The Outback Farm is a community garden and learning space located between the Fairhaven Complex and Buchanan Towers dorms on Western Washington University's south campus. Since the early 1970s, the farm has provided learning opportunities for Western students and free food to those in need.
Every April, the roar of the Little White Salmon River is drowned out by cheers echoing from the canyon. Cars lined the shoulder of Cook-Underwood Road, near White Salmon, Wash., on April 18, as spectators and fans bushwhacked to the river. Within the lush, forested gorge, a roster of elite whitewater kayakers prepared to charge down miles of continuous rapids and waterfalls in the annual Little White Salmon Race.
Every two years, Western Washington University’s art department comes together to put on a gallery celebrating the artwork made by faculty and staff. For the 2026 biennial, 20 artists were featured in the exhibit, with works ranging from paintings, photography and sculptures to videos and installations.
Out of the 118 players selected nationwide for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Player of the Year Watchlist, two come from the same program. At Western Washington University, third baseman Maleah Andrews and shortstop Hailey Rath have earned national recognition and helped to elevate the Vikings’ softball program.
The sun is finally emerging from its seven-month hibernation, defrosting Washingtonians' winter slump. Spring quarter can feel like a fresh start, a reset. The idea of a “spring reset” could be an opportunity for a real change, or just a seasonal illusion that's hard to maintain.
As part of Western Washington University Residence Association’s “Go for the Green” initiative, a campus Thrift Swap event will take place in Alma Clark Glass Hall 452 on Thursday, April 23 from 4 to 6 p.m. The Thrift Swap invites students to bring and exchange items they no longer have use for, promotes sustainable ideals of community recycling and offers free food and eco-advice.
Just 30 minutes away from the twists and turns of Chuckanut Drive lies breathtaking fields of tulips. Countless rows of beautiful, brightly-colored flowers, just waiting for the sunshine season to finally arrive. On March 28, 2026, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival reopened for the season. This festival typically runs only in April, but due to a milder-than-normal winter and slightly warmer spring temperatures, the tulip fields opened early this year.
On March 23, the City of Bellingham approved an ordinance that allows the public works director, based on the recommendation of the police chief, to temporarily close certain alleyways in the downtown district and remove their inhabitants. The closures were approved on April 13, and construction began the following day.
All lanes of northbound Interstate 5 opened after nearly a month-long closure from March 19 to April 15 due to a large-scale landslide blocking a four-mile stretch of the highway. The shutdown, between mileposts 248 and 249, comes after two other road closures in Whatcom County — one in February for Mount Baker Highway due to atmospheric rivers, and one in April 2025 for Chuckanut Drive due to landslides.
The case of approximately 25 skinned canine carcasses that recently washed ashore on Guemes Island in Skagit County last week has been uncovered. According to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, a veterinary forensics team concluded the dead canines were foxes.
Mt. Baker Ski Area wrapped up its 2025-26 ski season on April 19, and skiers and snowboarders from the Bellingham area were eager to get their final turns in before lifts closed for the summer.
The Western Washington University women’s basketball team took on Western Oregon University in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships semifinals Friday, March 6, at WECU Court at Carver Gym in front of a home crowd of 1,127 fans.
On Jan. 29, 2026, Western Washington University held a celebration of not just athletic achievements, but the relationships and history that defines Viking athletics as a whole. Coaches, former athletes, families and supporters gathered at Carver Gym in Bellingham, Wash. to honor the newest batch of Hall of Fame inductees: Wade Gebers, Cim Hanson, Marc Hill, Herm Nelson and Mike Palm.
Western Washington Women’s basketball defeated Seattle Pacific University 72-43 in their second-to-last regular season game on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.
Support from Bellingham community members is vital to keeping local restaurants alive. It's time to direct all of our support exclusively to locally owned eateries and combat the ever-growing expansion of chains.
Who is the Red Square Preacher? His street preaching tactics cause a divide in opinion among Western students.
The first time I enrolled at Western Washington University in 2019, I was freshly out of high school, homesick, unfocused and unmedicated. I flew home for spring break at 18 years old. I wouldn’t return to Western as a student until I was 23. COVID-19 wrecked what I thought my college experience was going to look like, leaving me dejected and without motivation for years.
The words “otro mundo es posible” are painted onto a quilted tapestry banner that hangs on Community to Community’s front window. Adorned with strawberries and roses, it is a form of artful protest that reminds those who pass by that another world is possible. The organization — dedicated to the intersection of farmworker rights, immigrant rights, climate justice and democratic participation — has been working toward community solidarity and a response to ICE’s increased presence in Whatcom and Skagit counties. In doing so, a definition of solidarity has developed.
Solutions by The State News
