We all know that Ferndale ROCKS! But did you know that you could find those rocks? In honor of National Public Works Week, our incredible Public Works Department created these avaunt-garde aggregate art pieces and scattered them throughout the city. If you find one, post a picture on social media with #PublicWorksRocks, because here in Ferndale, we leave no stone unturned and never take you for granite.
In response to the Whatcom County Health Department and the Whatcom Together Campaign’s urging of increasing the vaccination rates for the northern part of the county, the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce will host the North County Vaccination Party Pop-Up Clinic on Wednesday, May 19, the at the Pioneer Pavilion from 3-8 pm.
To pre-register for an appointment:
https://prepmod.doh.wa.gov/appointment/en/reg/8061605092
Walk-Ins are welcome!
Vaccine: Johnson & Johnson (one and done!) Please note this vaccine is only available for ages 18 and older.
This event is made possible because of the important community collaboration with Lhaq’temish Foundation, Lummi Tribal Health, Washington National Guard, Washington State Department of Health, Whatcom County Health Department, and the City of Ferndale.
The underwriting for the incentivization for a FREE beverage at several local North County establishments was made possible by Chamber Members: Plain English Technology Services, BPOC Services, and community members Victor and Dorine Boulos. The hope is by incentivizing vaccination, we are also helping drive business to local establishments that need support.
Ferndale Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Anya Milton states, “The Ferndale Chamber supports businesses opening up as soon as humanly possible, and according to the health experts in the field, such as the Whatcom County Health Department and Washington State Department of Health, vaccinating our community is key for fast-tracking that aim.”
North County community members are encouraged to pre-register to speed up the check-in process, however walk-ins are welcome. Information on this process will be on the Facebook Event page. In addition to the beverage voucher, raffle items and music will be present at the event to create a fun and positive environment.
Questions can be directed to info@ferndale-chamber.com or call 360-384-3042.
The City of Ferndale received the 2021 Spotlight Program Excellence Award for the Old Settlers Variety Show from the Washington State Recreation and Parks Association (WRPA) at their annual conference.
The Washington Recreation & Park Association celebrates people, parks, and programs with an annual awards program honoring individuals and organizations for their contributions to the field of parks and recreation in Washington State. Spotlight Program Excellence Awards honor achievements in the delivery of parks and recreation programs and services.
The City of Ferndale, in partnership with the Whatcom Old Settlers Association, produced the Old Settlers Variety Show, a unique celebration of Ferndale’s history and culture. The streaming video program was produced as a substitute for the 125th anniversary of the Old Settlers Weekend during the pandemic and included a documentary from the Lummi Nation, an original radio drama set in 1930s Ferndale featuring local actors and written for the occasion, interviews with community leaders about Pioneer Days of years gone by and concerts. It is available for streaming for free at www.cityofferndale.org/varietyshow
“A community that does not tell their own stories loses a bit of their soul. I’m grateful for all who shared their stories and helped us turn this challenge into an opportunity to create a piece of Ferndale history,” said Recreation Coordinator Riley Sweeney.
City Seeks Volunteers for Star Park Renewal Day May 29th
After five years of fun, Star Park in Ferndale is ready for a fresh coat of paint. The City is seeking volunteers for a community renewal day for Ferndale’s most popular playground on Saturday, May 29th from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. Volunteers will be adding new artistic designs to the playground, including fresh artwork on the large tree, ferry boat and other features in Star Park. Volunteers will also be touching up current designs and doing minor repairs.
“Whether you are handy with a paint brush or not, the only requirement is that you love Star Park and want to help,” said Riley Sweeney, Communication Officer with the City of Ferndale. “We built this playground with all volunteers, so it’s time to invite everyone back to help make it even more beautiful.” Those interested in volunteering can simply show up on the day of the event. Masks and social distancing measures required on the part of all volunteers.
The park will be closed on Friday May 28th and all day Saturday May 29th to prepare for the event and to let the new paint dry.
This project is made possible thanks to a Project Neighborly Grant from the Whatcom Community Foundation. Star Park was constructed in 2016 by over 2,000 volunteers over the course of six days, making it the largest volunteer event in the history of Ferndale. Displays will be set up on site with pictures and video from the original build.
For more information or questions, please contact Riley Sweeney, Communication Officer at 360-685-2353 or RileySweeney@cityofferndale.org.
Join the Ferndale Arts Commission for a free interactive murder mystery party at 7pm on May 14th.
It is 1933 and Ferndale dairy farmer Jerry Jonsteen has been found dead in his barn. Detective James Wells, Ferndale’s only police officer has rounded up the suspects and needs your help solving the case.
Interview suspects, decipher clues and unravel this mystery from the comfort of your home as local actors bring this original story to life.
To sign up and receive the Zoom link – send an email to rileysweeney@cityofferndale.org. As you can imagine, this interactive performance involves a murder so it may not be appropriate for young children but teens and adults welcome.
The City of Ferndale is proud to announce a full slate of summer parks activities this year. With careful consideration and consultation with our health experts, the city is moving forward with our “2021 Summer of Fun.”
These events will be held outdoors in Ferndale parks and require that all attendees practice social distancing and wear a face covering to ensure everyone can have a safe experience.
“We know everyone is excited to get out of the house and do something fun this summer. We believe we have a way to come together as a community in a safe and responsible way,” said Mayor Greg Hansen.
Here is the full list of activities:
Food Truck Fridays will be held on the first Friday of each month (June 4th, July 2nd and August 6th) at Star Park. Food Trucks from around Whatcom County will be selling hot meals starting at 5:30 pm. Participating vendors include the Mobile Mouth Hole, Cicchitti’s Pizza, Outlaws BBW, Simmering Tava, Pete’s Poutine and BareBones BBQ.
Music in the Park will be held on Friday June 18th, and Saturdays July 17th and August 14th on the stage in the historic Pioneer Village. Seattle area rock cover band “3 Trick Pony” will be playing June 18th, and Bellingham R&B/Hip-hop sensation “SpaceBand” will be playing July 17th and “Vaudeville Etiquette” an energetic, psychedelic folk band will be playing August 14th. Gates open at 5:30pm, music starts at 6pm.
WECU presents Flicks in the Park held Friday nights on June 25th, July 9th and July 16th at dusk in the historic Pioneer Village. We will be showing “Coco” “Labyrinth” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. gates open at 9:00pm, movie begins at dusk.
The Great Ferndale Frontier Folly, a citywide scavenger hunt with riddles and prizes. This event will be held throughout the month of July.
Stargazing with the Perseids Meteor Shower will be held on Friday, August 13th after dark at VanderYacht Park. Identify constellations with glow-in-the-dark star charts, observe the moon and other celestial objects through larger telescopes provided by amateur astronomers or just relax and enjoy the peak of the Perseids Meteor Shower.
More food trucks, bands and films will all be announced later this Spring via the City of Ferndale’s social media channels. More information is available at www.cityofferndale.org/parks or by contacting Recreation Coordinator Riley Sweeney at rileysweeney@cityofferndale.org or (360) 685-2353.
For the last 10 years, the Community Garden has been under the care and leadership of Gloria Perez, master gardener and dedicated volunteer. Now it’s time for Gloria to retire!
The Community Garden is looking for one or two dedicated individuals, Ferndale resident, who can take over coordination and management of the garden. Prior gardening experience is preferred and Gloria will provide full training. The Garden is a critical community resource and the Coordinator is a critical role. Through a generous grant from the City of Ferndale, we will be able to provide the new coordinator(s) with a small annual stipend for their time and effort. If you are interested, please contact Gloria at rainglo@comcast.net.
For more information including job description and stipend details, see the flyer here.
Mayor Greg Hansen answered questions from the public live as part of our digital town hall. Full video of the event can be found here:
The City is looking for your feedback on how to best carry out a potential Summer of Fun in 2021. We understand that this year will look different than previous years and want your input on how to host some safe and successful parks activities for our community.