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| Bellingham Queer Collective connects, celebrates, unites, and advocates for the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. |
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| August 2026 BQC Newsletter |
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| Dear Friends,
Our busy Pride season is winding down for us in Bellingham this month. Thank you to all of our BQC outreach volunteers who helped us participate in over 20 outreach events which provides visibility and awareness to thousands of people from April through August through our outreach tables during events. This is our most important way to let the community know we exist for them, and it gives us a way to support the organizations in our community who choose to celebrate Pride in their own special way!
We started celebrating in April at WWU during Gaypril hosted by LGBTQ+ Western where they invited the community to workshops, panel discussions, awareness events, and a Queer Conference led by students. In May, we supported their Lavender Graduation by cheering on the graduates, including Navouny Divine who helped with the vision and launch of the BQC Center three years ago. Many of us teared up and cheered as the Whatcom Youth Pride Parade walked past our adopted block on the parade route. We were thrilled to table at all four of the films fin June and July featured in the special screening series The New Trans Cinema: Pride at the Pickford. June 5th was the First Friday Art Walk open house at the center featuring four local queer artists and kicked off our Growing Together BQC fundraising campaign to support our Center. Whatcom Museum also invited us to participate in their True Colors pride-themed First Friday activities.
Mid-month, we paused to celebrate and appreciate our 100+ volunteers with a Volunteer Appreciation Party at Marine Park in Fairhaven, then returned to Pickford Film Center to support The Dads, a documentary about Dads supporting their queer kids. We decorated and launched colorful kayaks at The Community Boating Center Pride Paddle Parade again this year. The Generations of Pride Trivia Night Competition was a fun night with over 80 people attending our monthly dinner at the Bellingham Senior Activity Center. We closed June with one of two special screenings of the trans-centered film Two Eyes in our BQC Center. |
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| Pride heats up in July around Bellingham! The BQC partnered with the Community Boating Center this year to host our 2nd Annual July 4 Reminder Day event where we enjoyed paddling on the bay, ate a delicious donated pizza dinner thanks to Ovn Pizza and watched fireworks from afar from the balcony of the Wheelhouse. Thank you to the Bellingham Farmer’s Market for inviting us to have an outreach table on Saturday July 11 where we met so many new people who were not aware of the BQC. Of course, on Sunday July 12 we had over 30 BQC friends march in the Bellingham Pride Parade and had a booth at the Pride Festival after marching. Wrapping up July, we were invited to be part of the Sunnyland Stomp with our outreach table at Bellingham Aerial and Dance on the same day we were celebrating Ferndale Pride at Pioneer Park! |
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| Thank you to every person who has helped us so far to raise the necessary funds to support our BQC Center! Our goal is to raise $30,000+ to cover the rent, operational costs, and programming at our 310 W. Champion Street community space. We appreciate every donation from $1 to $1,000+!
Our hope is for every community member who can contribute $10/month, $20+/year or a one time contribution. Recurring donations help ensure we have a sustainable model to provide a free, safe, 3rd space for our LGBTQ+ community to gather and connect with others.
During August, we are focused on business sponsorships. If you would like to become a business sponsor or partner, please contact us at info@bellinghamqueercollective.org so we can support your business by adding your logo to our website and newsletter to let the community know you are here for us, too!
With gratitude,
Michelle Harmeier
On behalf of the BQC Board of Directors
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| | Important Dates:August 14: Gay Uncles Day August 14: Marsha P. Johnson’s Birthday August 19: Transgender Flag Day August 20: Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
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| | | In This Issue:First Friday Open House at the BQC Center Mindfulness for Prismatic Parents, Caregivers and Educators Course August Fun Fridays and Watch Parties at the BQC Center Generations of Pride Hot August Nights Join BQC at Pickford Film Center’s Bay Street Outdoor Cinema Upcoming August Community Events
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| First Friday Open House on August 7 |
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| Please join us during the First Friday Art Walk for a special Open House on Friday, August 7 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. We will have plenty of art by queer artists to enjoy, awesome folks to meet, and delicious sandwiches from Cheba Hut to eat. We also need your help creating leaves for our growing Pride tree! |
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Mindfulness for Prismatic Parents, Caregivers and EducatorsSundays from Sept. 13 - Nov. 15 at the BQC Center |
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| A prism divides light into the rainbow, a symbol often used to describe the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Are you a queer parent, caregiver, or educator or one in relationship with queer youth and looking for ways to improve your communication, increase relationship satisfaction, and feel less stress and anxiety? That makes you a prismatic parent, caregiver, or educator. Are you seeking practical ways to deal with hyperactivity, depression, and aggression in the youth in your life? Mindfulness for Parents, Caregivers and Educators can help improve the quality of relationships with youth and indirectly improve their behavior.
Participants in this course will be introduced to mindfulness in the caregiving relationship and will experience both automatic and aware parenting / caregiving. In addition, mindfulness home practices and resources for ongoing practice will be explored. It will be on Sundays from Sept. 13 - Nov. 15 from 4:00 - 7:00 pm at the Bellingham Queer Collective. Sunday October 25 will be from 9:00 - 4:00 pm.
The course is facilitated by Jill Stansbury, a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Facilitator certified by Brown University and a parent educator with 15 years of experience. She has been a caregiver for family members and a co-parent.
Please register at: https://forms.gle/9iWbjZYGh7rNdoy2A. Space is limited, so enroll as soon as possible. |
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| August Fun Fridays and Watch Parties |
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| Drop in and join us for some fun activities on Fun Fridays and other Watch Party dates during August! We invite you to also enjoy a bite to eat now that we can provide tasty treats from some of our favorite places around town like Cheba Hut, Leaf and Ladle, Fiamma Pizza and more. Saturday, Aug. 8 - 6PM - Queer As Folk Watch Party (S1 Finale E22-24) Friday, Aug. 14 - 6PM - Game Night: Pictionary! Friday, Aug. 21 - 6PM - Queer As Folk Watch Party (S2 Premiere! E1-3) Saturday, Aug. 22 - 6PM - Queer As Folk Watch Party (S2 E4-6) Friday, Aug. 28 - 6:00 - Movie Night: Paris is Burning
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| Generations of Pride Hot August NightsAug. 26, 5:00 PM @ Bellingham Senior Activity Center |
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| Please join Bellingham Queer Collective, PFLAG Whatcom, and LGBTQ+ Western for a special Generations of Pride event on August! This month we are hosting Hot August Nights, a catered Rock and Roll gathering for LGBTQ+ folks over 18. Come celebrate cool cars, far out music and summer evenings! Rock and Roll or Pinup attire is encouraged! |
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| Join BQC at Pickford Film Center’s Bay Street Outdoor Cinema |
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| Bay Street Outdoor Cinema (formerly Rooftop Cinema) is Pickford Film Center’s summer outdoor movie series happening on Bay Street directly outside of our flagship cinema. This year, take a trip with Keanu for The Matrix followed by Sunset Flicks: silent movies shorts with live music performed by members of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra.
Come early for entertainment, raffles, food and drinks. A beer garden and food vendors will be available starting at 7:00 PM. Be sure to stop by the BQC table to meet our amazing volunteers! Films begin at dusk.
Upcoming FilmsFriday, August 14 · 7:00 PM · The Matrix Friday, August 28 · 7:00 PM · Sunset Flicks
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| More August Community EventsCheck out what’s happening around Bellingham! |
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| PFLAG’s Monthly Support Group | Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 5:30 PM CBC Beats on the Bay | Aug. 4, 11, 25 and Sep. 1 at 5:45 PM Senior Day in the Park | Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 10:00 AM Downtown Sounds | Aug. 5 at 6:00 PM Elizabeth Park Concert Series | Aug. 6, 13, 20, and 27 Pride Paddle Out | Friday, Aug. 7, 21, and 28 at 5:30 PM Cultivating Inner Strength Retreat | Aug. 8-9 at 9:00 AM Queer Picnic on the Farm | Saturday, August 8 at 11:00 AM Wild Whatcom Out and About | Friday, Aug. 14 at 5:30 PM Queer Sangha Monthly Practice | Friday, Aug. 14 at 6:15 PM Sedro Woolley Pride Community Picnic | Friday, Aug. 21 at 1:00 PM Community Club Night at O-Pole Studios | Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7:00 PM
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| | | Meet our 2026 Sponsors and Partners |
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| | | | | Support Bellingham Queer CollectiveWill you consider becoming a BQC Partner by making a small contribution each month or year? Recurring donations are the cornerstone of our fundraising efforts. We are a community funded organization. A gift of $5, $10, or $20 monthly or annually may have a modest impact on your giving budget, but it has a HUGE impact on covering our operational costs of running an all volunteer organization. Thank you BQC Partners! |
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