Although it’s difficult to believe, there are people living in Bellingham and throughout Whatcom County who have never set foot in the grand environs of the historic Mount Baker Theatre, watched an award-winning independent movie while snacking on popcorn topped with real butter at the Pickford Film Center, or checked out the multiple exhibit spaces and studios at Lynden’s Jansen Art Center — which just last week celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Visit Bellingham/Whatcom County aims to change that. The nonprofit focused on improving the economy by marketing the city and county as a premier destination for visitors recently announced a trio of interactive mobile Quest Passes.
Quest Passes are meant to drive both tourists and residents to locales within city limits and extending to the Canadian border and Skagit County. Added incentives for participation include prizes, discounts and the knowledge attendees will be supporting local businesses and populating public spaces. If you’re a resident, think of the outings as sustainable staycations, and if you happen to have visitors, bring them along.
The three curated passes powered by the travel-marketing technology company Bandwango include Culture Crawl, Farm to Table Trail and the 49th Parallel Posts Pass. Signing up is free, and can be used on any mobile device. After you receive a text or email informing you you’re good to go, save the passport to your phone’s home screen for easy access, and redeem discounts and deals by presenting your device to attendants or checking in at places where that’s not applicable. (You’ll need to turn on your phone’s geo-location service in order to do so, but that’s a snap.)
“Visit Bellingham/Whatcom County is so happy to have partnered with Bandwango to build out these quest passes,”
marketing director Amy Guerra said in a recent press release.
“Whatcom County has wonderful, diverse activities and our mobile-friendly quest challenges make it easy and fun to discover new businesses and destinations. There are so many attractions still struggling to rebound from the pandemic, and this was our investment to help drive visitors to more places, learn more, love more about our region, stay longer and come back!”
In addition to the Mount Baker Theatre, the Pickford, and “The J,”
plenty of additional locales and experiences are on the roster as part of the Culture Crawl.
These include Allied Arts of Whatcom County, which shows art and advocates for it from its headquarters on Cornwall Avenue; historical tours and entertaining education with the Good Time Girls; a variety of outdoor murals by area artists such as Gretchen Leggit and Lummi painter Jason LaClair; the contemporary art gallery known as Gallery Syre; the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention; Village Books, the beloved Fairhaven-based indie bookstore; the exhibit space and working studio at Wandering Oaks Gallery; and of course Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher Building and Old City Hall.
It’s by no means a full listing of all of the arts and culture to be found nearby, but it’s a heckuva good start.
The first 200 folks to complete six stops on the Culture Crawl will get a gift, but those taking part in the Farm to Table Trail can receive immediate gratification, much of it in the form of edible or quaffable goods. Foodies in particular will want to check out the plethora of places using fresh ingredients sourced from local farms, fishers and makers.
Keep an eye out for the following deals: At Breadfarm in Edison, passes will garner visitors a free shortbread cookie and 25% off merchandise. Elizabeth Station will eliminate the corkage fee on a pizza and wine bottle combo. And if you order two entrees at New Mexico Tamale Company, score a free chili con queso appetizer. Want a free cheese pizza from Pizza’zza? Then all you need to do is pair it with a large three-topping or signature pizza.
Scroll through the Farm to Table Trail pass for a full listing of participating restaurants, breweries, farms and small grocery stores on the list, and keep in mind all check-ins through Aug. 31 will count toward a prize.
Users who check in to five locations in the 49th Parallel Ports Pass will be entered to win an overnight stay at Semiahmoo Resort, so don’t delay in sussing out spots near the border. In Blaine, eat tide-tumbled oysters at Drayton Harbor Oyster Company, savor ice cream cones at Edaleen Dairy, enjoy a hearty Italian meal at the Rustic Fork, then walk it off at Peace Arch Historical State Park or take the kids to Marine Park Playground. Nearby, boaters can pull into the Point Roberts Marina Resort, then plan a meal at the Saltwater Cafe.
Even if you don’t end up hitting as many spots as planned, the Quest Passes also remind those of us who live here that there’s a lot to love about Whatcom County. So book a ticket to a show, plan a date night at the movies and explore the nooks and crannies of your figurative backyard.
For more details about the Quest Passes, go to bellingham.org/quest.
