WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – In his iconic poem The Waste Land, T.S. Eliot famous wrote, “April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.”

There is a bit of rain in the forecast for Whatcom County this weekend. If you are worried that might put a damper on your plans, fear not. We have plenty of ideas for you in this week’s Lifestyle Lookout.

Bellingham Beer Week runs from Friday, April 10 to Sunday, April 19 featuring events across the city celebrating local craft beer. It all starts at Wander Brewing with a Kick-Off Party on Friday and continues Saturday with the Fountain Neighborhood Block Party and the 2026 Kulshan Beer Olympics.

Beer Week continues all week long with other events at 14 participating breweries including beer-themed trivia, live music, tastings, food specials and more. Then on Saturday, April 18, breweries from across the PNW will offer tastings at April Brews Day.

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For all the details, go to bellinghambeerweek.com.

Fans of musical theatre are in luck. The Jansen Art Center in Lynden presents Swept Away, a captivating one-act play about a shipwreck in New England. The play is based on the novel by John Logan and features the music of the Avett Brothers.

Swept Away runs April 10 through April 25. For tickets, go to jansenartcenter.org.

While you are in Lynden this weekend, why not take in a Roller Derby?

Bellingham Roller Betties are taking on a team from Whidbey Island on Saturday at Lynden Skateway (421 Judson Street). Stick around after that match to watch The Cog Blockers face off against Tough Love.

Roller Derby is an enthralling, high-paced, action-packed sport featuring roller skaters racing around a ring while elbows fly and the stakes get higher and higher. It’s not for the faint of heart. It’s also extremely entertaining.

Doors open at 5 p.m. with matches at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. For all the details and to buy tickets, go to bellinghamrollerbetties.com.

Are you planning on traveling internationally sometime soon? If so, you will want to head to Mount Baker Theatre on Saturday evening.

Rick Steves: Travel as a Political Act will answer questions for travelers concerned about the impact current events could have on their plans. Is it still safe to travel in Europe? Will American face hostility abroad? Strategies for navigating murky geopolitical waters?

If you want answers to these questions, Rick Steves will have them. Plenty of tickets still remain, and you can get yours at mountbakertheatre.com.

Our featured live show this weekend takes us to the Shakedown in downtown Bellingham on Sunday, April 12.

Codefendants blend punk rock, hip-hop and emo into a catchy new take on rock music that doesn’t sound quite like anything else. If you like Blink 182, NOFX, Public Enemy and/or Linkin Park, this show is for you.

Opening for Codefendants are Pretty Deadly, Old Cross and Proud Failures. For tickets, go to shakedownbellingham.com.