Activities galore await guests at Discover Birch Bay Days

By Stefanie Donahue

Folks at the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce are packing this year’s Discover Birch Bay Days agenda chock-full of activities for all ages. Now in its 38th year, Birch Bay’s crab-themed event will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 2 and 3, at 7930 Birch Bay Drive.

Here’s a quick look at what’s on deck for the weekend:

Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, more than 70 food and craft vendors will open shop and a handful of chainsaw-wielding woodcarvers will begin preparing for Sunday’s Extreme Chainsaw Sculpture auction. At 11:30 a.m., runners and walkers in the Discover Day Dash will take to the streets to race.

At noon, the much-awaited Discover Birch Bay Days parade will begin. This year, the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce booked Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo as the parade’s grand marshal.

Golf carts, floats, custom cars, walkers and even pets can participate, and event organizers are encouraging parade participants to deck their floats in beach, favorite sports team, “your community” or crab-themed décor. The top three floats will receive ribbons and the Birch Bay Chamber’s new “traveling” trophy will be awarded to the community that brings in the most golf carts.

Participants in the parade are asked to complete an online registration form at bit.ly/2wchGhP before Saturday, September 2. The Birch Bay Chamber also requires participants to arrive at 11 a.m. at the parade’s entrance, located at Morgan Drive and Alderson Road.

After the parade, the Haandei I Jin Tlingit traditional dance group, in full regalia, will perform as part of the “Communities Pulling Together” event at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday. As part of the event, Semiahmoo, Lummi and G’ana’k’w canoe families paddle along nearby shores and participate in traditional dances, potlatches and campfires in Blaine and Birch Bay.

From 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, guests at Discover Birch Bay Days will have the chance to view or take part in the Birch Bay Crab Derby, where live crabs compete in a variety of contests, including for largest harvest, biggest catch and top derby crab.

Per the rules of the game, crabs must be alive, healthy and of legal size to participate. Up to five crabs per person can enter into the contest and participants are required to have a valid crab license and completed crab card. Awards are distributed at 6 p.m. that evening.

The Walrus and Fossil Rock will dazzle audiences with a string of tunes from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. During that time, guests can sip on boozy beverages at the beer garden, which is open from noon to 7 p.m. Between bands, the Birch Bay Chamber will host a limbo contest.

On Sunday, vendors open up at 10 a.m. and the Kids Olympic Games kick off at 11 a.m. This year, participants will be tasked with completing a pool noodle javelin throw, a basketball toss, beach ball bowling, a swim ring toss, an obstacle course and tug of war.

Children age 13 and below must be accompanied by an adult. Medals will be awarded to first, second and third place winners.

From noon to 2 p.m., musician Billy Shears will set the stage for a performance. At 2:30 p.m., chainsaw carvers will unveil their creations during the Extreme Chainsaw Sculpture auction. The beer garden will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

To learn more, visit birchbaychamber.com.