BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Can you find the murderer and their motive? Participants spent the weekend searching for clues, questioning suspects and gathering information to make their accusation for a chance to win special prizes. 

With 12 suspects to be interviewed, and 25 clues to be found, the case of Fairhaven’s Fallen Flower was a real “whodunnit.” This groovy theme took us back to 1970s Fairhaven where activists in town were fighting for the Dirty Dan Community Garden that has been set to be demolished. Tensions were raised when franchise fighter “Flower Powers” was discovered lying near the Callahan Building. 

With other 70s themed suspects like “Cy Kadelic” and “Perry Peace Out,” the cast offers a unique role play experience to get involved in this murder mystery event. This year’s costume contest encouraged participants to dress up while fully immersing themselves in their investigative role. 

 25 businesses in Downtown Fairhaven acted as vital clue locations, encouraging the exploration of Fairhaven and increasing the economic impact. As participants wandered around searching for clues, many of them discovered new shops in town. 

The event featured several street vendors and live music from the Lindsey Street Band. With an increase of visitation this year, the Fairhaven area experienced a positive impact on community engagement.

This year was the 4th annual Murder Mystery event and every year, crowds have grown exponentially. Heather Carter, the Executive Director of the Fairhaven Association, is proud of the progress the Fairhaven community has made and is glad to see the end of COVID-19’s effect.

“Our job is to support the community in general through lots of different avenues, whether it be marketing or events or advocacy. And I think we’re doing a good job and everyone seems to be, you know, doing really well,” Carter said. 

This relationship between the event and local businesses not only enriched the investigative experience but also boosted the economic vitality of Fairhaven, drawing in visitors and working for a sense of community engagement. 

The event also featured local sponsors offering several prizes to those involved with the Murder Mystery. Carter sees this event continuing to expand as participation increases on both the community and business side. 

“The more interest we’re getting for people to participate, the more interest we’re getting from our own merchants to make sure that they’re on the list, like [they] want to be part of this,” Carter said. 

The Fairhaven Association is happy to be working for such an active community. With a lot of events coming in the next couple months, head to enjoyfairhaven.com for more information on ways to stay connected and involved.