Summer in Birch Bay is coming into focus. The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce has announced its 2026 community event schedule, anchored by three signature events: the Kids Kite Festival on June 20 and 21, the Sand Sculpture Competition on August 1, and the Rollback Weekend Car Show on August 2. All chamber events are free and open to the public.
Birch Bay is a coastal community in Whatcom County about 20 miles north of Bellingham, located along Birch Bay Drive with direct access to the tidal flats and sandy beach that make it one of the most popular summer destinations in northwest Washington. The bay is sheltered and shallow, which makes it ideal for families with young children and for the kind of waterfront community events the chamber has built its summer calendar around.
The Kids Kite Festival on June 20 and 21 takes place at Birch Bay State Park, located at 7290 Birch Bay Drive. The event is free to attend, though a Discover Pass is required for parking within the state park. Day passes are $10 and annual passes are $45, and passes can be checked out from Whatcom County Library System locations for those who want to avoid the cost. WTA will also offer special shuttle service to the event on Saturday, June 20, making it accessible without a car. The festival features kite flying, crafts, and family entertainment over the two-day weekend.
Registration is now open for the Sand Sculpture Competition on August 1. Teams, families, and solo competitors are all welcome to participate, with no experience required. The event is held on the beach and celebrates creativity and community. According to the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, the competition is open to anyone who wants to turn the beach into their masterpiece. Details on registration and team size requirements are available on the chamber's website.
The Rollback Weekend Car Show on August 2 follows directly after the Sand Sculpture Competition, making the first weekend of August a back-to-back celebration on the Birch Bay waterfront. Classic and vintage car shows have been a staple of summer tourism in northwest Washington for decades, drawing car enthusiasts from across the region to communities with scenic coastal settings.
The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce is also coordinating a July 5th Shoreline Cleanup, which is part of the full 2026 schedule and reflects the community's focus on maintaining the natural environment that makes the bay attractive in the first place. That effort ties directly into the ongoing work by Whatcom County Public Works to protect the Birch Bay berm through vegetation management and protective fencing, which is scheduled for the week of May 18.
For trip planning, the chamber maintains resources at birchbaywa.org with information on local accommodations, dining, and things to do beyond the major events. Birch Bay State Park also offers camping, which fills up early for summer weekends, so visitors planning to stay overnight for the Kite Festival or August events are advised to book soon through the Washington State Parks reservation system.
Whatcom County residents looking for more on the full summer lineup, and visitors considering Birch Bay for the first time, can find the complete 2026 event schedule on the Birch Bay Chamber's website. The chamber invites everyone to "Join the Fun in Birch Bay" and welcomes the broader Whatcom County community to participate in events that have defined the coastal town's identity for years.
