JANUARY

Birch Bay Polar Bear Swim – January 1
Registration: 10:00 a.m.
Costume Judging: 11:30 a.m.
THE PLUNGE: Noon
The Annual Birch Bay Polar Bear Plunge drew approximately 600 participants that took the plunge in to the bays icy waters. This event also draws about 1,500 on-shore onlookers/cheerleaders watching as hundreds of shivering brave souls plunge in to the icy waters of Birch Bay as a kind-of ritual celebrating the start to a new year. Sponsored by the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce. Prizes are given for:
1. Best Individual Costume
2. Best Group Costume
3. Best Kid

FEBRUARY

Bite of Blaine
Semiahmoo Resort
Blaine, WA
Date: February 18th
Time: Doors Open 6:00 PM with No Host Bar Dinner: 6:30PM
Tickets: $30 per person. Reserved tables for 10 people available upon request.
Time: 6-9 PM
This annual event brings together local restaurants and area food confectioners from Blaine and Birch Bay serving up tasty samplings. Attended by hundreds of hungry people this event is sold out every year.
Get your tickets early, there will be no ticket sales at the door. Purchase tickets at:
Pacific Building Center, 2677 Bell Road, Blaine – (360) 332-5335
Blaine Visitor Information Center, 728 Peace Portal Dr. -(360)-332-4544
You can purchase your tickets via credit card at the Blaine Visitor Information Center at (360) 332-4544.

MARCH

Annual Wings Over Water NW Birding Festival, March 15-17

9-7pm

975 H Street

Great for avid enthusiasts and casual observers! Join the celebration at this annual event held in one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier bird viewing areas. Originally known as the Washington Brandt Festival, this festival focuses on the thousands of Brant geese and other birds that visit the pristine shores of Blaine and Birch Bay on their annual migration. Events include viewing stations, seminars, exhibits, live raptor displays, walking field trips of Semiahmoo Spit, and Blaine’s Marine Park. For more information on this event, please visit www.wingsoverwaterbirdingfestival.com

OTHER RESOURCEFUL LINKS:
www.washingtonbrant.org
North Cascades Audubon Society
wa.audubon.org

April

16th Annual Semiahmoo Bay International Sailing Regatta

Dates TBA

A 2-day annual yacht race featuring the best of the US Pacific NW fleets and the best in Western Canada. This race takes place on the border between White Rock, British Columbia and Blaine, Washington. Also features mini sailboat races (sponsored by West Marine and the Blaine Sailing Program) and a Sunday BBQ at the Blaine Harbor Marina.

For more information visit www.iycbc.ca

MAY

Peace Arch Park International Sculpture Exhibition
May through October 
The international fine arts program features outdoor sculptures in Peace Arch State Park’s magnificent gardens with some sculptures placed in downtown Blaine. The exhibit features sculptors from the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe and is held annually. For more information on the Peace Arch Park and Sculpture Exhibit, please visit www.peacearchpark.org

Location Map

Blessing of the Fleet – May 5 – The annual Blessing of the Fleet is held the 1st Sunday in May at 1:00 p.m. at the Blaine Boating Center in Blaine Harbor. This annual event brings commercial fishers and their families and friends to both welcome and bless those boats which will be fishing through the coming months, and remembering and honoring those local commercial fishers who were lost at sea over the last 100 years, as well as remembering local fishers who have died since last year’s Blessing of the Fleet.

Location Map

Historic Plover Passenger Ferry Rides
Memorial Day Weekend through
Labor Day Weekend 

May 24-September 2

Every Friday-Saturday 12pm-8pm, Sunday 10am-5pm

The oldest passenger foot ferry in Washington State, the MV Plover was used to shuttle cannery workers to the Alaskan Salmon Cannery on Semiahmoo Spit, now home to Semiahmoo Resort & Spa. MV Plover now provides passenger foot-ferry services during the summer season, shuttling up to 17 passengers along with bicycles & strollers to summer activities happening on both sides of Drayton Harbor. The Plover is certified by the U.S. Coast Guard. Complete details on the Historic Plover with sailing times, routes, history and fares can be found at www.draytonharbormaritime.com

Alaska Packers Cannery Museum
May  through Labor Day Weekend (May 24- September 30)
9261 Semiahmoo Parkway, Blaine www.draytonharbormaritime.com
(Semiahmoo Spit on Semiahmoo Parkway)
Open: Friday, Saturday, Sunday (including July 4th) from 1PM to 5PM.
Admission is free, donations welcome.
The cannery served as a center for salmon processing for nearly 80 years. Housed in an original cannery building, the museum exhibits tell the story of days gone by and include a scale model fish trap, antique machinery, a gallery of historic photos, and an original 28 foot Bristol Bay fishing boat. Take the time to view “Sockeye and the Age of Sail” with early day film footage of the APA Star Fleet of tall ships under sail, connecting Blaine, Bristol Bay, and San Francisco in the fortunes of fishing. Allow 1 hour and 45 minutes to view the exhibits and DVD. Bring a picnic and explore the beaches of Semiahmoo Park as well as scenic walking and biking tails along this unique 1.25 mile natural spit.

JUNE

Ride To The Border: June 1: Motorcycle Run, beer garden, food, music, Tall Ship Tours and Sails

MOTORCYCLES: Join motorcycle riders as they cruise through downtown Blaine.

LIVE MUSIC: Sit back and enjoy live music on the H Street Plaza overlooking the harbor at the beer garden from 11 am to 5 pm featuring performances by Mystery Music and The Replayzmentz.

GARDENERS MARKET: Across the street is opening day of the Gardeners Market with craft vendors and the ever popular International Slug Races beginning at 12:30 pm followed by games and prizes for kids.

TALL SHIPS: Down at the harbor, across from the Pirate Playground, the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain are in town – talk a walk on board or book a sailing trip at 800-200-5239.  From 10 am to noon have some Hawaiian themed fun for the whole family at the Aloha Dance Party beside Gate 3 near the tall ships.. Info at 360-332-4544.

Annual 5K Run to the Border Race
June 1, 2019

The 19th annual Run to the Border race will be held down at that Blaine Harbor Marina Park. Run through the Historic Peace Arch at Peace Arch State Park!  Day of Registration opens at 8:30 am.

All proceeds benefit the Healthy Youth Coalition North County.

Race Location and Course Description

The 1-mile Kids Marina Fun Run and Walk course will starts in front of the “Salmon Wall” of Marine Park, and involves a 3-lap course within Marine Park on a gravel trail. The 5K Fun Run course will start at 9:00 am at the same location (236 Marine Park Drive) going down Marine Dr. to the Pier, back through Marine Park, on to D St. up 2nd, into Peace Arch Park, through the Peace Arch before looping back to the Marine Park finish line. To Pre-Register and more information, visitwww.bbbparkandrec.org.

Volunteer Opportunities!  Contact Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation at (360) 656-6416

Saturday June 9: Hands Across The Border at Peace Arch Park

For more information please visit the Hands Across the Border Website

Blaine Gardener’s Market
Saturdays, June through October 
10 AM to 2 PM

Located on H Street Plaza in downtown Blaine, the market offers a variety of handmade and home grown items. From baked goods to farm products to art & crafts. Something new is added every week. This is the only market in the region that is free to vendors. What a great way to support the community and KEEP IT LOCAL. For more information, call (360) 332-6484.

JULY

Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration – Come spend the day celebrating the 4th of July in Blaine. Thousands of people come to celebrate the 4th with day-long activities that include a pancake breakfast, a parade at Noon, an art & crafts street fair with over 80+ vendors, a show & shine, live entertainment, and plenty of good food. Get your spot in Blaine Marine Park for a community picnic and jazz concerts. Ride the historic Plover Ferry from Blaine to Semiahmoo Resort where you can make an afternoon and evening of it watching the fireworks over Semiahmoo Bay!

More Information on 4th Of July

Blaine Harbor Music Festival

Birch Bay Sand Castle Contest
July 
Location: Birch Bay Waterfront
7900 Birch Bay Drive
Birch Bay, WA 98230

More Information
Cost: No cost for participants
Get ready to dig in. It’s amazing how with a little imagination the beach at Birch Bay transforms in to a series of sand castles and sand sculptures. Be creative and build sand sculptures from geometric freeform’s, sea turtles to alligators, mermaids to mythical castles, or your favorite pet. For more information, call the chamber office at (360) 371-5004. For more information on this event contact the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce.

Location Map

AUGUST

Tall Ships at Blaine Marina 
August 3-4

The Tall Ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain are visiting Blaine Marina.

Sails book up very quickly so be sure to secure your space below.

Tickets on Sale Now at: www.historicalseaport.org  or by calling (800) 200-5239

August 3-4 10am-5pm
Drayton Harbor Maritime Festival and Tall Ships
Street Fair & Maritime Celebration
A weekend packed with fun for the entire family!

Full Schedule and More Information on Drayton Harbor Days
Blaine Boating Center
235 Marine Drive
Blaine, WA
A two day weekend event packed with kids games, crafts, scavenger hunt, the “Prestigious George Raft Race”, pirate costume judging contest, arts, crafts & food vendors, vintage steam boats and much more!
Interested in being a Vendor at this event? Click Here!

Peace Arch Park International Concert Series
Every Sunday in August: August 4-25. Enjoy music and dance from around the world. All concerts begin @ 2PM.
Cost: Free

The Peace Arch Park International Concert Series is a Washington State Park Folk & Traditional Arts in the Parks Program event. For more information on these concerts, please visit: www.peacearchpark.org/concerts.htm

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Folk Arts in the Parks Program invites the public to attend its fourth series of afternoon cultural performances at Peace Arch State Park on selected dates in Blaine in August & September. The free outdoor concerts begin at 2 p.m.

Sundays and celebrate the diverse cultures of the Pacific Northwest. The artists’ fees for these events are paid for by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts to Northwest Heritage Resources, of Mountlake Terrace.

Roadeo

August 16: Blaine Skate Park

Summer Fun In The Park

Aug 24 4:00-9:00pm: Family fun in Marine Park – kids activities, beer garden , food, music and a Movie

Roctoberfest