Since Bellingham BJJ opened downtown in May 2019, we’ve brought nearly 100 amazing guest black belts to town. Last year, we started annual event, designed to be a grappling showcase that will bring folks from all over the world — including world-renowned seminar instructors and some of the best coaches in the Northwest — right here to Bellingham.
Bernardo Faria, Dominyka Obelenyte and other greats of the art will join us during the first week in June, June 4-7, 2026.
We’re calling this annual event Gi To Sea.
In addition to Bernardo and Dom, we’ll have other outstanding national and international instructors, including Seph Smith, Diana Wang of Open Mat Physio, and Pete McGregor. We’ll have some of the best local Pacific Northwest instructors, too, like Nicolas Germanos. Gi to Sea will feature a street fair, outdoor demonstrations, free self-defense seminars that are open to the public, live music and some of the greatest martial artists on the planet. Whether you’re near Whatcom County or not, we hope you’ll come train with us!
On Saturday, June 6 we’ll have a very special seminar with Bernardo Faria, one of the sport’s best ever and owner of BJJ Fanatics. We’ll ALSO be shutting down Holly St. in conjunction with other local businesses for a day of fun surprises. On Sunday, we’ll have an outdoor event at Boulevard Park featuring public art demonstrations. In addition to teaching a jiu-jitsu class, Dominyka will do art for us similar to her hand-painted custom gis from last year!
Out of town folks, we’re partnering with local hotels for special rates. If you come in from elsewhere, you can use these links to get deep discounts on your hotel stay without even entering a code! We hope this makes it easier and more enticing for you to come up for Gi to Sea. It helps that these are our favorite hotels in the area:
The Heliotrope Hotel: They’re offering us a special rate for the event, and here is the unique booking link you can use:
Gi to sea 2026 at the Heliotrope
If anyone wants to come in earlier or stay later, they just need to contact the hotel and name-drop Gi To Sea! The deadline for booking to get the special rate is May 1st.
We’re also getting a special rate at …
Hampton Inn By Hilton: To Book: To book an individual reservation either call the hotel and mention that you would like to book under the BJJ Gi To Sea group block rate or book online by using the following link: https://group.hamptoninn.com/hvzv5q
REGISTER: Registration will open on Saturday, April 4, 2026, two months before the first class. You can register for the Bernardo Faria seminar separately ($80 for members, $100 for non-members) here. You can also register for the ENTIRE WEEK OF EVENTS! The full week ticket is $100 for members, $120 for non-members. Each special class will be $30, so if you think you’ll go to at least two special classes, this is a great deal. Here’s a link where you can pay by the class — so, if you know you can only go to one of the non-Bernardo special classes you can pay by the class there.
The fun will start on Thursday, June 4. Here’s the full schedule:
THURSDAY, June 4: Morning classes are on as normal. The event starts with:
Benefit rollathon for Growing Veterans, 3 p.m. The rollathon will start at 3 p.m. and continue until 8 p.m. We’ve already raised more than $3,500 for this awesome local charity, and we’ll be livestreaming the first hour or two of the rollathon on our YouTube Channel to help promote more donations. All the information is at bellinghambjj.com/growingveterans !
This event is free for everyone, although you’re welcome to donate to Growing Veterans. The only class cancellation is the evening Defensive Striking class. Everything else is on, and folks from WNB class and Colby’s gi class can join in on the Rollathon rolls after!
All the information is at bellinghambjj.com/growingveterans !
FRIDAY, June 5: Morning classes are on as normal.
Noon class: special guest instructor, Nicolas Germanos of Synapse BJJ. He’ll cover Choi bars, which are like Clif Bars for people who like armlocks.
Office hours are on as normal. Evening classes are replaced by …
Special workshop with Open Mat Physio, 6 p.m.: Diana Wang is a physical therapist and jiu-jitsu practitioner who is focused on keeping us healthy and on that mats. She’s fixed many of our maladies, and she wants to do the same for you! Show up to this and be amazed, and we’ll roll after.
SATURDAY, June 6: All classes are canceled except for these special events:
10:30 a.m. Judo demonstration with Cascade Judo: Our friends at Cascade Judo are opening up soon, and many of our folks cross-train there. Come watch Jake Standaert, Sensei Mark, Jake Blondheim, Makala Conway and more do a very special demonstration of judo before the seminar. This is free and open to everyone.
11 a.m.-2 p.m: Bernardo Faria seminar. Bernardo is an all-time great and an IBJJF Hall of Famer, a five-time World Champion and absolute champion, as well as the owner of BJJ Fanatics.
Some of the local businesses will shut down Holly St. for special outdoor events to be announced, so be sure to arrive early! No evening fundamentals class today.
SUNDAY, June 7: All classes are canceled except for a special event at Boulevard Park.
Special morning class at Boulevard Park with Dominyka Obelenyte, four-time world champion, 11 a.m., with public art to follow! Dom is one of the best ever, a dear friend of the academy, and a regular, popular guest instructor here. She’s currently teaching at Frogtown Jiu-Jitsu.
We will move our outdoor mats to the area near the stage at Boulevard Park. At 1 p.m., Dominyka Obelenyte will set up a public art performance: last year, she hand-painted gis that were be one-of-a-kind. What will it be this year? Come find out!