A celebration: Bellingham summer concert series returns with food trucks, beer garden

Downtown Sounds is back this summer for its 19th year, as The Downtown Bellingham Partnership offers live concerts, food trucks, a beer garden and family-friendly activities, according to a news release from the partnership.

The free event opens at 5:30 p.m. each night, with opening acts at 6 p.m. and headlining acts at 7:30 p.m on July 12, 19, 26 and August 2 and 9.

Each concert will have local food trucks such as Cicchitti’s Pizza, Antler Baking, Bry’s Filipino Cuisine and Sammies.

Downtown Sounds will also have a 21 and older beer, wine and cider garden that serves local drinks from Boundary Bay Brewery, Aslan Brewing Co., Kulshan Brewing, Wander Brewing, Gruff Brewing, Structures Brewing and Bellingham Cider Company.

The events will also have a “Family Alley” that includes cornhole, giant Jenga, a photo booth, face painting, glitter tattoos and sidewalk chalk.

The music lineup features bands such as Five Alarm Funk, North Sound Soul, Outer Orbit, Smooth Kiwi and Groovebot.

“The 19th Annual Downtown Sounds is a celebration of the incredible musical talent we have here in Bellingham and the Pacific Northwest. We’re thrilled to provide a platform for both established and emerging artists to showcase their skills. We can’t wait to see the streets of downtown come alive with the joyous sounds of music and the smiling faces of our community,” Lindsey Payne Johnstone, Downtown Bellingham’s program director wrote in the news release.

The events will also have a special VIP lounge and short entry line available for Downtown Bellingham Insiders, a member only loyalty program that offers discounts at local retailers.

Downtown Sounds is in downtown Bellingham on the blocks of Bay, Prospect, and Holly Streets near the Spark Museum and Pickford Film Center at 1300 Bay St.