🎭 The A-List Encore 07/24/26

June is technically Pride Month, but Bellingham celebrated its LGBTQ+ community last weekend. I’ll always have a soft spot for Pride in Bellingham, maybe because I attended my first-ever Pride shortly after moving to town.

Both sides of my family hail from the Bible Belt, where I learned early on that queerness was a sin. As a teenager, however, I began to secretly question my own identity. Moving to a blue state gave me the push I needed to overcome the fear and shame.

Yet even in a liberal city like Bellingham, Pride has felt different since the 2024 election. It’s not coincidental; as Volunteer Coordinator Daij Heyward told me in 2025, “Pride has always been political. I think that this year, we have chosen to really be intentional about it.”

As an arts & entertainment reporter, I often wonder: How do I cover the creativity and spirit inherent to queer culture, without glossing over the hardships LGBTQ+ people face in 2026? The American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking 526 anti-LGBTQ+ laws across the U.S.; while Bellingham is an exceptionally queer-friendly city, we’re not immune to the broader political climate.

The current administration has emboldened certain people to be very loud — even threatening — about their unkind opinions. In a recent feature, drag king Axe Andros told me how several of his friends have been recently harassed or assaulted (which he said is “not something I’ve ever dealt with in Bellingham until now”).

In spite of it all, LGBTQ+ people keep making cool art. The Toolbox, Bellingham’s premier “all kings and things” drag show, is a perfect example. As its sole producer, Andros puts huge effort into making sure The Toolbox is accessible, inclusive and physically safe.

“I’m the one planning the show, making the posters, putting up the posters,” Andros told me. “Everything behind the scenes is pretty much entirely on me.”

The Toolbox performances also mean a lot to its audiences and cast members, most of whom identify as transgender. As another performer, Felix Nebula, told me, “I do want to be the person that I needed when I was younger.”

People like Andros and Nebula are proof that inclusivity isn’t passive. And even if you aren’t part of the LGBTQ+ community, now is the moment to extend compassion and humanity toward your fellow community members. For firsthand insight into what Bellingham’s queer community is navigating, therapist Lee Osteen wrote a 2025 essay about what it’s like to be trans in the U.S. right now.

You can also read more of Andros’ thoughts on the intersection of drag, identity and self-acceptance — and maybe buy a ticket to The Toolbox while you’re at it. I can testify firsthand that the show is worth supporting.

Several areas in Bellingham are planning neighborhood-wide events while the weather is nice. The ever-eclectic Sunnyland Stomp is slated for this weekend, whereas the York neighborhood has its annual yard crawl Saturday, July 25.

The Bellingham Festival of Music has a handful of performances left in its 2026 season, culminating with a Saturday, July 25 performance featuring violin soloist Blake Pouliot. See my 2025 story for the inside scoop on the festival’s scope and community involvement.

Looking into next month, Downtown Sounds continues through Wednesday, Aug. 5. See Jesse Stanton’s June column on outdoor music for more info.

The Northwest Washington Fair returns to the Lynden Fairgrounds Aug. 13–22 this year. If you’re not into barn animals and Moo-Wiches, know that this year’s featured musical performers range from Stone Temple Pilots to hip-hop artists Ja Rule and Fat Joe.

The Noisy Waters Mural Festival is back Aug. 14–16. Make sure to stop by the Bellingham waterfront and vote for your favorite visiting muralists, three of whom will be selected to paint permanent murals in public spaces across town.

I’m also obliged to mention that Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema continues through the end of August, and will play David Bowie’s “Labyrinth” — aka my hands-down favorite childhood movie — on Saturday, Aug. 1. Ever wanted to sing “Magic Dance” in unison with strangers on a lawn? Now’s your chance.

Reporter Sophia Gates read “The Correspondent,” which Whatcom County Library System librarian Mary Kinser named as a favorite book from 2025. Gates is not usually a fan of novels in letter format, yet found this one “absorbing and gripping” nonetheless.

Gates also read the memoir “The Shepherd’s Life” by James Rebanks. While the comparison isn’t exact, “What I found most interesting were the parallels to agriculture in a place much closer to home: Skagit County,” she said.

Editor Jaya Flanary read “Lessons in Chemistry,” which was enjoyable but not as good as Apple TV’s adaptation. She also loved Steve Carell’s new comedy-drama TV show, “Rooster,” on HBO Max, which is the “perfect lighthearted thing” for otherwise dark times. The cast was excellent (even if Flanary felt she saw John C. McGinley shirtless a few too many times).

Reporter Annie Todd finished the third season of “The Diplomat,” a political thriller starring Kerri Russell. Whereas the first ended in literal booms, she said the season finale plot twist was well worth the watch, “even if there was no dynamite.”

Reporter Owen Racer is eagerly waiting for the Bellingham Public Library's copy of Rachel Aviv's new book, “You Won't Get Free of It: Stories of Mothers and Daughters,” to arrive.

Meanwhile, Editor Jon Bauer is enjoying the latest season of “Dark Winds,” made possible by a (slightly puzzling) collaboration between Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin.

As for me, I’ll admit I sometimes (albeit not often) feel homesick for the South and its culture. Kayla Rae Whitaker’s novel “Returns and Exchanges” — about the rise and fall of a self-made Kentucky family — scratched that itch, as did folk singer Willi Carlisle’s brand-new single, appropriately titled “The Mason Jar at the Center of the World.”