GENERAL FESTIVAL INFO

AUGUST 15 - 17, 2025

Located at Bellingham's Waterfront, located at 298 W Laurel Street

(Next to the The Portal - Bellingham's Container Village and the Waterfront Pump Track)

LIVE ART

World-renowned muralists gather in Bellingham, WA for a weekend of mural painting, demos, music, parties, education and inspiration. This festival is a friendly art contest, in which artists will have three days to paint 8’x’8’ portable walls on public display for the community to enjoy. Attendees will vote for their favorites and the top three winners will receive cash contracts to paint large murals in Bellingham.

EVENT SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15 | 12 PM - 11 PM

12 PM - 8 PM Official Painting Hours

1 PM - 9 PM: Live Music & DJs See the Lineup

1 PM - 5 PM: Kids & Teens Walls

1 PM - 3 PM: Mural Bike Tour - RSVP here!

6 PM - 9 PM: Trackside Summer Music Series

9 PM - 11 PM: 21+ Live DJs Slippery Shaman. Live black light painting with returning mural finalists, Taka Sudo & Erika Rosendale.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16 | 9 AM - 11 PM

9 AM - 10 AM: FREE Yoga with DJ Kapache 1

10 AM - 6 PM: Official Painting Hours

10 AM - 6 PM: Live Music & DJs See the Lineup

10 AM - 5 PM: Kids & Teens Walls

11 AM - 1 PM: Mural Bike Tour - RSVP here!

2 PM - 8 PM: Bellingham Makers Market

6 PM - 7 PM: Upcycled Fashion Show

8:30 PM - 10:30 PM: 21+ Live Music, featuring Jenny Don't & the Spurs. Live black light painting with returning mural finalists, Taka Sudo & Erika Rosendale.

SUNDAY AUGUST 17 | 9 AM - 3 PM

9 AM - 10 AM: FREE Yoga with DJ Mr Noodyl

10 AM - 12 PM: Mural Bike Tour - RSVP here!

10 AM - 2 PM: Official Painting Hours

10 AM - 2 PM DJ's and live music - See the Lineup

10 AM - 2 PM: Kids & Teens Walls

2:30 PM: Noisy Waters Mural Competition Awards Ceremony!

FAMILIES WELCOME

Bring your kids to Noisy Waters and let their creativity soar on our Kids Wall! Watch as they paint their own mini murals and witness the magic of artistic expression. These moments of inspiration are not just fun—they're formative, sparking creativity and imagination in young minds. Join us for a day of family-friendly fun and watch your children become budding artists! Please visit us at our Kids & Teens wall.

WORKSHOPS

Try your hand at spray painting! Last year, one of our most popular installments at the festival, spray paint workshops were offered by local muralist Max McNett. These are interactive opportunities for amateur and experienced folks to play around with aerosol.

MURAL TOURS

Discover the murals around Bellingham by bike! Muralist and Noisy Waters founder Gretchen Leggitt hosts a 2 hour tour of local installations. Featured guest artists in 2023 included Ruckus and Ivan Collins.

Zero Waste Festival

In partnership with Sustainable Connections, The Noisy Waters Mural Festival practices paint reclamation and recycling methods that make this the world's first Towards Zero Waste Mural Festival! Cheers to reducing waste and leaving a more beautiful impact on the planet.

GETTING HERE & Parking

There are two public parking lots for the Downtown Waterfront – the lot along the pump track on Granary Avenue and the lot at the end of the Boardmill Building on W Laurel Street. Another parking lot behind the Boardmill Building is currently being developed, as well. Street parking along Granary Avenue & W Laurel Street is also available and free to use.

Offsite parking is also available in under a 10 minute walk. These options include the Commercial Street Parking Garage, the Railroad Garage, The Central Lot above Maritime Heritage Park, and the Depot Market Lot.

There is also a bus option that heads straight from downtown to the festival site, check out the WTA bus route 47 schedule to plan a ride to the festival! From Aug 7-16, WTA is running Free Fare Days, meaning folks can get to the festival by bus FREE (for the first two days of the event)!

Last, but not least, a bike ride to the festival is encouraged - bike racks are right outside the main festival entrance!

The Waterfront

Noisy Waters Mural Festival is located in Bellingham's Waterfront District at the Portal Container Village, which is an unimproved area that is consistently growing and developing.