Kicking Off the Holidays at the Brewery

Last week, around here at least, it officially became a new season.  Our Beer Garden here at Boundary Bay Brewery closed up for winter when the hop vines were cut back and the tent was taken down.  Thankfully, saying goodbye to our beer garden season also means saying hello to Cabin Fever and to the beginning of the holidays.

Cabin Fever, our winter seasonal beer, was released at the beginning of November and has been on tap here at the brewery since.  Next week, on Wednesday November 25th, Cabin Fever will finally be available in our 22 oz. bottles too!  (And, luckily, our new 4-pack carriers for 22’s will be available then too!)  For those of us here in Bellingham, the appearance of Boundary’s Cabin Fever signals the opening of Mt. Baker (hopefully!) and the beginning of skiing/snowboarding season.  It conjures up memories of past winter nights being warmed by this big, hearty beer and the spicy stews or rich winter dishes this beer pairs so well with.  For me, it is a tradition…a ritual that I need to mark the coming of winter.

And, speaking of traditions, Thanksgiving is once again upon us.  We will be open on Thanksgiving from 10-2…for beer to go ONLY. There will be no food service or bar service available.  But, you can stop in and grab a few 22’s, a growler or even a couple kegs to grace your Thanksgiving feast.  Now THAT’S something to be thankful for!! On Friday, November 27th, we’ll reopen for business as usual and take part in Downtown Bellingham’s Shop Where Your Heart Is event.  Fight Black Friday madness and Buy Local instead.  Help make our community stronger and celebrate downtown with a week-long independent holiday extravaganza! This year’s event includes specials at participating businesses, live music, free refreshments and prizes to welcome you to the holiday season downtown! Visit www.DowntownBellingham.com for a list of participating businesses…including us.  During Shop Where Your Heart Is you can score 15% off our new 4 pack 22 oz. bottle carriers…with mix and match 22’s!

Our Christmas Brew-tique will be up and running and jam-packed with Boundary Bay goodies to satisfy your holiday gift shopping needs!  We’ve got lots of new stuff coming in like fleece jackets, winter hats and stickers for your bicycle.  Plus, all the old favorites you’ve come to love (like disc golf discs and bike jerseys)…and some new colors for our traditional hoodies and t-shirts too!  Starting Wednesday, November 25th, a personal shopper will be at your disposal between 4-8pm Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays and 12-8 pm on Saturdays  to help you stock up for the season!  But don’t worry, you’re not out of luck if those hours don’t work for you.  If you’re shopping during other hours, you can just take your bounty up to the bar to purchase it or shop online through our website.

Bring on the holidays…Boundary Bay Brewery is ready!

2nd Chances…Holiday Shopping with a Conscience

The Day After Thanksgiving.  Black Friday?  Biggest Shopping Day of the Year?  Buy Nothing Day?  Why not take a break from all the moral issues on November 28th and swing by Boundary Bay Brewery for a nice cold beer and a first peek at our RECYCLED art show called 2nd chances.  Officially, the show will be completely ready to go on Saturday morning (Nov. 29th), but there will be plenty of pieces out for your perusal should the idea of recycled art strike your fancy.  You can browse (not shop, if you so choose!) and ease your moral tensions by giving your attention, support, and possibly monetary assistance to local artists who find value in reusing what might otherwise just take up space in some landfill.

2nd Chances will be up in the brewery from November 28th to December 5th, so you’ll have plenty of chances to do a little holiday shopping for those lucky ones on your list – even if you wait until Buy Nothing Day has passed!  Our RECYCLED art show features 20 local artists (4 more wriggled in after the poster was made!) and international artists represented by Ten Thousand Villages.

Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit fair trade organization that markets handcrafted products made by artisans from more than 130 artisan groups in 36 countries.  As one of the world’s oldest and largest fair trade organizations, Ten Thousand Villages has spent more than 60 years cultivating long-term buying relationships in which artisans receive a fair price for their work and consumers have access to unique gifts, accessories and home decor from around the world.

Our local artists have produced a delightful mix of furniture, jewelry, fine art and whimsical sculpture for this show.  You’ll find beautiful lights made from old frappuccino bottles, gorgeous tables made entirely from reclaimed wood, discarded snowboards made into seriously cool chairs and even gift boxes made from all recycled materials.  Ten Thousand Villages is contributing toys, jewelry, basketry, hand bags, metal wall art, lanterns, and even a menorah made from old bicycle chains.  Best of all, each and every piece of art in this show is made from recycled materials!  What a great way to do some holiday shopping in a manner that is as easy on the conscience as it is on the finances.  You are sure to find something here to please the eco-conscious or art lover on your holiday gift list.