Judging by the long line of customers spilling out of Acme Valley Ice Cream Cafe’s front door and down the sidewalk on Harris Avenue Sunday, May 29, Bellingham’s summer had unofficially arrived.
Officially, Ski to Sea and the Fairhaven Festival were both back on the scene for the first time in a what seemed a long time, after two years of pandemic closure of the race and festival.
From Marine Park to 12th Street, crowds thronged to the historic district, shedding layers of clothing as the sun took hold. Attendees enthusiastically welcomed kayakers finishing the last leg of the multi-sport relay race. They also visited galleries and arts and craft vendors, danced along to live music at the Fairhaven Village Green, and scored beverages and meals from food trucks and long-established eateries.
On the whole, people seemed stoked to be there.
Even those who had to work during the festivities couldn’t find much to complain about. At Jalapeños, employee Dayana Maldonado said the Mexican restaurant got slammed around 1:30 p.m. and continued to be busy throughout the afternoon. This was her first Ski to Sea, so she didn’t know what to expect. But the influx of patrons that afternoon was definitely more than on a typical Sunday — as was the number of “Big Mama” margaritas sold.
When asked whether she found the day to be stressful or fun, Maldonado didn’t have to think long. “A little bit of both,” she said, “but I’m having fun.”
John Drum is someone who’s been on the front lines of the Fairhaven Festival for years — it’s one reason he’s never competed in the race that runs from the peaks of Mount Baker to the shores of Bellingham Bay.
First spotted behind the bar at Skylark’s Hidden Cafe on Sunday, Drum was later seen carrying platters of food to customers waiting on the patio. Armed with a friendly grin and a positive attitude, he’s worked at Skylark’s for eight years. He always looks forward to Ski to Sea, he said, because it means summer isn’t far behind.
“We were really missing it the last couple years,” he said.
Drum said the bestsellers of the day on the adult beverage side of things were Bloody Marys and Katie’s Killer Mimosas. Food-wise, fish and chips and orders of eggs Benedict were consumed in large quantities.
At Evolve Chocolate + Cafe, Shannon (pictured) and Christy Fox shut down early for the day so they could head to the Fairhaven Village Green to party with the cafe’s Ski to Sea team, There’s Love in Evolve. (Amy Kepferle/Cascadia Daily News)
The beer garden behind Skylark’s patio opened a few weeks ago, Drum said, which means the eatery now has even more choices about where to settle in for some grub. In addition to the variety of indoor seating — which includes a space resembling a neighborhood cafe, another with the feel of a fancy bistro and one more resembling a family dining room — the outdoor seating is a boon for warmer months.
“Come down this summer,” Drum said. “Mosey around, and find a dining room that fits your aesthetic. Look over the menu. Then order for the table so you all can share.”
Across the street from the Village Green, the Cocktail Porch in front of Galloway’s Cocktail Bar had switched up its game for the day, selling single shots instead of cocktails to the 21-and-over crowd. Eli Heinz said visitors seemed happy to be in Fairhaven for Ski to Sea and the festival.
“Everyone’s having a blast,” he said. “We’ve got the kids playing outside of the beer garden and live music. Everyone’s got a smile on their face. I haven’t seen too many grumpy people yet.”
At Evolve Chocolate + Cafe, Shannon and Christy Fox were getting ready to shut down early. Although they had a steady line of customers waiting at the space on the top floor of Village Books, they wanted to be able to hang out with the cafe’s Ski to Sea team, There’s Love in Evolve.
With less than an hour before their self-imposed closing time of 4 p.m., the couple was busy making cold beverages, selling a delectable array of baked goods and chocolate, and slinging a whole lot of salmon rice bowls.
Soon enough, they’d join the crowd they could see from the windows of the cafe.
“We are going to party on the green,” Shannon Fox said. “We’re going to listen to music and dance.”
