throughout the month (below)

Farm Fund Hootenanny, Sept 3
The Farm Fund Hootenanny kicks off Eat Local Month on and is a fundraiser for the Co-op’s Farm Fund, which works to strengthen local, sustainable agriculture and local food access. The “Hoot” embodies the tradition of gathering together to celebrate a successful harvest season with live music, dance, camaraderie, local farmer awards, delicious food, and a whole lot of fun!

 Whatcom Food Fest (name subject to change & more details to come): Sept 8-10
Friday, Sept 8:
Spirits tasting & food pairing at BelleWood Acres & Distillery

Saturday, Sept 9:
Whatcom County Farm Tour -day 1
Boundary Bay Beer Tasting & Pairing Event
Local Chef’s Event

Sunday, Sept 10:
Whatcom Farm Tour Breakfast at Goat Mountain Pizza
Whatcom County Farm Tour -day 2
Wine & Cheese Event at Vartanyan Winery
ACME Farms + Kitchen Fried Chicken Feed

Downtown Market Walk, Saturday, Sept 16:
Peruse downtown markets, grocers, specialty food stores and more as you buy local food from local businesses. Free self guided walk through Downtown Bellingham with passport prizes and lots of fun!

Chef Breakfast: Large Scale Food Production, Sept 18
A new quarterly series for all chefs, food buyers, and food businesses of all kinds. Includes a family style breakfast, networking, and a speaker; with a focus on hot issues, ingredients, sharing best practices, and good food. Cost: $25, free for Chefs Collective members.

October
Business over Breakfast, Oct 4
Our new lively and fun format for our business members to network, learn and make connections: ½ speed networking, ½ local experts speaking on pertinent topics. Join us the 1st Wednesdays in March, April, and May.

November
Business over Breakfast, Nov 1
Our new lively and fun format for our business members to network, learn and make connections: ½ speed networking, ½ local experts speaking on pertinent topics. Join us the 1st Wednesdays in March, April, and May.

Sustainable Design & Development Conference, Nov. 9
The premier green building conferences in the Northwest, the conference embodies principals of the Living Building Challenge, which defines the most advanced measures of sustainability and gives conference attendees the opportunity to learn from leading industry experts.

Farmer Chef Mixer, Nov 8
Facilitated networking, aimed at making more food grower and buyer relationships. Open to anyone! Free for Chef’s Collective members, $10 for all other. Always good food and valuable connections.

December
Chef Breakfast: Food Trends for 2018, Dec 12
A new quarterly series for all chefs, food buyers, and food businesses of all kinds. Includes a family style breakfast, networking, and a speaker; with a focus on hot issues, ingredients, sharing best practices, and good food. Cost: $25, free for Chefs Collective members.

Ongoing series:

• Demo Days: The 2^nd Saturday from April – November at the Bellingham Farmers Market, staff will showcase easy and delicious ways to use local produce items.

• Chef in the Market: The 3^rd Saturday from April-September, two chefs have the opportunity to showcase local ingredients and provide an educational cooking demo at the Bellingham Farmers Market.

• Birchwood KAPOW!: We‘re excited to catalyze community connections with Birchwood KAPOW! We will be collaborating with residents to find placemaking opportunities in the Birchwood Neighborhood to capitalizes on their assets, inspiration, and potential – with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people‘s health, happiness, and well-being