The Bellingham Public Library is kicking off Summer Reading with a community night at the ballpark: show up to Joe Martin Field on Wednesday, June 25 with your library card and get a free general admission ticket to the Bellingham Bells home game that evening.
It is one ticket per library card. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Joe Martin Field is located at 1220 Civic Field Way in Bellingham. The promotion is run through the Bellingham Bells gate, so cardholders should plan to arrive through the main entrance and present their card at the gate.
The Bellingham Public Library runs its Summer Reading program each year from the end of the school year through late August. The program is designed to encourage children, teens, and adults to keep reading over the summer months, with prizes, events, and challenges built around a theme. This year's program coincides with the last day of school for Bellingham School District students, which was Friday, June 12.
The Bellingham Bells are a summer collegiate wood-bat baseball team that plays in the West Coast League. Founded in 1993, the Bells have become a fixture of Bellingham summers, drawing families to Joe Martin Field with affordable, family-friendly games. The stadium sits adjacent to Civic Field in the Sehome neighborhood, easily accessible by bike and bus from most parts of the city.
The library-Bells partnership is a natural fit for a community that places a high value on both literacy and accessible public recreation. By routing the ticket redemption through the library card rather than a separate sign-up, the event doubles as a low-barrier reminder to get kids enrolled in the Summer Reading program before the season gets underway.
For families planning to attend the June 25 game, a few practical details: the Bells typically play their home schedule from late June through early August, so this game is one of the first of the summer. Parking is available near Civic Field, but the area around Joe Martin Field can get busy on game nights. Biking and taking the bus are popular options.
More details on the Summer Reading program, including how to sign up and a full calendar of events, are available at bellinghampubliclibrary.org. Library cards are free to all Whatcom County residents; if you do not have one, you can sign up in person at any branch or, in many cases, online.
With school wrapping up and summer officially in motion, the June 25 game is a good early anchor for families looking to make the most of what Bellingham does well: free and low-cost community events in a city that genuinely enjoys getting outside.
