Festivals and Celebrations at Whatcom Hills
Time doesn’t just pass — it takes us somewhere. Waldorf seasonal festivals and celebrations mark this journey in a way that resonates with the journey of other peoples across time, reflects nature’s rhythm, and adds meaning and mystery to the school year.
In Waldorf schools, the elements of festival — light, food, song, and story — permeate the life of the school, and help establish the cadence of the year. At Whatcom Hills, teachers, parents, and children work together in joy and celebration to bring our many colorful festivals and events to life.
For event dates and other dates not listed here, see our Calendar.
“The cycle of the year is a mighty breathing of the earth in relation to the cosmos”
Autumn
SEPTEMBER
Wildflower Ceremony
On the first day of school, Eighth Graders welcome the newest members of the grades — the First Graders — with a posy of wild flowers, forming a bond between the oldest and youngest students. That bond deepens throughout the year as Eighth Graders mentor their young charges in handwork class, guiding them as they learn to knit. And at the Rose Ceremony at the end of the year, the First Graders crown each Eighth Grader with a ring of rose buds, symbolizing the end of their journey at Whatcom Hills.
SEPTEMBER
Michaelmas
Michaelmas marks the turning of the season, from summer's bounty to the inward quality of the coming winter. Drawing on ancient stories of courage overcoming fear — from the Archangel Michael (Mikha’el in Judaism, Mikal in Islam) to St. George and the Dragon — we focus on finding the courage to conquer and transform our own personal fears and to find our best and truest selves.
The day includes "challenge activities" for students, followed by an outdoor pageant and an all-community festival with fresh baked bread and hot cider.
November
Martinmas Lantern Walk
As autumn ends and the days grow shorter, our youngest children craft lanterns and join their families for an evening lantern walk — singing together as they carry their small lights through the dusk.
The hoot of an owl, the sighing of the wind, glowing lights weaving in the dark...for the children this is a beautiful and memorable experience and is symbolic of sharing their own individual light as the darkness of winter approaches.
Winter
November / December
Winter Spiral
As the Winter Solstice approaches, our community gathers for this quiet, candlelit celebration: a spiral of fragrant cedar boughs, walked one person at a time in contemplation, each carrying a small light — a reminder of the light that endures within each of us through the darkest night.
December
Winter Faire
Our largest community event of the year transforms the campus into a winter wonderland, featuring a Gnome Village, the Wooden Spoon Cafe, the Palace of the Snow Fairy, a holiday craft market featuring local vendors, crafts in many of the classrooms, and puppet shows lovingly staged by our Early Childhood teachers. Part celebration, part outreach, it's a gift to our school, alumni, and the wider Bellingham community.
december
Winter Offering
In the last week before winter break, students gather in softly lit Alia Hall to share a song, poem, or verse — a quiet, reverent close to the term before the community parts for the new year.
Spring
march
Spring Gala
Our (adults-only) spring party and fundraiser is an opportunity for parents and community members to celebrate the year and share a meal together — often in costume! — while helping to support the school’s major capital and programmatic initiatives.
The true highlight is always the handmade class art projects created by students, parents, and teachers together.
April / May
Grand Friends Day
We know that it takes a village to raise a child. At Grand Friends Day, we invite the honored elders and mentors in our students' lives — grandparents, family friends, and others who don't often get to visit — for a welcome tea, classroom visits, and a special all-school assembly honoring the connections between generations.
May
May Faire
Celebrating the turn from darkness to light, May Faire brings flower crowns, spring activities, live music, and dancing around the Maypole, which represents the Tree of Life. Each class performs its own dance, growing more intricate through the grades, before the whole community is invited to join a final Maypole dance and then picnic together.
End of the Year & Graduation
June
Rose Ceremony
As Eighth Graders complete their journey at Whatcom Hills, the First Graders —whom they welcomed at the beginning of the year— crown each Eighth Grader with a ring of rose buds, representing the cultivated young adults they have grown to be and their incredible potential as they depart for the wider world.
June
Eighth Grade Graduation
As the culmination of each student’s Waldorf journey, our graduation ceremony celebrates everything Waldorf holds dear: music, art, kindness, community, humor, and family — honoring the graduates alongside their teachers and families in a shared closing tribute.
