BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – For the last few years, Bellingham SeaFeast has highlighted the maritime history of Whatcom County on Bellingham’s waterfront.

The community event has continued to grow, becoming a mainstay autumn event in just a few years.

Kevin Coleman was brought on in 2022 as Executive Director to oversee and grow the event. Originally from Florida, Coleman moved to Seattle in 2001 and relocated to Whatcom County just a few years later.

Coleman prides himself on being a community-forward person, with his sights set on educating the public about the rich history that is the Bellingham maritime community. Since Coleman began his work with SeaFeast, attendance has grown each year and other SeaFeast events have been created to continue the conversation about the Bellingham waterfront.

“I think my job in this community is to be a leader, a ripple of positivity,” Coleman said. “To be that conduit to show that everybody’s welcome.”

As SeaFeast continued to grow in attendance and size, Coleman had ideas on how he wanted to expand the festivities further but knew he needed additional help to put these ideas into action.

That’s when Coleman brought on Tatiana Stone to work as the Director of Operations and Community Engagement for the event.

Coleman and Stone collaborated to establish four pillars for SeaFeast to stand on. Those pillars are building community around the working waterfront, sustainable seafood, ocean conservation and maritime heritage. Using those four pillars, the two created year-round events to support SeaFeast not only as an annual event but as a community organization.

“At first we weren’t really sure like, ‘Is it gonna work?’” Stone said. “But the response we received was so overwhelmingly positive. People just really want to not only do the activities but connect with each other.”

By hosting these year-round events, the SeaFeast team has created standing relationships with vendors, volunteers and community members in Whatcom County.

Coleman has worked closely with the local Tribes to build what he calls “Community Bridges.”

“That’s how I like to refer to it, especially when it comes to our tribal community and having that understanding and decolonizing those conversations so that way we can really show the whole picture, not just this piece and this piece to satisfy one group,” Coleman said.

For this year’s SeaFeast on Sept. 27 & 28, Coleman outlined specific changes and advances for the event that will be different than years prior.

“We’re going to have an onsite dishwashing service for all of our vendors,” Coleman said. “They’ll have plates, cutlery, everything else that they’ll be able to put into bins and get washed on site. That’s a brand new program by Sustainable Connections and Perennial Zero Waste.”

Coleman and Stone have created the first VIP experience for event attendees this year, with an oyster bar, private lounge and a secluded line for the beer garden.

28 different food vendors will be on site and fresh local seafood will be available for purchase at the event as well.

On Sunday, the event is hosting a 5K Pirate Run where runners can dress up as a pirate and take part in the race.

“And even if you don’t run, come dressed as a pirate, because we’re going to be doing a kids Pirate and Dinosaur parade on Sunday morning,” Stone said.

Live music will also be featured this year at Zuanich Point, with Bellingham groups Analog Brass and Sleepy Alligators taking the main stage.

For more information about Bellingham SeaFeast, head to their website at bellinghamseafeast.org.

We are Whatcom is a weekly column featuring Whatcom County residents making a positive impact on the community. To submit a Whatcom County resident to be featured, click here.