Salmon, Beer and Bellingham!

"25 Mile Creek" in 2010 auction

Those of us lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest usually love salmon.  And not just to eat!!  If you love salmon like we do, head down to Boundary Bay Brewery (starting June 19th) for Salmon at the Bay, a silent art auction to benefit the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA).

The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association(NSEA) is a community–based nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County since 1990.  They train and organize hundreds of volunteers every year and use education and outreach to engage the community in salmon recovery.  NSEA has well-established school and outreach programs and works on long-term projects to keep working at the job of salmon recovery.

But, like any nonprofit, NSEA has to rely on fundraising to continue their efforts, and this Salmon at the Bay silent auction is a great way to do it!  Each piece of art has been donated by a local artist expressing their passion for salmon, and as a whole, the artwork celebrates the history of Whatcom County salmon and our community’s efforts to ensure their sustainable future.  Proceeds from this silent auction benefit the salmon education and habitat restoration programs of Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association.  The art show will be displayed at Boundary Bay until August 6th and all items will be available for bidding through Online Silent Auction.

"Swirl" in 2010 auction

The other way to help NSEA raise money is to attend the art exhibit opening and salmon BBQ lunch on June 19th in the Boundary Bay beer garden.  Join us to celebrate our personal, cultural, historical, economic, and environmental connection to salmon.  This year’s theme is Earth, Water, Salmon – the elements of our stream ecosystems. Enjoy music from The Warren Street Session and check out the art hanging on the walls inside Boundary Bay. All event and art auction proceeds benefit NSEA programs to restore sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County. Tickets for both events and music are available at the door or at the NSEA office.  Call 715-0283 or email info@n-sea.org to purchase tickets in advance or for more information.

Important Dates:

Saturday June 19th – Friday August 6th

Art Show displayed at Boundary Bay – All Items Available for Bidding Through Online Silent Auction at http://www.biddingforgood.com/SalmonattheBay2010.

Saturday June 19th  10am – 11am

Artists Reception

Saturday June 19th 11:30am – 3:00pm

Salmon Burger BBQ Lunch  –  $10

Friday August 6th  5:30pm – 8:30pm

Salmon BBQ Dinner  –  $25

Friday August 6th  9:30pm – Midnight

Live Music with Lucky Brown and the LB’s – $10 [Line up has changed as of July 26th: and Snug Harbor will now be playing instead of Lucky Brown!]

Tickets for both events and music are available at the door or at the NSEA office.  Call 715-0283 or email info@n-sea.org to purchase tickets in advance or for more information.

Wildcatch Salmon Burgers at Boundary Bay Brewery

Here at Boundary Bay Brewery, we know we’ve got a good thing going, but we’re not content to just coast along on the success we’ve already achieved.  We like to keep growing and changing and trying new things.  We’ve recently decided to add on to our BBQ menu since it continues to be a weekly hot spot in the Bellingham community.  Now, in addition to burgers, brats and bocca burgers, you can also get salmon burgers from Wildcatch – an Alaskan company that harvests only sustainable wild salmon in cooperation with Native, Alaskan, and Pacific Northwest fishers.

We chose to use Wildcatch salmon because they offer the finest natural salmon and seafood products free of antibiotics and synthetic colorings and they rely solely on sustainable fishing practices.  As a consumer, we have the power to make a difference. Choosing to buy seafood from companies that use ocean friendly sustainable yield methods rather than more environmentally destructive farming methods – influences what is acceptable in the fishing industry.

Your choice rewards and encourages other fisheries to operate with an emphasis on a sustainable future. Sustainable seafood comes from fishing methods that allow a threatened or depleted fishery to recover back to healthy levels. These methods also protect healthy fisheries from becoming depleted and help maintain the diversity and health of the oceans and rivers so the fish can live and thrive.  Already, more than 60 percent of world fish stocks are fully fished, exploited, depleted, or slowly recovering. With the demand for seafood on the rise it is critical that sustainable fishing practices are followed.

Come down to the Beer Garden for a BBQ on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday nights and try a salmon burger that you can really feel good about!

Salmon Benefit at Boundary Bay Brewery

The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association(NSEA) is a community–based nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County.  They say they’ve been giving salmon a helping hand since 1990!  NSEA trains and organizes literally hundreds of volunteers every year and they use education and outreach to engage the community in salmon recovery.  NSEA has well-established school and outreach programs and they have a local community board of directors who live in, work in, and know the local watershed.  As a stable community-based organization, NSEA is here to work on long-term projects, inventing resources for many years and decades to keep working at the job of salmon recovery.  And part of that plan includes having a really great party at Boundary Bay Brewery to help fund their continued efforts!

The fundraising happens in two ways: first, there’s an art auction.  The art (all inspired by the salmon fishing industry) will be on display in Boundary Bay Brewery’s bistro from June 13th to August 16th.  All proceeds from the art auction will go directly to NSEA.  View photos of previous art here.  The other way to help NSEA raise money is to attend the art exhibit opening, salmon BBQ and Lucky Brown show happening next weekend down in the Boundary Bay beer garden.

Saturday June 13th at 12pm marks the art exhibit opening at Boundary Bay Brewery, followed by a salmon barbeque for lunch and dinner. Bring your friends and family to share in the celebration of salmon. All event and art auction proceeds benefit NSEA programs to restore sustainable wild salmon runs in Whatcom County. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. The festivities will continue into the evening with a late show by Lucky Brown and the Funk Revolution, a six-piece funk and soul dance band.

$10 lunch, $20 dinner, $8 for music only. Tickets available at the bar and through NSEA. For more info call NSEA at (360) 715-0283. Come celebrate the return of the salmon to Bellingham Bay with art, music, and tons of fun at NSEA’s annual Salmon at the Bay Art Show and BBQ. View art inspired by the salmon fishing industry on display at Boundary Bay Restaurant and Brewery beginning June 11th through Aug 16th.