The Orion bar has been a go-to spot for a night out in Bellingham since it opened in 2017.
In December 2023, the bar opened a large, hidden room in the back of the building, creating a new spot that has only grown in attraction: the Odd Fellows Temple Room.
If you are over 21 and have not been to this spot, this is your call to check it out.
Warm lighting and Jazz-Age music fill the room. Brass blares, the rhythm section drives the beat, and dancers swing and jive to big band tunes played live.
“My goal has always been to try to cultivate a culture of acceptance and of gathering in a community that isn't just centered on getting drunk,” said Jonny McIntyre, the owner and creator of The Orion and the Odd Fellows Temple Room. “It's the idea of having some beverages, having some food and sitting around interacting with each other.”
The Temple Room has built a strong music scene, featuring top-notch musicians across a range of genres.
“When I created the place, I wanted it to be a venue that could focus on jazz, folk and lower volume independent music,” McIntyre said.
Since moving to Bellingham in 1999, McIntyre has played in several bands, so he understands both managing and performing at a music venue.
“We have some world-class musicians that live in this town, so watching them be able to play to a packed room and have a great time — I just feel happy to give back, happy to help,” McIntyre said.
As someone who has worked in the service industry for many years, McIntyre knows how to conduct his business. It’s a finely tuned machine with many moving parts, most of which he covers.
Whether he’s redesigning lighting fixtures, hand painting the beautiful murals around the room, mixing sound during a performance or pouring your drink, McIntyre runs the show.
“I am mostly concerned about the musicians getting compensated enough; that they're having a good time and being paid for their time and that the community is taken care of,” McIntyre said.
It seems evident from the love and support growing for this spot, that the culture McIntyre hoped to foster has come to fruition.
“I think that Odd Fellows, with their distinct genre, have created something special for themselves,” said Nathalie Wagler, the community engagement manager for the Downtown Bellingham Partnership.
Wagler emphasized how the bar has truly found its niche in a town filled with live music.
“It’s cool that they have leaned into this specific genre of jazz and big band,” Wagler said.
McIntyre was proud to say that the Temple Room boasts a large demographic of bar goers, ranging in age from 21 to 91.
Young and old, the Bellingham community has consistently shown up to big band nights.
“I feel like it's unique to see every single type of person represented in that space. Big band really brings people together,” Wagler said.
The Odd Fellows Big Band, whose first show was February 2024 was formed for the purpose of consistently playing at the venue. The 18 piece band plays monthly and is made up of mainly Western Washington University graduates and is headed by Toby Bruce, a Western alum, drummer and percussionist.
“Jonny gives opportunities to a bunch of people, including young emerging musicians, to have a spot to play jazz and also for the [musical] veterans of town to do really cool events,” Bruce said.
The swing and lindy hop community of Bellingham has also started frequenting the venue, as the large space in front of the stage is perfect for cutting a rug.
Dance instructors from B’ham Hop teach open dance lessons before big band nights.
“Jonny has created a community that not only he loves but loves him,” said Bruce. “He is passionate about everything he does, and that energy is infectious.”
If cocktail culture, live jazz music and a trip to the past intrigue you, then the Odd Fellows Temple Room is the place to go.
Quincy Koch (she/her) is an opinion writer for The Front this quarter. She is a third-year student at Western, majoring in communication studies and minoring in journalism public relations. She loves spending time with friends, singing and adventuring outside. You can reach her at quincykoch.thefront@gmail.com.
