Next Major Event
Sat, Apr 24, 10:30am-5pm Sat & Sun
Dirty Dan Days Seafood Festival!

Celebrate the unscrubbed founder of Fairhaven this event-packed weekend!
On Saturday, enjoy Seafood Booths, Live Music, Interactive Games, Friendliest Catch Kids Contest, Dan Harris History, Salmon Toss Contest, Pro…

Upcoming Events
Fri, Mar 12, Daily except Tuesdays
All-County High School Clay Art Show

Fri, Mar 12, 7:30pm
At the Firehouse: Dance Gallery

Fri, Mar 12, 8pm-midnight
At Skylark’s: Ray Downey & Tim Matheis



Flag will be back soon

Tuesday, March 9

You may have noticed - the flagpole is empty.  The winch and cable system for raising and lowering the flag got tangled inside the pole last week.  And the flag was stuck at half mast for several days.  Yesterday, with the generous help from Zender Volvo Rents in Ferndale and their cherry picker, we were able to get the flag and take it down.  And then a group of us Fairhaven business folks got the winch out of the pole so we can now fix it.  It will require a new 200 foot braided steel cable and some cleaning.  Whew. 

This 100 foot tall flagpole is a community treasure but is also serious business.  The flags that fly need repairs and new hemming several times a year.  The Old Fairhaven Association has taken on the responsibility of maintaining it all and raising and lowering the flag in respect to fallen service members.  It is dedicated to our Veterans and dates back to 1987 and their efforts then to install the first pole.  And then it dates back to 1884 and Dirty Dan Harris himself who put up a 100 foot pole about this spot.  We value our history and our flag.

Some thanks are in order. First is Zenders in Ferndale for discounting much of their fee for this tall cherry picker and to Steve Denton and Mike DeRosa the operators.  Without it and them we cannot get 50 feet up the pole.  Thanks to Stephanie Johnson, the president of the Association for helping organize the rescue yesterday and helping untangle the mess.  Thanks to Constantine Papadakis of Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse, Brad Imus of Jacaranda Development and Bob Currie for showing up and doing the work.  Now we will get new cable, clean the winch, retrieve one of our repaired flags from storage and schedule the cherry picker out here again - so we can thread the new cable through the pulley at the top and have our flag flying proudly again.  If you want to help, the Association has a flag account and we go through a few hundred dollars a year maintaining the flags and gear. 

The pink color scheme?  The Zenders donate part of the fees from this lift to breast cancer research. Cool folks.

Steve Denton, left, and Mike DeRosa about to go up in the cherry picker to get the flag.  Thanks guys.  - John Servais

Flats New Owner & Wine Honors

Wednesday, March 3

Flats Wine & Tapas Bar in Fairhaven has a new owner and more wine awards. Jennifer Branch purchased the 5-year old restaurant at the end of January 2010.  A graduate of the 4-year Culinary Arts Program of Utah State University, and 7-year Bellingham resident, Branch was a regular customer of Flats, when she heard from friends that the restaurant in the 108 year-old Nelson Block building of Fairhaven was up for sale. She has kept the staff of six and plans to add additional seasonal, local and organic items to the menu, as well as re-opening for lunch and offering a happy hour starting in April.  Flamenco guitarist, Rico Castaldo now plays dinner music Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00-8:00 pm. 

The 40-seat restaurant has been awarded numerous accolades through the years, and just won the Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s “Restaurant of Distinction Award” for the third consecutive year.  The magazine judges restaurants on the depth of their wine list, their food menu and how its cuisine pairs with the wines.  Flats is the only restaurant in Bellingham to receive the award. 

Interactive Fairhaven Map now Online

Wednesday, February 24

Above is a screen shot of just part of our new Fairhaven Interactive map - online now and just inviting you to check it out.  There is also now a permanent graphic link in the left column of all pages at Fairhaven.com.  It is always ready for you to use it and it features mouse over blue buttons with information about many Fairhaven shops and restaurants.  This is exactly the same map we are using on our new comprehensive Fairhaven Brochure - which is now available at over 40 Fairhaven shops and restaurants. 

Chuckanut Drive - including art galleries and restaurants - is also included online and in the brochure.  If Interstate 5 exit 250 is the front door to Fairhaven, then Chucknut Drive from I-5 Exit 231 is the garden door to our little historic district.  A beautiful drive with views of the Salish Sea and the San Juan Islands which ends right in Fairhaven. 

We thank Larry Morris and his Town Graphics for working so well with our Fairhaven business owners and developing this new brochure for us.  Included inside the brochure are the 10 most historic buildings in Fairhaven with information about each and a suggested walking tour.  Fairhaven now has a first class walking map of the historic district. 

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