the Source July 9, 2026

No overnight stay required. Just a great day.

Summer comes alive at Sunriver Resort with experiences everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re here for a few hours or the whole day, you’ll find fresh mountain air, unforgettable moments, and a full calendar of summer fun, all open to the public.

FARMERS MARKET

Thursday 10am - 2pm SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Friday & Sunday 6:30 - 8:30pm

KIDS ADVENTURE CAMP Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri & Sat 9:30am - 4:30pm FAMILY FUN FLOAT Wed & Sat 4:45 - 8:45pm

On the Cover: Artwork by Hilary Baker.

Wilshire Boulevard, Looking East shows two curious crows peering into a manhole cover on the iconic artery that runs the length of Los Angeles.

Baker started the Predators series to memorialize and document Los Angeles landmarks along with the urban wildlife hiding among them in plain sight. As development changes the face of our cities, it alters the environment of its non-human inhabitants. This painting reflects the psychological concept of solastalgia (solace and nostalgia combined).

Predators, an ongoing series, can be seen on her website: hilarybaker.com.

Call for Artists: If you're interested in being a SW featured artist, email: production@bendsource.com.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Nicole Vulcan–nicole@bendsource.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Nic Moye–editor@bendsource.com

FEATURES AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER

Peter Madsen–peter@layitoutfoundation.org

REPORTER

Clayton Franke–clayton@layitoutfoundation.org

REPORTER / CALENDAR EDITOR

Dallas Finn Calvert –calendar@bendsource.com, reporter@bendsource.com

COPY EDITOR

Richard Sitts

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Jared Rasic, Donna Britt, Adrianna Mariano, Abby Francis, Dr. Jane Guyn

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

If you follow any local fire apps, you know that it was a hectic and, for many, a terrifying Fourth of July in Redmond. The biggest blaze forced a neighborhood evacuation while another destroyed a home. Some were related to fireworks; other causes have not been identified or released. Reporter Peter Madsen spoke with fire officials about the chaotic past few days.

Plus, the latest buzz in downtown Bend is Bamboo Sushi. Our Food Editor Donna Britt made her way into the popular place and found it’s much more than seafood.

And flashback: the Source launched its “Best of Central Oregon” concept in 1998, giving power to the people to decide which local businesses and professionals are at the top of their game. It’s an annual tradition with voting currently underway to determine the “best” food, drinks, goods, services, people and places within Deschutes County. Make sure you and your friends vote to ensure your favs make the cut! The deadline to drop off a paper ballot to the Source office is this Friday July 10. Online voting is open through Sunday, July 12. Results will be announced in our “Best of Central Oregon” issue out Aug. 13. —Managing Editor, Nic Moye

LIGHTMETER:

BY HARVEST MOON WOODWORKS

Parking Reform: The Toughest Gig in America

If we weren’t previously convinced that parking is one of the thorniest issues in America, we are now. As a June 17 story in the Source detailed, parking has been a divisive issue in Bend for decades — probably going back to when Bend became one of the first cities, in the 1940s or ‘50s, to add meters to its streets. That program continued until the 1980s, when meters were removed, according to our reporting, “to spur economic improvement.”

The notion of having people pay for parking downtown continues its backand-forth swing into the present date — a political football, passed around and argued about among average citizens, business owners, political operatives and policy wonks alike.

The issue heated up again in Bend last month, when the Downtown Bend Business Association released its Parking Management Plan Draft — a suggested plan that solicits community feedback while it also recommends doing away with much of the free twohour parking on Bend streets. The plan suggests replacing free spots with paid spaces that people can stay in for longer than two hours, paying more as time progresses.

The DBBA doesn’t manage or control parking, as it states in its plan, and released the plan with the idea that it would be a springboard for further conversation about the topic. And boy, did it start conversation.

As of the time of our reporting on the draft plan, over 1,000 people had submitted feedback on the plan to the DBBA itself. Meanwhile, a group of business owners, representing about one-third of the property owners downtown, signed a letter asking the City to pause the draft plan. They told the Source they want to gather more information before moving anything forward — and as it stands, it seems more information is needed.

One thing glaringly missing from the draft plan thus far: How much the program is projected to bring in, and how that revenue, if any, will be spent. If an expanded paid parking program would bring in significant revenues for the City of Bend’s coffers, some residents, keen to see more streets improved, for example, might be more inclined to support it. (The DBBA suggests using any revenue for things like beautification of downtown or future public amenities, such as restrooms.) If, however, the program would be merely self-supporting, paying for parking staff but not much else, some residents may see that as a waste of time and resources.

What’s more, the data thus

far analyzed in the DBBA’s draft plan is murky on the need for the program. According to our reporting, “The City’s monitoring data shows that during midday on the busiest weeks of the year, like Thanksgiving or Fourth of July, up to nine out of every 10 parking spaces were occupied, according to a summary provided by the City. But most streets did not see average occupancy climb higher than 85% when considering averages from the three busiest times of the day.”

So on the busiest weeks of the year, parking was nearly full — but presenting the data from the two busiest weeks of the year is akin to analyzing one’s drinking habits based on your consumption on New Year’s Eve. It’s not exactly indicative of what happens the rest of the year.

Cities, of course, need to plan for growth and for circumstances as they will exist in the future. Those numbers give local planners a sense of what things could be like five years down the road. Still, cherry-picking numbers is problematic. So, too, is the notion of a “community survey” about parking, which doesn’t appear to have been set up to accurately poll a representative sample of the community. Were it the City, rather than a private business association, doing the survey, we’d be able to hold our government to those basic standards. Presently we have a survey that includes, we can only assume, a high number of business owners and building owners who do not own the City streets any more than the average resident does.

If you’re not yet convinced that parking is the toughest gig in America, here’s one last piece of evidence: After releasing this plan and speaking on its behalf, the executive director of the DBBA resigned this week.

Why the DBBA, a private entity that doesn’t control parking, is the entity presenting a plan, rather than the City itself, is a lingering question here. Perhaps cloaking it in a friendly survey from the business community was a less-blistering way to pass around this political hot potato, but in any case, the issue of parking downtown is no less red-hot.

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Letter of the week receives $5 to Palate!

BICYCLES ARE TRAFFIC

The local problem between bicyclists and drivers is the drivers. Bicycles are traffic in Oregon. Their right-of-way is equivalent to that of motorists except that they are allowed to treat a stop sign as “yield.” None of this means that you have to freeze up when somebody on a bicycle is waiting at a stop sign. You can keep driving. It’s your right-of-way. Locals don’t know how to act when somebody’s not in a car. You make it awkward.

—Steve Edwards

FUSION AND OREGON’S ENERGY AND ECONOMIC NEEDS

Congrats to the Bend City Council to help us move away from natural gas in our homes. Now, we have to find the energy to power our electric appliances.

That’s the rub here. Ironically, natural gas-powered electricity is the top source — “about 41% — of U.S. utility-scale electricity generation,” according to the Energy Industry Administration’s 2025 numbers. In Oregon, natural gas creates 57.1% of our electricity, according to the EIA’s 2024 numbers.

Between data centers and the push towards electricification, Oregon needs a lot more POWER. Removing hydro dams would intensify our energy deficits. Recent studies suggest that Oregon and Washington could have at least a 3GW shortage of energy by 2030.

Enter fusion energy.

Let’s be clear; fusion energy is the power of the sun. It’s that sci-fi fairytale that we all thought was 10 to 20 years away because it was ALWAYS 10 to 20 years away even when it was the 1970s. It should NOT be confused with nuclear fission, which creates radioactive waste that needs to be buried underground for 1,000,000 years.

Actually, fusion energy may only be 3 years away. Helion Energy in our neighbor state to the north plans on putting electrons on the grid by 2029!

They’re not alone. Commonwealth Fusion Systems wants to build a powerplant by 2035, and they’re planning to turn on their massive demonstration powerplant—SPARC—next year.

TAE is working to create a powerplant in the early 2030s, and Type One Energy is aiming for 2034. In June, General Fusion announced a power plant to be built in Italy

Furthermore, the fusion industry as a whole is already creating jobs and the need for educational programs to teach the next generation of workers how to build, maintain, and improve fusion energy systems. You don’t have to look too hard into the economic data for Oregon to realize that we need more good paying jobs, as growth in healthcare jobs is primarily the only bright spot in the economic reports.

Finally, this is a “Yes, and” situation. “Yes” to fusion and to advances in geothermal energy, wave energy, and renewables. All of it is needed.

But fusion and its associated jobs

aren’t coming to Oregon unless we come together across business, government, environmental and education sectors. Together we can diversify our economy and bring the power of the sun to our homes.

—Jim Tolles

PROUD TO BE POSTMASTER

As Postmaster of the Bend Post Office, I am proud to join our community in celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and the enduring role the Postal Service has played in connecting our nation.

On July 26, 1775, before the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Second Continental Congress created a national postal system and appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General. That early decision helped the colonies share information, support commerce, and strengthen the bonds of a new nation.

Today, that same mission continues here in Bend. Our local Post Office is more than a place to buy stamps or send packages. It is part of the daily rhythm of our community connecting families, small businesses, veterans, seniors and neighbors with the people and services they count on.

To mark this historic milestone, USPS is offering 250th anniversary stamps, collectibles, commemorative merchandise and other items celebrating America’s story and the Postal Service’s role in it. I invite readers to learn more by visiting usps.com/usa250.

For 250 years, the Postal Service has helped bind America together. We are proud to continue that service here in Bend.

—Jenny L. Smith

Letter of the Week:

Jenny, we appreciate our postal workers! As letter of the week, you can stop by the Source office at NW Georgia Avenue and Bond Street to pick up a gift card to Palate coffee.

—Managing Editor Nic Moye

Government Roundup

By Nic Moye

City of Bend Joint Tribal Meeting

The Bend City Council held a joint meeting with the Confederated Tribes of Warms Springs Tribal Council on June 30. Among the topics discussed is the upcoming 2029 expiration of the Deschutes Basin Groundwater Mitigation Program rules which govern new ground water users while maintaining scenic waterway and instream water right flows within the basin. A five-year report on the program will be submitted during the 2027 legislative session. Bend wants to extend the mitigation program another 10-years. If the program were to end on Jan. 1, 2029, it would create uncertainty for those with existing water permits and those wanting to apply for new ones. The City wants the Oregon Water Resources Department to consult with the Warm Springs Tribe prior to any rule adoptions related to the program. A 1997 settlement protects the Tribe’s federally reserved water rights, including instream flows and consumptive uses to protect fish and wildlife habitats.

The City is also interested in collaborating with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs on art to be placed in the roundabout on Highway 20 at Cooley Road. The City is also developing a mural program to establish a visible identity for the Core area of the city which includes the Central District on NE Second Street, part of Greenwood and Highway 20 and the former site of the KorPine particle board plant, which is a vacant lot across from Crux Fermentation Project. Within the next six months, City staff will identify a process for artists to apply and create a selection committee. The City has set aside some funding with the goal of having two murals painted in that area during 2027.

Deschutes County Board of Commissioners

During a July 6 meeting, Deschutes County Commissioners agreed to send a letter responding to proposed new rules for federal financial assistance. The Office of Management and Budget is proposing changes to rules that govern how counties receive, manage and report on federal grants. It would be the most significant revision to federal grant administration since 2013.

During fiscal year 2025, the county received $14,553,407 in federal awards which have been applied to more than 40 programs including family and behavioral health, substance use services, communicable disease prevention, emergency preparedness, public and environmental health, support for vulnerable residents, forestry and wildfire management, block grants and crime victim assistance. In the letter, the county says the proposed rule change would grant federal agencies new discretionary authority to terminate grant awards. County budgets are adopted months before the fiscal year begins. Revenue projections and service commitments, including staffing, contracts and capital investments, are based on anticipated federal funding. If grants were terminated mid-year, the County says it would suddenly need to implement immediate staffing and service reductions in certain programs with no alternative funding sources.

The rule change would also impose new viewpoint-neutrality requirements for events on property under the County’s control regardless of whether federal funds were used. Deschutes County manages fairgrounds, parks and public meeting spaces with hundreds of events annually. In its letter, the County says applying federal grant conditions to all activities on county-owned property that are not receiving federal funding would require it to regulate and restrict constitutionally protected activities on public property, creating significant legal exposure.

The federal government is accepting comments on the proposed changes through July 13 and expects to issue a final rule that would take effect by Oct. 1.

Nonprofit Seeks $40 Million to Build Bend Ice Sports Complex

It’s one of several efforts afoot to raise money for arts and sports facilities as public agencies contemplate building new venues of their own

By Clayton Franke

Agroup of local businesspeople and hockey enthusiasts have their sights set on building Central Oregon’s first indoor ice rink — and they’re seeking $40 million to do it.

The massive nonprofit fundraising effort was announced July 1 for the Forge Community Iceplex, a year-round facility with two professional-sized ice sheets, a lounge, gym and training facility, pro shop, event spaces and room for about 1,000 spectators located in northeast Bend.

Tyler Brower, a spokesperson for the effort, told the Source the project is about to ink the sale of 7 acres at Juniper Ridge, a swath of greenfield industrial land at the northeast edge of the city using some of the $10 million in donations already in the bank.

Supporters say the facility would satisfy growing communities in hockey and figure skating as the popularity of ice sports surges past what Bend’s current single sheet of open-air ice can handle.

“Ice sports are growing across the Pacific Northwest and communities are investing to keep up,” said Derek Meyer, a board president with the project and owner of a Hixon Mortgage, a mortgage lending company in Bend. “Central Oregon has the demand, the community and now the vision to build something that lasts. Families are scrambling for ice time, programs are turning players away, and The Forge changes that.”

Meyer leads a seven-member board including John Kromm, owner of Kromm Real Estate company, Steve Elwell, a Bend-based business executive and investor, Brower, a former college and pro hockey player, and Scott, Julia and Brandon Lehmann, the founding donors for the Forge center. All have some connection to coaching or playing hockey.

The campaign comes as several other nonprofit groups push to raise millions for new state-ofthe-art facilities in Bend, including a $100 million performing arts center and a $1.5 million dedicated curling facility.

Meanwhile, the City of Bend and its tourism agency, Visit Bend, recently examined the possibility of building an arena for sports, conventions and concerts.

While the Forge center is designed to host hockey players and figure skaters of all ages, curling isn’t part of the current concept, Brower said.

For now, Central Oregon’s ice sports headquarters lies at The Pavilion, a single sheet of NHL-sized open-air ice at the corner of Colorado Avenue and Simpson Avenue in the heart of Bend. The venue also hosts activities like roller hockey and youth camps in the summer.

About 2,000 people participate between summer and winter programs at The Pavilion, said Clare Gordon, who manages the facility for the Bend Park & Recreation District. More people each year have started playing ice sports each year since it opened in 2015, she said. The waitlist for adult hockey leagues stretches between 40 and 80 people, many of whom never see the ice.

While ice sports programs are growing, the rate has slowed in recent years, Gordon added.

“There’s many communities like ours that have public and private facilities serving the community,” Gordon told the Source. “I think that if they’re able to fundraise, that indicator of growth is there.”

Park district officials have also thought about building a new indoor ice rink. A feasibility study presented to the district’s board in January examined an indoor rink, an aquatic and fitness center and an athletic center as the district’s next big investments.

The indoor rink contemplated by that study would cost between $26 million and $34 million, with only one sheet of ice likely covered by a prefabricated metal building.

During a presentation in January, Matt Mercer, senior advisor to the park district’s executive director, said it’s possible a new privately developed indoor rink could pull program fee revenues away from The Pavilion, forcing the district to pay more out of pocket to keep the facility running.

“We could find ourselves in a situation where if we’re not part of that new ice rink, we actually end up increasing our subsidy to ice, because we’ve lost demand to the other place,” Mercer said.

He added: “I think the community would benefit by a coordinated programming between the facilities.”

The park district recoups about 80% of the cost of running The Pavilion from program fee revenue, Gordon said.

Brower said his group is “very hopeful” that the park district and others will run programs out of the Forge, but they haven’t discussed specifics with the park district.

“There will be a bottleneck, and when that bottleneck presents itself, the Forge is a great release for that to create opportunity elsewhere,” he said.

A season of adult hockey at The Pavilion costs $350. Brower said programs at the Forge would “not be a huge price jump” from those at The Pavilion and would be comparable to others in the Pacific Northwest.

Founders are confident the facility would bring in enough revenue to sustain operations, even as other rinks in the region face closure, according to the press release. With two sheets of ice, Bend could host a handful of tournaments each year, which the nonprofit campaigns says could bring in 16,000 attendees who would drive $4.4 million in visitor spending.

Bend Discusses Easing Infrastructure Requirements for Some Developments

High costs of sidewalks and sewer lines have stifled housing the City Council wants to see

By Clayton Franke

In an effort to bring more small-scale housing projects to existing neighborhoods, the Bend City Council may ease back on what public infrastructure — like sidewalks — developers are required to build.

A June 24 City Council discussion foreshadowed a slate of future changes aimed at spurring housing. Those could make it easier for planners to give leeway on infrastructure in the City’s development code, and expand a program where developers pay a fee instead of building new sidewalks. The Council also gave staff the nod to expand on a list of streets that won’t be widened in the future — a move meant to streamline housing by clearing developers of setting aside land for the public right-of-way.

The discussion follows state directions and City initiatives to accelerate home building in what remains one of Oregon’s most expensive markets. It also tees up renewed debate over who should pay to rebuild aging infrastructure as some of Bend’s oldest neighborhoods are redeveloped.

In a memo last month, City planners showed the Council 11 recent examples of when small-scale housing projects were thwarted by the costs of building sidewalks, frontage or new water and sewer lines. In those examples, the infrastructure price tag was anywhere from $6,000 to $160,000.

“Should we prioritize the housing or should we prioritize the infrastructure?” Bend Community Development Director Colin Stephens told the Council. “We want to do both, but sometimes they’re self-defeating.”

According to City officials, the conversation around relaxing infrastructure applies to infill — redevelopment in existing neighborhoods — instead of greenfield, where streets and utility lines don’t already exist.

The City Council wants to see more infill development, specifically of “middle housing,” an umbrella term for townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and cottage clusters. More than 500 of these units have been built in Bend since 2022, fueled by state-level reforms that barred cities from blocking these small multifamily developments in neighborhoods zoned for single-family homes.

Middle housing now accounts for one out of every four homes built in the City, according to a City dashboard.

Still, the dashboard shows that a bulk of Bend’s middle housing includes townhomes built as part of large master-planned neighborhoods on land where the City has expanded in the last 10 years.

According to Stephens, the sheer number of homes in those developments makes costs of building new streets and sewer lines more bearable. Smaller middle housing projects don’t have to build new streets, but are still obligated to build new sidewalks, sewer and

“We’re having this conversation because we’re a very prohousing council and City and we want to build housing.”

— Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler

water extensions, stormwater drainage and possible street frontage improvements.

“These projects may seem like they’re small-scale projects that shouldn’t have a lot of public street improvement requirements,” Eric Huffman, an engineer with Becon Civil Engineering & Land Surveying, a Bend-based consulting firm, told the Source. “But there’s going to be some requirements on every project, and in some of those cases it just makes the project so it can’t pencil out.”

In one example, a developer in 2023 had contemplated six new townhomes for a vacant dirt lot on the corner of Fifth Street and Franklin Avenue in midtown Bend. That would trigger requirements to pave an adjacent gravel alley, build new sidewalks and curbs, and extend water and sewer lines. As estimated costs mounted to $160,000, the developer shied away, and instead built a tiny home shelter site to help people transition out of homelessness.

The current code already grants Bend planners the authority to waive infrastructure requirements for a host of reasons. But each waiver takes time and money — and triggers a process that gives the public a chance to formally appeal the decision. But the City may create a new path that cuts out the appeal process for middle housing developments, giving planners more ability to work with developers to approve projects.

The idea is to streamline housing, said Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler.

“We’re having this conversation because we’re a very pro-housing council and City and we want to build housing,” Kebler said June 24. “We’re not going to use these tools to start saying we’re imposing extra things that are going to make it hard to build housing.”

But that comes with trade-offs: Building more housing now could mean pushing out infrastructure. Those costs will be shouldered either by future development or the City.

“We might get sort of a less-good finished product for citizens to use, or we might be not getting an investment in public infrastructure that would reduce the burden on our maintenance fund,” Ben Berry, an engineer with the City of Bend, told the Council June 24.

Which developments might see relaxed requirements — and where the City will draw the line —will be part of future discussions. City Councilor Mike Riley said he views improvements like water and sewer lines, which benefit development directly, as the responsibility of builders. Sidewalks, which benefit the neighborhood as a whole, could be different.

“Future councils are going to have to think about, how are we going to pay for that, and actually make some substantial investments besides small piecemeal stuff,” Riley said.

Councilors last month voiced support for expanding a program where instead of building sidewalks themselves, developers pay a fee, and the money is pooled for sidewalk projects somewhere in the neighborhood. The program already exists in Wood River Village, a forested neighborhood just south of the Old Mill District.

That could also cut back on “sidewalks to nowhere” — when redeveloped lots build sidewalk segments that end in the lawn or fence of a neighbor whose home was built before sidewalks were required.

A set of code changes due before the Council next month would remove sidewalk requirements for smalllot subdivisions designed for middle housing.

But there’s no guarantee the changes will boost the type of housing the City Council wants to see, said Huffman, the civil engineering consultant. Even with a reduced infrastructure burden, new requirements like the tree preservation code and desire for wider sidewalks and bike paths could increase cost, he said.

Saturdays, July 11 - Aug 15

10–11:30 AM at HSCO Shelter

A confidential, six-week support group for those grieving the loss of a pet.

Please register only if you can attend all six sessions. At least one month should have passed since your pet’s passing.

Learn more at hsco.org

Friday, July 31

8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Services include wellness exam, vaccinations, deworming, flea and tick medication, and microchip. Services are for dogs and cats only. For pet owners facing financial or other barriers to veterinary care. Sliding-scale pricing is available.

Appointments required

Contact us: 541-208-2497 vetoutreach@hsco.org

WALTER

Walter is a 4-year-old German Shepherd mix who loves fetching tennis balls and splashing in the kiddie pool. He takes a little time to warm up to new people, but once he knows you, you’ve made a friend for life!

Learn more at hsco.org/adopt

RN

REDMOND NEWS

Redmond Celebrates 250

The Hub City turns out in style with fireworks, hot dogs and all the red, white and blue

Photos by Eli Zatz

REDMOND PICKS

WEDNESDAY

Redmond’s 250th Independence Day celebration was quite the turnout! According to the City of Redmond, the 2,000 hot dogs it gave out for free were obliterated by 6pm, and the mild temps didn’t keep the sno-cone cart from being the most popular place in town. Clockwise, from top left, Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang samples the goods at the pie-eating contest; Mayor Ed Fitch and City Councilor Shannon Wedding enjoy some time in the shade; the Keller family relaxes, and at bottom, actors from Ridgeview High School took part in a Living History exhibit during the celebration.

7/8 – 7/12

LIBRARY ADVENTURES OUTDOORS

BUGS AND BOOKS

This is a literature-based activity followed by an outdoor education program. Community partners will also join with information about their organizations. This week’s activities will be led by Discover Your Northwest and will focus on insects! Contact: 541-362-4324. katie@natureconnectco.org.5-6pm at American Legion Park, 850 SW Rimrock Way, Redmond. Free.

FRIDAY 7/10

JAMES TOWNSEND

LOCAL SONGS

Enjoy a great wine selection and great live music from Bend singersongwriter James Townsend. 6-8pm at Testimony Wine Bar, 307 NW Sixth St., Redmond. Free!

FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY 7/10-7/12

CIRQUE MA’CEO

EQUINE LOVE

Cirque Ma’Ceo presents The Year of the Horse, a breathtaking tribute to the powerful bond between horse and human. Contact: 800-927-1539. cavalloeqarts@live.com. Fri, July 10, 7pm, Sat, July 11, 4 and 7pm and Sun, July 12, 1 and 4pm. Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond. $25 to $40 – Under 3 free with paid admission.

Following several holiday fires, a conversation with Redmond Fire & Rescue Marshal Tom Mooney

By Peter Madsen

It’s a perennial question among Central Oregonians each Fourth of July: Less if errant fireworks will spark Central Oregon’s next blaze than — how big will it be?

This year’s Fourth saw numerous fires, most predictably on Pilot Butte, on top of which commissioned pyrotechnics set off the City of Bend’s firework display while firefighters stood at the ready to douse sections that inevitably catch fire.

Consider as a sideshow attraction: The patch of Deschutes County Fairgrounds that also caught fire during the Redmond fireworks show.

Yet it was on land owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management near Redmond where the very-big-deal Coyner Fire sparked around 8:30 pm. Crews from the Redmond Fire & Rescue Department and partnering agencies have since corralled the fire to 20.5 acres, with 50% containment by July 7.

Redmond Police Chief Devin Lewis and RFR Chief Ryan Herrera will present a Fourth of July overview to the City Council on July 14. This is likely when they’ll revive the conversation about whether Redmond will retain its Fourth of July firework exception, or whether the city of 38,000 will shore up its 365-day firework ban with Bend, Sisters and Sunriver, for example.

Now that evacuation warnings stemming from the Coyner Fire have been dropped and the blaze’s cause is being investigated, the Source reached out to RFR Marshal Tom Mooney to talk shop about firework culture, a pronounced need for firework safety and memorable, if fiery, past Fourth of Julys.

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

the Source: How was your Fourth of July? Was the Coyner Fire your biggest event?

“We have had an extreme fire danger listing here for at least a month. That really comes into play if somebody wants to use fireworks. They really should take that to consideration and almost second-guess themselves.”

—Tom Mooney

Tom Mooney: That was probably one of the bigger ones among the couple structure fires. We had a house that caught fire from fireworks. The owners used the house for storage. We also had a bunch of little fires overnight that people aren’t aware of, little dumpster fires. The cause of most of those is somebody doing the right thing, cleaning up their fireworks but throwing them in the dumpster. Fireworks are made from cardboard, so those little embers sit and smolder.

tS: For a fire department, is Fourth of July the biggest event that you can count on each year?

TM: It’s always hard to tell what the Fourth of July is going to be like. We can surmise that it being a weekend and obviously with this year being the 250th

Unfortunately, we don’t have a crystal ball. If we had available staffing, we would’ve staffed up, but we were running with what we normally have. The fortunate thing is we have great partnerships with other agencies in the area and then as we need help, we can rely on them to come and assist as they’re available.

tS: Right, Bend Fire & Rescue and Cloverdale Fire District helped RFR last weekend. You personally have a long background with firefighting, beginning in Oklahoma and then in Tualatin. How does Central Oregon fit in?

TM: It’s unique here. Oklahoma has a lot of open prairies and a lot of dry grass, so we’d get a lot more grassland fires that would exceed thousands of acres. Central Oregon has a different climate than in the Willamette Valley, where it’s greener. We have a lot of brush and grass that interfaces with the cities, unfortunately. We have had an extreme fire danger listing here for at least a month. That really comes into play if somebody wants to use fireworks. They really should take that to consideration and almost second-guess themselves. Should they even use them? People have to stop and think about how their actions can have implications on other people in the city where they live.

tS: Do you think the Redmond City Council should totally ban fireworks the next Fourth? That’s been an ongoing conservation.

TM: It’s hard to say after this year which way they’re going to go. I can say that we’re in the process of writing a wildland-urban interface code. There will be language in there regarding fireworks, weather and fire-danger ratings. The Oregon Fire Marshal’s Office will take our draft under review. When it comes back and we review it then it’d be adopted.

tS: It’s like guessing which way the wind will blow.

TM: Right.

tS: Fireworks are such a hot-button topic. It’s maybe second to Second Amendment concerns. Fireworks are such a piece of the American fabric.

TM: We have to balance culturally what has happened historically. We also have to look at what’s safe for the community. We don’t want to say yes to fireworks at next year’s Fourth and then have a 100,000acre brushfire that takes out half of the community. We have to find that balance. Is it not allowing fireworks anymore or is there a better alternative to fireworks and still being able to celebrate our nation?

tS: What do you think about drone shows?

TM: I’d be all for them, but Redmond has a challenge with drone shows because we have the airport airspace above. That’s an added layer, but I think it’s doable.

tS: From an optics standpoint, the Fourth of July is when we looked to our local fire department, like, ‘Oh, crap — you guys saved our butts.’ Do you think

the Fourth gives fire departments an opportunity to remind the public about their crucial role?

TM: We’ll have a Fourth of July data report coming out [on July 14]. We’ll talk about how many fires we responded to and how many resources those incidents ate up. That way people can have an idea of how many resources a 20-acre brushfire pulls away from the city.

tS: I understand you’re also a fire investigator. What’s the order of operations when it comes to preserving a fire site that may also be a crime scene?

TM: When there’s a significant fire we have different protocols that meet certain thresholds. I got called to a double house fire on Saturday afternoon. I took witness statements, considered the evidence at the scene. That makes my determination of whether this might be an intentional fire and whether I should engage my law enforcement partners. The source of the Coyner Fire, which is on land owned by BLM, is being investigated by their investigators, for example.

tS: Looking toward smoke season, how do you feel? We had that winter drought, of course.

TM: The predictive services have been spot-on as far as our fuel and moisture content, which is super

“We also have to look at what's safe for the community. We don't want to say yes to fireworks at next year’s Fourth and then have a 100,000-acre brushfire that takes out half of the community. We have to find that balance. Is it not allowing fireworks anymore or is there a better alternative to fireworks and still being able to celebrate our nation?”

—Tom Mooney

low. According to the data, we’re still at least a month ahead of where we should be at this time of the year, unfortunately. Any fires that start just take off running. By saving grace, we haven’t had really high winds when these fires have taken off.

tS: Do you have any favorite Fourth of July memories?

TM: My mom was from the Port Huron, Michigan, area. When I was a kid, we were there for the Fourth one year. We were walking downtown when we noticed a building on fire. A bottle rocket had landed on the roof. I think that might’ve been my first real spark of interest in the fire service. From that point on, the Fourth of July has always been a busy day.

—This story is powered by the Lay It Out Foundation, the nonprofit with a mission of promoting deep reporting and investigative journalism in Central Oregon. Learn more and be part of this important work by visiting layitoutfoundation.org. If you're interested in syndicating Lay It Out Foundation content or purchasing an article for use, you can do so through the website.

SOURCE PICKS

THURSDAY 7/9

MUNCH & MUSIC

PARK PARTY!

Party in the park —Munch and Music is an annual summer tradition where all your friends show up to play! This week, dance to The Original Wailers with special guest Sun Dive. 5:30-9:30pm at Drake Park, 777 NW Riverside Blvd, Bend. Free.

THURSDAY 7/9

KARYN ANN

SOUL SINGER

With a voice that’s equal parts church bell and bourbon barrel and a gut-punching grit reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt or Grace Potter, Portland-based singersongwriter Karyn Ann has been charming audiences across the US and beyond for over a decade with her fresh and classic blend of Soulful Americana. 6-8pm at Frankies—formerly Sisters Depot. 250 W. Cascade Ave., Sisters. $10.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY 7/10-7/11

WIDESPREAD PANIC

JAM TUNES

It’s a two-day jam band extravaganza in the heart of Bend! The Athens, Georgia-based band, Widespread Panic, is known for never playing the same show twice — so you’re sure to get an original night whichever one you choose. 6:30pm at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, 344 Shevlin Hixon Dr., Bend. $95.

SATURDAY 7/11

DESCHUTES RIVER CLEANUP

FLIP FLOP COLLECTION

The Deschutes River loves you — now love it back! Join the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council to help take care of the Deschutes! Pull weeds, pick up litter and support scuba divers who will remove instream debris, including all those flip flops that fall off on the float. 9am-1pm at Farewell Bend Park, 1000 SW Reed Market Rd., Bend. Free.

SATURDAY 7/11

SISTERS OUTDOOR QUILT SHOW

HANDMADE GOODS

The quilters of Central Oregon show off their hardearned creations at this annual gem of an event. Check out the quilts lining the streets of Sisters! 9am-4pm in Downtown Sisters. Free; donations encouraged.

INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC & DANCE + KIRTAN SONG

ANCIENT TRADITIONS

A night not to be missed! Soulful melodies, mesmerizing rhythms and devotional songs, offering you a rare experience of India’s authentic culture. Bend has never had a show of this kind! All ages and everyone welcome. 7:30-9:15pm at Unity Spiritual Community, 63645 Scenic Dr., Bend. $35.

MONDAY 7/13

SISTER CIRCLE COMMUNITY GATHERING

GATHERING FOR WOMEN

Come together with a circle of incredible women to honor and uplift each other while embracing the beauty of the changing seasons. This gathering is a haven where you can nourish your soul. Contact: 650862-9336. willow@emergingheartscollective.com. Second Monday of every month, 6:30-8:45pm at Hanai Center, 62430 Eagle Rd., Bend. $35-$55.

TUESDAY 7/14

SHINYRIBS & SCHAEFER LLANA

PICKIN' TUNES

Shinyribs reassembles the American song bag like a picker in a junkyard; East Texas blues, Louisiana swamp n’ rhythm, honky tonk, Oklahoma swing, Golden-Triangle Cajun and Arkansas jazz are all filtered through the singular vision of Kevin Russell. 8-11pm at the Domino Room, 51 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. $30.08.

TUESDAY 7/14

FORCE OF WATER: COMMUNITYLED SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS

CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

A film and discussion on community-led solutions to the climate crisis - both local and global. After a screening of “Force of Water,” join Bend Climate Collective in discussing how community-centered climate solutions can thrive. Contact: info@greenempowerment.org. 5-7pm at Worthy Brewing - Main Pub and Brewery, 495 NE Bellevue Dr., Bend. Free.

WEDNESDAY 7/15

CHASING EBENEZER

WORLD TUNES

Portland-based world folk-rock band Chasing Ebenezer inspires audiences to love in the middle of conflict, infusing instrumentation from every continent over danceable Americana beats and penetrating lyrics. 7:30-9:30pm at Commonwealth Pub, 30 SW Century Dr., Bend. Free.

S SOUND Ecologist and Musician: On Stage is Where KR3TURE Thrives

KR3TURE is coming back at the end of July for his second show in Bend

By Abby Francis

KR3TURE’s (pronounced “creature’) first show in Bend was just last January at the Volcanic Theatre and it was sold out. Electronic and modern live music fusion that defies any sort of category is what can be expected during a KR3TURE performance. All with the goal of connection.

The mountains of Santa Cruz is where KR3TURE calls home.

“[It’s a] very special place for me. I’ve spent a big part of my life there,” he recalled. All you need is a guitar

KR3TURE got his first guitar for his 13th birthday. At first, there were lessons but pretty soon KR3TURE wanted to do his own thing.

“Even as a 13-year-old…I [was] like I’m over this. But I kept playing music on my own into high school and then in college is when I first started actually playing with other people,” KR3TURE told the Source. “I never intended to be a music producer. I never intended to be a music performer.”

During his college years, he would play at smaller gigs.

“I was in a funk jam band…[we] would play at pubs for beers.”

KR3TURE is a multi-instrumentalist. During college, he was gifted a saxophone, then learned how to play piano. Later, he met a singer he meshed with.

“It was just undeniably amazing music and a band came to us and shows came to us and opportunities came to us.”

The band was called Audiofauna.

In 2007, KR3TURE went to his first festival, Burning Man. He said this experience changed how he wanted to make music.

“[I thought] wow this is incredible…and witnessed the power of electronic music for the first time.” he said.

In a full circle moment, he then came back to Burning Man in 2009 to play his first ever original music as the Band Audiofauna.

The power of the garden

Surprisingly, KR3TURE doesn’t like most electronic music but what he enjoys most is “going to the garden and picking” different sounds.

“When you can borrow, it actually paints a beautiful palette in the canvas of a song.”

Then why electronic music? KR3TURE chose electronic music because he feels it gives the listener a full body experience.

“What you can get with electronic music… is the impact of the dramatic tension building…and the huge bass in the drops…that just doesn’t exist in live music,” he said. “Live music is more about the song, right? But it doesn’t have this sensory intensity.”

What is KR3TURE listening to these days?

KR3TURE’s go-to music currently? Ambient spa music.

“My nervous system is so fried these days with airports and being at loud festivals and events constantly,” he told the Source.

He also does some musician-based deep dives from time to time.

“Just this past week I’ve been listening to a lot of Olive Tree, who just passed. He was a local musician to Santa Cruz and we had some shared community.”

“I’m not a fan of that genre,” he explained, which is mix of pop and alternative. “But…I really appreciate the artistry and the melody and the production and I’m learning a lot…because the songs are well written and well produced.”

Early on, KR3TURE was listening to Pink Floyd.

“I was kind of obsessed,” he said. “And not in a good way.”

But since, he has expanded his horizons. Sophie Tucker is one singer he gave a shout-out to.

“What I really value is fun. It sounds cliche but it’s the fun energy of music. Sophie [has] got this fun, lighthearted energy and that’s kind of what I try to embody as well.”

A unique name

The name, KR3TURE, is unique. He told The Source that it was partly inspired by a friend who once greeted him with, “Hey, creature,” and partly by his love of nature. Together, those influences became the name KR3TURE. He keeps his actual name private.

“I’m also a plant ecologist by training and so I love fauna,” he said. “One animal’s name is a creature, right? So, I’m one animal and also, you’re a creature and were all creatures”

KR3TURE’s ecology background shines through in both his personal life and his music. In fact, KR3TURE

is a former UC Santa Cruz biology professor.

“I probably learned more from David Attenborough than I did from any of my formal education,” he said. “He says the word creature a lot, so you know, it just stuck.” What can you expect from a live show?

KR3TURE’s website says, “making bodies move and spirits lift.” And it seems he does just that.

“My music is very like you can get down,” he said. “What I really appreciate is…root[ing] your booty on the earth…but also your heart in the clouds.”

KR3TURE says his most important part of his live shows is expanding the embodied experience and hopefully opening his audience up to some deeper wisdom based on their own experience. The goal is to make connections. Instead of standing behind a DJ table, he turns it to the side so it’s perpendicular to him, asymmetry or “Wabi-sabi” as he calls it.

This gives him direct access to the audience’s vibe.

“I need to feel people if it’s five people or 5,000 people, I want to feel the crowd.” he said. “When I’m playing guitar, I want them to feel how I’m feeling in the music.”

He even took the Wabi-sabi inspiration and made it into a song with King Kairos.

“The guitar had a microphone in it, so it recorded all sounds, not just the guitar,” he said. In the song, the listener can hear King washing the dishes, and coughing.

“Instead of cleaning that up, or perfecting it, we kept it all in.”

Rings of Life

KR3TURE says that albums form only when inspiration strikes and for his music, never with a theme.

KR3TURE described his latest album name, “Rings of Life,” as a poetic way of describing tree rings specifically as a symbol or visual of each growth year. The thickness of the ring indicates water intake or the warm weather of a tree; every tree has a story.

“Just like rings on a tree, we have our own rings in life…our own stories to tell…our own scars etched into our bodies, he said. “We contain these kind of circle of ecosystems with family, friends, acquaintances and those that we impact.”

The album cover features a bristlecone pine, found in the Western U.S., KR3TURE’s favorite tree. It’s a tree known mainly for its longevity, the oldest of which is 4,700 and 5,200 years old, and its twisted, gnarled trunks that have fought to survive against wind, snow and rain.

“I have to feel it and love it,” KR3TURE said, when talking about his music. “And hopefully if we’re lucky, then that love transcends me and is felt and shared by whoever hears it.”

KR3TURE Fri, July 31, 5pm

Volcanic Theatre Pub In the Courtyard with King Kairos tixr.com Advance General Admission

$32.43

CALENDAR

8 Wednesday

The Commonwealth Pub Fluffalove Nancy Terzian and Kye Kennedy arrived in Bendin August 2019 after living in Nashville, TN for more than 20 years, where they honed their craft among the best in the music business. The couple/duo play “music for the soul” consisting primarily of 70’s folk-rock gems. 7:30-9:30pm. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy Open Mic Night Open mic comedy on Bend’s NE side. Come down, eat some BBQ, drink some drinks, and be prepared to laugh. 7:30-9pm. Free.

Crosscut Warming Hut No 5 Conner Bennett Relax with a pint and enjoy great local music in the garden from 6-8pm. 6-8pm. Free.

Frankie’s – formerly Sisters Depot

Handpicked Series by Tom Nechville & Linda Leavitt An intimate, free music series. $10 suggested donation will be collected, with proceeds supporting CoreSisters.org or the Latin Community Association. 6-8pm.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater AJR New York City pop trio of brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan Met notched their first Billboard Hot 100 single with 2013’s “I’m Ready.” The band’s 2017 follow-up "The Click" broke onto the Billboard 200 behind the quadruple-platinum lead single “Weak” and Rivers Cuomo collaboration “Sober Up.” 6:30pm. $80.75.

The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse One Off Wednesdays Dirty Jazz with Wolfhouse Records. Free. 6-8pm.

9 Thursday

Bevel Craft Brewing Live Music! Catch talented local artists on the patio, grab a bite from on-site food carts, and enjoy award-winning craft beer, wine, cider and more. 6-8pm. Free. The Cellar Live Irish Trad Music with The Ballybogs! Every Thursday. Seats fill fast for the Bend Irish Trad band! 6-8pm. Free.

The Commonwealth Pub The Lindsley Brothers Hailing from Arlington, Virginia and shaped by the harmonies of church choirs, they gained national exposure on American Idol and released their first full-length album, Oh My Love, in 2024. Soulful and acoustic funk. 7:30-9:30pm.

Drake Park Munch & Music Summit Health & PacificSource Munch & Music free concerts presented by The Source Weekly and Hayden Homes! Music starts on the Stilson Builders stage each Thursday at 5:30-9pm. 2026 series dates: July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30, and August 6.

Frankie’s – formerly Sisters Depot Karyn Ann has a voice that’s equal parts church bell and bourbon barrel and a gut-punching grit reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt or Grace Potter. The Portland-based singer-songwriter has been charming audiences across the US and beyond for more than a decade. 6-8pm. $10.

The Lot Kimberly June “KJ” is an indie-folk songwriter who blends conscious lyrics with catchy melodies and a dash of wit and humor. She's toured with Nahko & Medicine for the People, has had songs featured on TV shows, opened for G. Love, Kimie, Satsang & more. 6-8pm. Free.

The Lot Sydney & Logan (sibling duo) The country-pop duo from Oregon performs uplifting acoustic pieces that blends country, pop and faith-inspired music into engaging performances. 6-8pm. Free.

LIVE MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

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Mountain Burger Nate Koehler at Mountain Burger Thursday Night Live, featuring ! Great music, food & company! 6-8pm. Free.

River’s Place DuBb Central Hawaiian Island reggae. 6-8pm. Free.

The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse Big Lawn Series is a perfect stop for touring bands and musicians and showcases some incredible artists from near and far. Catch a variety of tunes on the Big Lawn every Monday and Thursday from 6-8pm. Free.

The Winery at Manzanita- Bend Vino & Vibes Enjoy an evening of wine and local community grooves every Thursday. Local singers and songwriters welcome. 5-7pm. Free.

10 Friday

The Astro Lounge Live local sounds with assorted DJs. Every Friday and Saturday. 10pm2am. Weekend cover charge.

Bend Cider Co. Rose Gerber Trio Come enjoy a lovely summer evening of music with the Portland-based artists who perform an eclectic mix of American roots, country, folk, rock & alt-country, not to mention award-winning ciders, beer, wine and spirit-free beverages. Light tapas available, outside food welcome. Kid & dog-friendly. 6-8pm. Free.

Boneyard Pub FREE LIVE MUSIC: DFI in the beer garden. 6-8PM. Free.

Cheba Hut DuBb Central Live Music 7-9pm. Free.

The Commonwealth Pub Superball Back to rock from 8-10pm. Free.

Eurosports Sisters Food Cart Garden

Switchback Bring your own chairs. 5-7pm. Free. Frankie’s – formerly Sisters Depot Friday Nights with Tony Lompa If the weather’s nice, Lompa plays in the courtyard. If not, he's upstairs. Food and drinks available for purchase. 6-8pm. Free.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater

Widespread Panic The American jam band formed in Athens, Georgia in 1986 and is known for never playing the same show twice. Holds the record for the most sold-out shows at the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre as of June 2022. 6:30pm. $95.

Testimony Wine Bar James Townsend Enjoy a great wine selection and great live music from Bend singer-songwriter James Townsend. 6-8pm. free.

11 Saturday

Blacksmith Public House Toby Keith Tribute Part of the FANfest Concert series. A tribute to the “country bad boy.” Music, food, drinks and fun! 7-10pm. $29.

Boneyard Pub FREE LIVE MUSIC: Jackrat in the beer garden during Hops & Heat event. 6-8pm. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedian Phil Johnson at Craft Kitchen The comedian and songwriter from the Bay Area performs stand-up and live music that's sharp and tightly written. 8-10pm. $10.

The Domino Room Unofficial Widespread Panic afterparty with Jim Bone & The Dig 10:30pm-12:30am. $18.49.

Hardtails Bar & Grill Amarillo By Morning “A George Strait Tribute Concert Experience” Pay tribute to the King of Country under the beautiful Sisters sky at the band's only Oregon show this year! $39.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater Widespread Panic The American jam band formed in Athens, Georgia in 1986 and is known for never playing the same show twice. Holds the record for the most sold-out shows at the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre as of June 2022. 6:30pm. $95.

M&J Tavern FunkPuddle w/Anthrobot Things are really gonna’ funk you up! 9pm-Midnight. Free.

On Tap Almost Family friendly fun on the lawn. Vibe to the best tunes from the ‘70s to the ‘90s. 6-8pm. Free.

Paulina Lake Lodge The Jugulars live at Paulina Lake Lodge! South County’s favorite band plays covers and original songs! Spend the afternoon lakeside. 1-4pm. Free.

Portello Lounge Hot Gypsy Swing with The Brandon Campbell Trio! Use your getaway sticks and get down! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Portello Lounge Jazz w/Brandon Campbell Trio Sink into the lounge for some swanky jazz vibes and maybe enjoy a smoked maple bacon old fashioned, a Vesper Martini, a glass of Pinot or a crave-worthy bite. 6:30-8:30pm. Free for customers.

River’s Place Saturday Jazz Session Chewtoy is a six-piece ensemble led by composer Carl Royce. Expect the unexpected--worldbeat, post-rock, melodic jazz fusion with a pinch of electronica. 6-8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Chained to Stone | Live 90’s Rock A night of 90’s rock, including the biggest rock and grunge hits of the era! All ages welcome. 7-10pm. Buy online or at the door.

Unity Community Indian Classical Music & Dance + Kirtan Song Enjoy a timeless journey of soulful melodies, mesmerizing rhythms and devotional songs that provide a rare experience of India’s authentic culture and ancient traditions. Hosting renowned artists from Bend & beyond! Everyone welcome. 7:309:15pm. $35.

12 Sunday

Ballers & Brews James Townsend Troubadour James Townsend plays a sweet, soulful mix of originals and classic covers on the patio. 4-6pm.

The Commonwealth Pub Shineola Singalong Come sing along at the top of your lungs! From popular rock to timeless choruses, anthem classics to generations of old folk songs, experience the magic. 4-6pm.

Deschutes Brewery Tasting Room & Beer Garden Sunday Sessions: G Bots & The Journeymen Duo - Greg Botsford & Justin LeBart Longtime friends and musical partners serve up G Bots classics and some tasty covers. 4-6pm. Free.

The Domino Room CKY at The Domino Room Born from skate-punk chaos and shaped by hard-earned lessons, CKY thrives on defiance and remains driven by the same raw energy that put them on the map. What was once reckless is now refined. 8-11pm. $35.87.

Grace and Hammer Guitars and Harmonies Free summer concert series. Every Sunday. 2-4pm. Free.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater The Head And The Heart: 15th Anniversary Tour With an infectious style that combines folk, country, pop, and smart songwriting, the Seattle group is a consummate live act, charming concertgoers with layered arrangements and intricate vocal harmonies. In 2013, the band released their most confident and mature album to date, Let’s Be Still, featuring lead single “Shake,” an indie folk stomper that perfectly captures the energy of the band’s live performances. 6pm. $69-$516.

River’s Place Karyn Ann Blend of soulful Americana, blues, folk and rock-and-roll. Her voice is powerful, smoky and supple. 6-8pm. Free.

13 Monday

M&J Tavern Vinyl Night SupaFly will be your Dj. Bring your own vinyl and sign up to add it to the playlist or pick from hers. 9pm. Free.

On Tap Locals’ Day Plus Live Music Cheaper drinks all day and live music at night. 11am-9pm. Free.

The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse Big Lawn Series A perfect stop for touring bands and musicians. Catch a variety of tunes on the big lawn every Monday and Thursday. All ages welcome.6-8pm. Free.

14 Tuesday

The Commonwealth Pub Jazzbos Tuesday Night Jazz A great night of jazz. 7-9pm. Free.

The Domino Room Shinyribs & Schaefer Llana Reassembling the American song bag like a picker in a junkyard, the Texas singer-songwriter blends East Tx blues, Louisiana swamp n’ rhythm, honky tonk, Oklahoma swing, Golden-Triangle Cajun, and Arkansas jazz. 8-11pm. $30.08.

GoodLife Brewing Live Music in the GoodLife Beer Garden Every Sunday 4-6pm and Tuesday 6-8pm. Full kitchen, full bar, food trucks, playground, kids menu. Free.

GoodLife Brewing Popcorn Trio Acoustic instrumental cover of mega hits, all played with only a fiddle, guitar and a mandolin. You’ll be guessing lyrics and naming that tune! 6-8pm. Free.

15 Wednesday

The Commonwealth Pub Chasing Ebenezer Portland-based world folk-rock band inspires audiences to love in the middle of conflict, infusing instrumentation from every continent over danceable Americana beats and penetrating lyrics. Husband-and-wife duo Benjamin & Heidi Beth Sadler front the band and trade off lead vocals and songwriting with Heidi supplying fiery violin riffs. 7:30-9:30pm. Free.

Frankie’s – formerly Sisters Depot Handpicked Series by Tom Nechville & Linda Leavitt An intimate music series. Free although $10 suggested donation will be collected with proceeds supporting CoreSisters.org or the Latin Community Association. 6-8pm.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater Sam

Barber - The American Route Tour Multi-platinum singer-songwriter captures the experience, uncertainty, wisdom and promise of coming-ofage on his 2025 EP, Music for the Soul. Empathetic songwriting, eloquent instrumentation, and a downright spirit-shaking voice brought him from a farm in Missouri to the doorstep of superstardom. 6:30pm. $62.70.

MUSIC

Bluegrass & Blues Every Tuesday in July. Craft beer on tap, flavored malt beverages and non-alcoholic beers. 5-7pm. Deschutes Brewery Tasting Room & Beer Garden, 901 SW Simpson Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-385–8606. Free.

Coyote Rider Kat Hilst, Kim Kelley and Tim Coffey perform original folk-Americana songs crafted for timeless storytelling with roots-driven sound and powerful harmonies. July 12, July 19, Aug. 16, Aug. 29. 11am-1pm. CHOW, 1110 NW Newport Ave., Bend. Free.

DANCE

Argentine Tango Class & Practice Learn and dance Argentine Tango. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced dancer, connect through tango. Beginner and Intermediate classes followed by practice. Check tangoinbend. com for the week’s schedule. First class free! Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30pm, through July 15. Sons of Norway Hall, 549 NW Harmon Blvd., Bend. Contact: 818-207-1363. info@tangoinbend.com. $10 class & practice, $5 practice only.

FILM EVENTS

Force of Water: Community-Led Solutions to the Climate Crisis Film and discussion on community-led solutions to the climate crisis, both local and global. Begins with a screening of Force of Water, a documentary by Green Empowerment, followed by a discussion with Bend Climate Collective about how community-centered climate solutions can thrive. July 14. 5-7pm. Worthy Brewing, 495 NE Bellevue Dr., Bend. Contact: info@greenempowerment. org. Free.

Without a Doubt - Inside the Mind of Braydon Bringhurst Free screening but please RSVP. Braydon will talk process and the mindset it takes to find a way up where everyone sees a line down. First 15 through the door take home a free Men’s or Women’s Capilene Cool Trail Shirt. July 11, 9:30-10:30am. Patagonia Bend, 1000 Wall St. Suite 140, Bend. Free.

ARTS + CRAFTS

American Institute of Architects Oregon Chapter People’s Choice Awards The American Institute of Architects Oregon Chapter is hosting a design competition open to the public! Posters of the submitted projects will be on display in the second floor hallway of 1000 Wall. View the projects and vote! Mondays-Fridays, 8am-8pm. Through July 10. 1000 Wall Second Floor, 1000 NW Wall Street, Bend. Free.

Art Glass Sale and Show by Glass Artists of Central Oregon Experience vibrant stained, fused, mosaic, and slumped glass created by Central Oregon artists. Enjoy beautiful color, thoughtful craftsmanship, and subtle touches inspired by the region’s landscape. A unique local art event, one day only. July 11, 10am-6pm. The Commons Cafe & Taproom, 875 NW Brooks St., Bend. Free.

The Art of Printmaking Dive into the art of conceptualizing, carving and printing your own design with Miss Alyssa! July 10, 2-3:30pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@bendteal.com. $35.

Art Play Toddlers and preschoolers dive into process-based art through sensory stations, open-ended exploration, and hands-on creative play. Ages 2-5 Thursdays-Saturdays, 10-11am. Two Suns Art Studio + MakerSpace, 70 SW Century Drive, Bend. Contact: 541-892-6471. taylor@ twosunsartstudio.com. $25.

BEGINNING TO INTERMEDIATE HANDBUILDING SKILLS Create unique functional stoneware serving pieces by completing 3 fun projects that will cover a wide range of transferable skills and create beautiful mugs, tumblers and bowls. Tuesdays, 2-5pm. Through July 21. Camp Clay Bend, 147 NE Olney Ave, Bend. Contact: jess@campclay.studio. $350.

Berry Bowl Pottery Workshop Relaxing pottery workshop surrounded by beautiful blooming lavender. Handbuild up to two ceramic berry bowls while enjoying beautiful views and step-by-step guidance. Perfect for all skill levels. All materials, glazing, and firing are included. July 12, 5-7pm. Tumalo Lavender Farm, 19825 Connarn Rd, Bend. Contact: 415-308-4538. krista@lalucestudio.com. $130.

Blacksmithing 101 - Make a Pair of Wall Hooks Learn the fundamentals of forging steel as you shape, taper, twist, and punch metal to create a custom wall hook. This two-session class covers hammer technique, anvil use, forge safety, and craft basics. Completing the course certifies you to use the DIYcave Forge independently. July 14, 5:30-7:30pm and July 15, 5:30-7:30pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@ diycave.com. 239.

Cabinet Making 101 Learn the fundamentals of cabinet making in this hands-on class. You’ll measure, cut, assemble and square components while building a 14”×20”×5” cabinet from start to finish. Perfect for beginners wanting solid woodworking skills and confidence with essential tools and techniques. July 13, 6-8:30pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. 189.

CHILDREN’S SUMMER CAMP Participants work on a different project each day of camp including plates with surface decoration, flower vases, jewelry dishes, cups + mugs, and sculptural animals. Perfect for kids with a range of experience, including those who've never touched clay. Aug. 3-7, 9-11am. Camp Clay Bend, 147 NE Olney Ave, Bend. Contact: Jess@campclay.studio. $300.

Demo Night! Surrealist Collage Dive into the strange and wonderful world of Surrealist collage, inspired by Dalí, Magritte, and Frida Kahlo! Use an extensive collection of vintage magazines, postcards, maps, and more to cut, layer and arrange a one-of-a-kind piece. Please preregister. July 10, 5:30-7pm. FREAK’N ART, 1265 NW Wall st., Bend. Contact: 541-508-7438. hellofreaknart@gmail.com. $30 for 1, $50 for 2.

Fairy Mushroom Lights Create your own glowing fairy mushroom woodland in this whimsical mixed-media art class with Lindsey! July 9, 5:30-8pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@bendteal.com. $65.

Freak’n Tie-Dye – Family Art Camp Get ready to swirl, twist, and splash into color! Family-friendly tie-dye workshop lets everyone create a custom t-shirt or tote bag using fun, beginner-friendly techniques. All materials included. July 12, 2-3:30pm. FREAK’N ART, 1265 NW Wall st., Bend. Contact: 541-508-7438. hellofreaknart@gmail.com. $50.

Intro to Blacksmithing - Make a Bottle Opener Step into the forge and learn the fundamentals of blacksmithing in this fast-paced, beginner-friendly workshop. Get hands-on experience heating, shaping and hammering steel and create a custom bottle opener to take home. July 11, 10am-Noon. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@ diycave.com. 169.

Intro to Fused Glass: Garden & Plant Stakes Brighten up your garden or potted plants with your own handmade fused glass stakes! Learn the basics of fused glass design, cutting and assembly while creating a set of colorful garden or plant stakes. No experience necessary July 15, 6-8pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. 139.

Intro to Handbuilding Five-day course for beginners covers the basic handbuilding techniques of pinch, coil, and slab. Students will leave the class with a variety of finished vessels and the skills to independently advance their craft. Tuesdays, 6-9pm. Through Aug. 11. Camp Clay Bend, 147 NE Olney Ave, Bend. Contact: jess@campclay.studio. $350.

BROADWAY

Intro to Lapidary - Learn to Make a Cabochon Learn the complete process of transforming stone into a smooth, finished cabochon. Plan your design and trim it to shape on the saw. From there, you’ll move to the cabbing machine to grind, sand, and polish your piece to a glossy finish ready for jewelry or a keepsake. July 9, July 16, July 18, July 21 and July 23, 4-6pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. 4-6pm. $129.

Intro to MIG Welding Hands-on class is perfect for beginners or anyone who wants a solid refresher in metal cutting and welding, including shop safety and tools. Students will learn how to cut steel using a plasma cutter and weld pieces together. July 14, 6-8pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. $129.

Intro to Stained Glass - Honeycomb Suncatcher Curious about stained glass? Beginner-friendly class that offers hands-on experience with the basics of the copper foil technique to create a stunning, multicolored suncatcher that looks amazing in any window. July 15, 6-8pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave. com. $139.

Intro to TIG Welding - Steel Learn the basics of TIG welding, including safety, machine setup, tungsten prep and material preparation. Practice welding mild steel and discover why TIG offers unmatched precision and versatility. Perfect for beginners building foundational welding skills. July 13, 6-8pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@ diycave.com. $139.

Intro to Welding Learn the basics of metal cutting and MIG welding in this hands-on, beginner class. Use a plasma cutter, prep and fit steel and practice welding techniques with guided support. Build confidence, understand weld behavior and leave with a finished practice piece. All materials included. July 14, 6-8pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. $129. Keepsake Box Joinery - 2 Day Workshop Intermediate class focused on precision joinery and refined craftsmanship. Build a beautiful hardwood keepsake box while learning two essential box-construction techniques used by professional woodworkers: box joints and router-cut dovetails. July 14, 6-8:30pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. $459.

Kids Intro to 3D Printing Workshop

Young makers will learn how a 3D printer works, explore beginner-friendly design software and create their own custom project to print and take home. A fun, hands-on way for kids to experiment with technology. July 15, 5:30-8:30pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. $99.

Kids Studio! Clay Creations: Fun with Form & Texture Unleash creativity in this four-day kids’ clay camp! Explore form, texture and 3D design with air-dry clay, then paint and finish sculptures. Perfect for ages 7–12, all materials included. July 6-9, 9:30am-Noon. FREAK’N ART, 1265 NW Wall st., Bend. Contact: 541-5087438. hellofreaknart@gmail.com. $200.

Kids Studio! Wearable Art Camp Kids will design and create unique outfits inspired by international wearable art and artists like Nick Cave, and then showcase them in a mini fashion show. For ages 7–12. July 13-16, 9:30am-Noon. FREAK’N ART, 1265 NW Wall st., Bend. Contact: 541-508-7438. hellofreaknart@gmail.com. $200.

Let’s Get Sewcial! Develop sewing skills and build creative community with Fashion Workshop. Bring a sewing or fashion project or Fashion Workshop can help give ideas! Youth under 13 should be accompanied by an adult. July 15, 5:30-7:30pm. Central Library, 61956 SE Santorini Street, Bend. Contact: 541-312-3395. emilyc@ deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

Let’s Paint - Deserts! Manzanita Winery Creative class open to all experience levels. July 8, 6-7pm. The Winery at ManzanitaBend, 550 sw Industrial Way #194, Bend. Contact: 5414807491. sarahanneswoffer@gmail.com. $55.

Lets Paint Your Pet Email Ms. Sarah a pet photo, and she’ll have a canvas pre-drawn and ready for a successful painting class. bendteal. com/event-details/lets-paint-your-pet July 15, 6-8pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@ bendteal.com. $65.

Little Artist’s Clay Class Join Miss Alyssa and play with Clay! Learn how to make fun shapes and cool creations. July 13, 10-11am. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@ bendteal.com. $25.

Little Artist’s Landscape Painting

Class A fun and engaging class for beginning painters. Join Miss Alyssa in this journey into acrylic landscape painting! July 10, 11am-Noon. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@ bendteal.com. $30.

Local Artist at Skye Interior Design

Open house featuring local artist Kathleeb T. Lombaard exhibiting graphite drawings on collage wood panels this Saturday 11th at Skye Interior Design at 1346 Galveston in Bend. Kathleen T Lombaard is exhibiting graphite drawings on collage wood panels. July 11, 2-7pm. Skye Interior Design, 1346 Galveston Ave., Bend. Contact: malia@skyedesignbend.com.

Mosaic Heart Trinket Trays Create something sweet, colorful and functional in this fun Mosaic Heart Trinket Tray Class! July 14, 5:307pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@ bendteal.com. $50.

New Moon in Cancer Pocket Altar

Create a personalized pocket altar out of mixed-media collage and paint materials while learning about the New Moon in Cancer, how to use this energy and set intentions for the months ahead! July 11, 6-8pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@bendteal.com. $50.

Paint Night! Get creative and learn to paint dragonflies! No experience needed. All materials included. Sip and snack on the Emerald Loop’s delicious offerings (available for purchase) while painting step-by-step! It’s easy and so much fun!! July 14, 6-8pm. The Emerald Loop, 1012 SE Cleveland Ste . # 2, Bend. Contact: 541-7284253. hello@brightlifecreative.com. $49.

Paint Your Pet - Illustrative Style Join Arcadia Collective PNW in painting your pet! July 10, 5-7pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@bendteal.com. $50.

Pottery Art and Crafts Sale Art and Crafts by local artists. Pottery, printmaking, painting, woodworking, jewelry and more! Fridays-Sundays, 11am-4pm. Through Aug. 8. Smiley Design, 443 NW DELAWARE AVE, Bend. Contact: 541382-8406. Babsomatic56@gmail.com. Free.

Resin Suncatchers Create a dazzling, light-catching work of art in this fun and beginner-friendly Resin Suncatcher Class! July 13, 5:30-7pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@bendteal.com. $50.

Sewing 101: Intro to Sewing Machines Learn to use the DIYcave’s sewing machines in this hands-on class. Practice threading, bobbins, tension, basic stitches and sewing buttons/buttonholes. Build confidence using our machines or bring one and follow along. July 13, 6-8pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. $129.

Sewing Machine 101 with Fashion Workshop Are you interested in learning how to use a sewing machine? Demos and skill-building exercises and a project to tackle. July 8, 5:30-7:30pm. The Open Arts Center, 999 NE 2nd St, Bend, OR 97701, Bend. Contact: 9712416225. maija@theopenartscenter.org. $40.

Stained Glass 102: Choose Your Own Pattern - 3 Weeks Build a stained glass suncatcher using the copper foil method. Learn pattern layout, glass selection, cutting, grinding, foiling, and soldering while working on a multi-piece project. Perfect for students ready to grow their skills with guided support. Tuesdays, 10am-Noon Through July 28. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. $129.

TEEN’S SUMMER CAMP Each day students will focus on a new form: bowls, cups and mugs, plates and vases. Perfect for teens with a range of experience. June 22-26, 9am-Noon-July 1317, 9am-Noon and Aug. 17-21, 9am-Noon. Camp Clay Bend, 147 NE Olney Ave, Bend. Contact: jess@campclay.studio. $350.

Watercolor at Drake Park Start at the Tea & Art Lounge with Ms. Sarah of Lets Paint. Walk to Drake Park to paint what you see. Option to include painting kit or bring your own. July 8, 10:30am-12:30pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@bendteal.com. $35-$55.

What is Contemporary Art? Painting with Erin Bodfish Why is it in the narrative of art history, of the discussion of abstract expressionism, that there's a conversation around the fathers of this movement? Why is it that the women of these movements are boiled down to their marital status? July 9, 6-7:30pm. Scalehouse Gallery, 550 NW Franklin Ave, Bend. Contact: 541-362-1288. info@scalehouse.org. $15.

Wood Shop Basics Two: Router, Planer & Jointer Learn to use the Router, Planer and Jointer and how to create more precise techniques for edges and dimensions. Also includes one free hour in the Wood Shop. July 8, 6-9pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave.com. $169.

Wood Turning 101 - Intro to Turning on the Wood Lathe Learn the basics of the wood lathe, one of the most popular tools in the wood shop. Create an object from beginning to end, including mounting a wood blank to the lathe, rounding, shaping, sanding, and finishing. July 15, 6-9pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 5413882283. classes@diycave. com. $179.

Works by Joren Traveller and Janice Rhodes Joren Traveller’s realistic depictions of landscapes and wildlife pair with Janice Rhodes’ lively encaustics through the month of July. The two High Desert Art League members’ work can be viewed Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm and during the First Friday Art walks through July 31. Premiere Property Group, 25 NW Minnesota Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-241-6860. Free.

CALENDAR

PRESENTATIONS + EXHIBITS

Crook County Summer Celebrate the traditions that have shaped summers in Crook County with Crook County Summers special exhibit. Explore the history of the Crooked River Roundup, horse races, and fair through photographs, artifacts and stories that showcase these beloved community events. Tuesdays-Fridays, 10am-5pm and Saturdays, 11am-4pm. Through Aug. 27. A. R. Bowman Museum, 246 N Main St, Prineville. Contact: 541-447-3715. sean. briscoe@crookcountyor.gov. Free.

Hats Off to History This is a journey through the nation’s evolving identity, exploring how women’s headwear – from colonial bonnets to modern baseball caps – mirrored shifts in fashion, freedom, and the American spirit, celebrating 250 years of iconic style. Attendees are encouraged to have fun and wear a hat! July 14, 2-3pm. Central Library, 61956 SE Santorini Street, Bend. Contact: 541-241-3395. emilyc@ deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

Hollinshead-Matson Homestead Museum Open House Join us for a free open house, tour the museum and hear stories about farming and life in Central Oregon in the 1940s. Hosted by Sharron Rosengarth, one of the Matson family children that grew up in the homestead house with support from volunteers and Deschutes County Historical Museum. Second Saturday of every month, 10am-1pm. Through Oct. 10. Hollinshead Park, 1235 NE Jones Rd., Bend. Contact: 5413897275. info@bendparksandrec.org. 0.

In-Depth Nighttime Visit Begins with an educational presentation follow with a guided constellation tour. July 8, July 9, July 11, July 12, July 15, July 16, July 18, July 19, July 21, July 22, July 25, July 26, July 28 and July 29. 9-11pm. Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory, 57245 River Rd., Sunriver, Sunriver. Tickets online only. $2-$36.

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Walk through the beautiful town of Sisters while quilters showcase some of their best works. Donations are encouraged. July 11, 9am-4pm. Downtown Sisters, Hood Avenue., Sisters. Free. What is Contemporary Art? Painting with Erin Bodfish Why is it in the narrative of art history, of the discussion of abstract expressionism, there's a conversation around the fathers of this movement? This event explores this question and more. July 9, 6pm. Scalehouse Gallery, 550 NW Franklin Ave, Bend. Contact: 541-362-1288. info@scalehouse.org. $15.

Whimsical Design Fashion Show A night of creativity and fun. This fashion show, hosted by the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, will feature quilted garments and accessories made by local artists. July 10, 6:30-8:30pm. Sisters High School, 1700 McKinney Butte Rd., Sisters. $25. Why COCC? Understand what’s possible and how to take next steps. Thinking about going back to school or starting something new? Join us for an overview of Central Oregon Community College and learn how it can support your personal, academic, and career goals. July 10, Noon-1pm. Sisters Public Library, 110 N. Cedar St., Sisters. Contact: 541-312-1032. lizg@de schuteslibrary.org. Free.

WORDS

Classics Book Club On Wednesday, July 8th, at 6pm, the group will discuss Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe. July 8, 6-7pm. Roundabout Books, 900 NW Mount Washington Dr., #110, Bend. Contact: 541-306-6564. events@ roundaboutbookshop.com. Free.

The Earth Said Remember Me, Jason Dove Mark Jason Dove Mark discusses his book, The Earth Said Remember Me: How to Revive Our Memories and Restore the Planet—“A rallying cry and resistance manual from one of the leaders breathing new life into the environmental movement.” July 9, 6:30-7:30pm. Roundabout Books, 900 NW Mount Washington Dr., #110, Bend. Contact: 541-306-6564. events@

Working with the Madman, Architect, Carpenter, and Judge Revise and polish a manuscript. July 14, 5:30-7:30pm. Central Library, 61956 SE Santorini Street, Bend. Contact: 541-312-1032. lizg@dpls.lib.or.us. Free.

ETC.

Cirque Ma’Ceo LIVE in Redmond • July 10 - 12, 2026 The Magic Rides into Redmond! ✨ Cirque Ma’Ceo presents The Year of the Horse, a breathtaking tribute to the powerful bond between horse and human. Fri, July 10, 7pm, Sat, July 11, 4 and 7pm and Sun, July 12, 1 and 4pm. Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond, Redmond. Contact: 800-927-1539. cavalloeqarts@live.com.

$25 to $40 – Under 3 is free with paid admission..

Beginner SUP class Designed to help build confidence while exploring Central Oregon’s scenic waterways. Learn essential paddle strokes, refine maneuvering skills, improve balance, and practice key safety techniques. Open to participants aged 15 and older. Sundays, 10am-Noon Through Aug. 30. Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe, 805 SW Industrial Way Suite 6, Bend. Contact: 541-317-9407. info@tumalocreek.com. $65/ person.

Crater Lake National Park Guided Tour Crater Lake National Park is a geologic marvel and home to one of the most stunning bodies of water in the world. From the top of Mt. Scott to the edge of the deepest, purest lake in the United States, the exploration at America’s 6th National Park is endless! July 11, 8am-5pm. Wanderlust Tours, 61535 S Hwy 97, Bend. Contact: 541-3898359. info@wanderlusttours.com.

Crooked River Roundup Horse Races

These events feature some of the most athletic horses and riders in the West. Enjoy food, drinks and a good show! July 15, July 16, July 17 and July 18, 5:30pm. Crook County Fairgrounds, 1280 S Main St., Prineville, Prineville. $11.75.

Marvel at our incredible universe in the gorgeous and convenient setting of downtown Sisters! Take in the brilliance of Central Oregon’s night sky while locating constellations, observing visible planets, the moon and other celestial objects. July 11, 9:3010:30pm. Cliff Clemens Park, 550 N. Larch St. in Sisters, Oregon., Sisters. Contact: 541-645-0688. jennie@starshine-theater.com. Free.

Golden Hour Yoga at Loving Kindness Lavender Farm Unwind in the lavender fields with a guided farm tour and an all-levels Vin Yin practice. Relax into movement, breath and restoration, and enjoy lavender mocktails, farm goods, crystals, jewelry, community connection and a U-cut lavender bouquet. July 14 and July 28, 6-8:30pm. Loving Kindness Lavender Farm, 5753 SW Wickiup Ave., Redmond. Contact: 720560-9274. natalie@nataliecutsforth.com. $65.

Plant Hike Join the Deschutes Land Trust to learn about the plants of the Metolius Preserve. Explore the unique transition zone where wet westside and dry eastside plants converge. Learn how differences in geography, geology, and soils determine conditions for the rich diversity of plant life at the Preserve. Registration is required. July 15, 9am-1pm. Metolius Preserve, near Camp Sherman, Sisters. Contact: 541-3300017. event@deschuteslandtrust.org. Free.

Rapid Progression: Two hour Whitewater Kayak Session Level up kayaking skills with Tumalo Creek’s Rapid Progression session designed to help paddlers practice and refine techniques between beginner and intermediate whitewater courses. July 8, 5pm. Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe, 805 SW Industrial Way Suite 6, Bend. Contact: 541-317-9407. info@ tumalocreek.com. $55/person.

VOLUNTEER

Deschutes River Cleanup Join the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council to help care for the Deschutes River! Pull weeds, pick up litter and support scuba divers who will remove instream debris from the river. July 11, 9am-1pm. Farewell Bend Park, 1000 SW Reed Market Rd., Bend. Contact: 5413903665. kmiller@restorethedeschutes.org. Free.

Weed Warriors Join the Deschutes Land Trust and our Weed Warriors to protect our lands from invasive weeds! Help remove non-native weeds from Land Trust protected lands. Children under 18 are permitted with a supervising adult. July 8, 9am-noon. Indian Ford Meadow, Sisters. Contact: 541-330-0017. event@deschuteslandtrust.org. Free.

GROUPS + MEETUPS

Connect W’s Munch & Mingle in Bend Join Connect W for a monthly noon gathering where professional women of Central Oregon connect over meaningful conversations. Second Thursday of every month. Seating limited to 12. Registration required. July 9, 11:45am-1pm. Currents at the Riverhouse, 3075 N. Hwy 97, Bend. Contact: 541-410-1894. info@connectw. org. Cost of meal.

Connect W’s Networking Event Enjoy a relaxed evening where the focus is on conversation, connection & community. Registration is required but the event is free. Beverages and snacks available for purchase at the wine bar. July 15, 5-7pm. Beyond the Vine Wine Bar, 427 SW 8th Street, Redmond. Contact: 541-4101894. info@connectw.org. Cost of drinks & snacks.

Membership 101 | Discover the Benefits Curious about what the Bend Chamber has to offer? Membership 101 is the perfect place to start, featuring an engaging, interactive session about how the Bend Chamber helps businesses connect, grow and thrive. July 14, 10-11am. Bend Chamber, 1567 Chandler Ave., Ste 204, Bend. Contact: (541) 382-3221. marketing@bendchamber.org. Free.

Mom-Friend Speed Dating Join Reill Coaching at TEAL for mom-friend “speed dating” where everyone here is looking for their people! July 15, 6-8pm. Bend Tea and Art Lounge, 1024 NW Bond St, Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 5416686708. info@bendteal.com. $25.

Queer night at Flux Everyone belongs at Flux. A safe space to be who you are. Grab a cup of tea, soak the relaxing waters, and let the conversation flow. Visit flux-lounge.com for more info. Third Wednesday of every month, 6-9pm. Through July 17. Flux Thermal Lounge, 70 SW Century Dr., Suite 145, Bend. Prices vary.

Singles Speed Dating at Stoller (Ages 25ish-49ish) Get ready to meet potential matches at our Speed Dating event (ages 25ish49ish). July 13, 6-8pm. Stoller Wine Bar Bend, 555 NW Arizona Ave., Bend. Contact: 406-6723861. info@epiphanymatch.com. $10.

Tiny Worlds & Meaningful Conversations Enjoy tiny worlds & meaningful conversations, a cozy evening of tea, creativity and connection for women, and an encouraging talk with Nikki Truscelli, COCC instructor and community facilitator. July 8, 4:30-6:30pm. Bend TEAL, 1024 NW Bond Suite 101, Bend. Contact: 541.668.6708. raya@beumom.com. Free, optional donations accepted. info@bendteal.com. Free.

TRACKING A VERY UNIQUE WOODPECKER: ECBA Birder’s Night The Lewis’ woodpecker forages like a flycatcher, flies like a crow, and has the feather palette of a Christmas tree. Kaly Adkins, Regional Wildlife Diversity Biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will present research on this fascinating bird. July 9, 6-7:30pm. Eastside Worthy Brewing, Eastside Worthy Brewing (Hop Mahal Room), 495 NE Bellevue Drive, Bend. Contact: 4172345899. ecba@ecbirds.org. Free.

What is Ranked Choice Voting? Rob Richie will share lessons from uses of RCV in practice, how different approaches to RCV work, and what factors contribute to communities embracing RCV. He’ll put RCV in the broader context of the health of our democracy as it relates to conflicts over gerrymandering, voting rights and democracy itself. July 13, 5:30-7pm. Central Library, 61956 SE Santorini Street, Bend. Contact: 541-931-9096. lwvdeschutes@gmail.com. 0.

FUNDRAISING

Not’Cho Grandma’s Bingo - Bend Park and Recreation Foundation A fabulously fun-packed morning of bingo! Proceeds from this high-energy event will support recreation scholarships and help provide the resources needed for people to take part in Bend Park and Recreation District programs and activities. Bingo card bundles are $30. July 12, 9:30am-Noon. Silver Moon Brewing, 24 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-389-7275. info@bendparksandrec.org. $30.

Support of Heart of Oregon + Win a

FAMILY + KIDS

Family Friendly Beaver Works Restoration Day in Ochoco National Forest Fun, hands-on day helping restore beaver habitat in the beautiful Ochocos! July 12, 9am2pm. Ochocos, Prineville, Prineville. Contact: 5416991606. Maureen@thinkwildco.org. Free. Fire Ecology Camp With Camp Fire Central Oregon! Learn about robotics and engineering through an ecology lens with local field trips and environmental exploration. Register in advance. July 13, July 14, July 15, July 16 and July 17, 9am-3:30pm. Pine Ridge Elementary School, 19840 Hollygrape St., Bend. Contact: 541-382-4682. info@campfireco.org. $375.

Kids’ Butterfly Walk Family-friendly walk around the Metolius Preserve, for kids ages 6-11 with a grown-up in tow. Learn to safely catch and identify butterflies, experience up-close encounters, and learn more about butterfly features and natural history. Registration is required. July 10, 10am-1pm. Metolius Preserve, near Camp Sherman, Sisters. Contact: 541-330-0017. event@ deschuteslandtrust.org. Free.

Nano Ninja Summer Camp Kids will have a blast climbing, performing Ninja Warrior gymnastics movements, parkour tumbling, and building new ninja friendships. Kids must be fully restroom-independent. Ages 4-6 July 13-16, 9am-Noon. Free Spirit Yoga + Ninja + Play, 320 SW Powerhouse Drive, Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 541-241-3919. info@freespiritbend.com. $259.

Neighborhood Nature Days Presented by the NatureConnect Central Oregon partners. Nature exploration, hands-on science, stories and crafts. July 14, 10-11am. Kiwanis Park, 800 SE Centennial St., Bend. Contact: 5413624324. katie@natureconnectco.org. Free.

Welcome the Night 2026 From stargazing to bat watching to telescope tours and insect discoveries, explore the wonder of the dark. July 15, 7-10pm. High Desert Museum, 59800 S. Highway 97, Bend. Contact: 541-382-4754. info@ highdesertmuseum.org. $10.

FOOD + DRINK

Daou Wine Dinner Curated multi-course dining experience featuring the acclaimed

FRIDAY, JULY 10th

JULY 11th

SUNDAY, JULY 12th

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By Richard Sitts

Warsaw Poland Bros. Bring the Ska! 35-year veteran band still rocks the energetic genre of dance music

MASSAGE OILS

ocal live music fans can get their dance on when the longtime purveyors of ska, the Warsaw Poland Bros., hit town July 15. The Bend date kicks off a six-show Oregon run, the band’s first Oregon tour in more than

This tour is a milestone for founder and frontman Chris Poland, the band’s last remaining original member. In 2022, Poland survived a stage 4 cancer diagnosis that cost him a kidney and nearly his life, according to a press release from the band.

Over its 35-year run, Warsaw Poland Bros. has played more than 7,000 shows and shared stages with ska and reggae legends The Skatalites, The Specials, The English Beat, No Doubt and The Offspring. The band is known for playing marathon sets with no breaks. The band was founded by brothers Chris and Aaron Poland in 1991 while in college in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Trombonist Andy Wood wrote to The Source ahead of the band’s upcoming show at Silver Moon Brewing July 15. “I trained as a classical trombonist as a kid, put it down for almost 30 years, and picked it back up two years ago to join this band,” says Wood, who also plays with the Joshua Tree Philharmonic.

Besides Poland on vocals, guitar, sax and the occasional bagpipe, the current lineup includes Kevin Patterson on drums, Brent Simpson on keyboards, Greg Quinn on bass, Lo Natseway on saxophone, with Wood on trombone and occasional washboard. Wood also co-founded the Bridgetown Comedy Festival in Portland and ran it for a decade before moving to California.

“I’m old enough to know this is a young man’s thing to do,” Wood says.

“I’m also old enough to know you don’t turn down a chance you won’t get again. Chris lost a kidney and came back with something to prove. I just stand near him and try to keep up. He’s doing great! The cancer is in remission and he’s playing three-plus-hour shows, sometimes without a break.”

Wood continues, “The part that still gets me is that I picked up the trombone again after 30 years, never imagining it would lead here, and now I’m in a band that strangers regularly tell us is the best live act they’ve ever seen. That’s an amazing thing to have happen at this stage of life.”

Everyone in the band lives in Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree, California, except saxophonist Natseway, who lives in Flagstaff and also joined the band somewhat recently. Wood relates, “Warsaw was her favorite band and at some point after a show she said to Chris, ‘You know, if you ever need a sax player … and here we are!”

Wood adds, “The live show is really the thing, though. Thirty-five years in, this is a band people tend to stumble across, wander into a bar not knowing who’s playing, and walk out converts. There’s a whole genre of ‘who WAS that band?’ posts from people who caught a set by accident. That word-of-mouth, you-had-to-be-there reputation is what a Bend crowd can expect on July 15.”

BEER + DRINK

July Passholder Party Presented by Play Forever Foundation. Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden for July’s Passholder Party. Chat with Mt. Bachelor leadership, connect with other 26/27 passholders and enjoy your first beer on them. July 9, 5-7pm. Deschutes Brewery Tasting Room & Beer Garden, 901 SW Simpson Ave., Bend. Free.

Summer Haunts Makers Market Year two of a summer-ween inspired market Summer Haunts! Featuring unique vendors, flash tattoos & specialty beer releases. July 11, 1-6pm. Funky Fauna Artisan Ales, 1125 NE Second St., Bend. Contact: danielle@funkyfaunabeer.com. Free.

Uncorked Experience a day of wine, music and community savoring wines from renowned vineyards of Southern Oregon, Willamette Valley and Columbia River Valley. Enjoy live music, food and sip through a curated selection of regional favorites. July 11, 1-8pm. SHARC, 57250 Overlook Rd., Sunriver. Contact: 541-585-5000. sharcevents@srowners.org. $25.

HEALTH + WELLNESS

Badass Sound Bath This isn’t your typical sound bath and that’s exactly the point. Come as you are, leave feeling like a total zenned-out badass. July 14, 6:30-7:30pm. Continuum, A School of Shadow Yoga, 155 SW Century Drive, Suite 112, Bend. Contact: (503) 816-5837. maramcbeckerllc@gmail.com. $25.00.

First Moon Ceremony Journey toward womanhood by softening cultural shame around menstruation, creating connection with other same-age youths, and embodying the emotional resilience needed to navigate the liminal spaces of the tween years and beyond. July 8, 5-7pm. Private Residence in Tumalo, Tumalo, Bend. Contact: 541-948-5035. jessica@intrepidher.com. $33.

Free Your Authentic Voice: a Chakradance™ Journey Inspired by the Throat Chakra, this Chakradance™ journey uses guided music and intuitive movement to explore expression, truth, and authentic communication. No dance experience needed. July 11, 10-11:30am. Hanai, 62430 Eagle Rd, Bend. Contact: sacredsoulflowbend@gmail.com. From $49.87.

Intuition Activation Class w/Cathleen Hylton Through guided exercises, grounding practices, and hands-on intuitive exploration, participants learn how to tune into your own inner wisdom with ease. July 15, 6-7:30pm. The Peoples Apothecary, 1841 NE Division Street, Bend. Contact: 541-728-2368. classes@thepeoplesapothecary.net. $30.

LGBTQIA+ NAMI Mental Health Peer Support Group This is a peer-led support group event for adults who identify as S2LGBTQIA and are living with mental health challenges. Second and Fourth Tuesday of every month, 6-7pm. Almadorada, 180 NW Oregon Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-316-0888. organize@ namicentraloregon.org. Free.

Men’s Connection Group This is the perfect event for men struggling with life challenges and looking for support. This event is a circle for an evening of support, sharing, and connection. Mondays, 6:30-8:30pm. Living Undone, 33 NW Louisiana Ave, Bend. Contact: 541-410-5572. centraloregonmen@gmail.com. Free/ Donations accepted.

Men’s Yoga for Low Back & Hips

Mobility Stop ignoring that stiff lower back and locked hips. Join us Mondays at 5pm for a zero-fluff mobility session built for the male frame. Reset your nervous system, clear the compression, and rebuild your physical baseline. No flexibility required—just show up and do the work. Email/text for Zoom link/address. Mondays, 5pm. Private Home, Deschutes River Woods, Bend. Contact: 541-668-7594. andrew@masculineembodiment.com. Donation.

Mini Yogi 6-Week Summer Series Each class is designed around a theme and includes age-appropriate yoga sequences, partner poses, songs, and mini obstacle course to help with kids’ social, mental, and physical development! Age 3-5. Fridays, 11am-Noon and Fridays, 11am-Noon Through Sept. 4. Free Spirit Yoga + Ninja + Play, 320 SW Powerhouse Drive, Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 541-241-3919. info@freespiritbend.com. $134.

NAMI Central Oregon Bend In-Person Adult Mental Health Peer Support Group NAMI’s Peer Connection Support Group is a free, peer-led support group for adults living with mental health challenges. Attendees will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others, and the groups are led by NAMI-trained facilitators who’ve been there.

Fourth and Second Sunday of every month, 3-4:30pm. NAMI Bend In-Person Peer Support Group, 62030 Dean Swift Rd, Bend. Contact: 541-316-0888. organize@namicentraloregon. org. Free.

NAMI Family Support Group Gain hope and develop supportive relationships. This group allows one’s voice to be heard and provides an opportunity for personal needs to be met. It encourages empathy, productive discussion and a sense of community. Second and Fourth Wednesday of every month, 5:30-6:30pm. First Presbyterian Church, 230 NE Ninth St., Bend. Contact: info@namicentraloregon.org. Free.

NAMI Mental Health Peer Support

Group: Bend NAMI’s Peer Connection Support Group is a free, peer-led support group for adults living with mental health challenges. You will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others, and the groups are led by NAMI-trained facilitators who’ve been there. Held the 2nd & 4th Sunday monthly. Second Sunday of every month, 3-4pm. The Taylor Center (Best Care), 358 NE Marshall Ave, Bend. Contact: 541-316-0167. programs@namicentraloregon. org. Free.

New Moon Sound Bath: Home Within A New Moon Sound Bath inspired by the nurturing energy of Cancer. Through crystal singing bowls, gong, handpan, chimes, synthesizer and ambient textures, you’ll be invited to soften, listen within and reconnect with the quiet wisdom beneath the surface. A gentle return to the quiet place within. July 12, 7-8:15pm. Bend Yoga Center, 1230 NE 3rd Street, Suite A230, Bend. Contact: yoga@ bendyoga.center. 25.

Outdoor Yoga Classes This event is an all-levels Outdoor Yoga Class! Classes offering sun salutations and creative yoga sequences to spark heat, amp up endurance, and build strength and flexibility. Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays-Saturdays, 9:15-10:15am. Through Sept. 12. Free Spirit Yoga + Ninja + Play, 320 SW Powerhouse Drive, Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 541-241-3919. info@freespiritbend.com. $22.

Pain Free Posture - Celebrating More than 50 Years of The Vance Stance Tired of being in pain? Get to the root of why you are tight & suffering. Learn to stand in gravity, not behind it. Offering a series of 5 1.5 hour sessions in my private studio for $175. You pick the date and time. Wednesdays, 12-1:30pm. EastSide Home Studio, 21173, Bend. Contact: 541-3309070. vancebonner@juno.com. $175 for 5 class series.

Prineville In-Person Group NAMI Connection Peer Support Group is a free, peer-led support group for any adult who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. You will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others, and the groups are led by trained leaders who’ve been there. First and Third Wednesday of every month, 3pm. Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 695 N.W. Third St., Prineville. Contact: organize@namicentraloregon.org. Free.

Rest as Resistance Slow down with supported restorative postures, hands-on or hands-hovering Reiki, and guided rest. Close with space to share or simply be witnessed — because there is power in being together. Wednesdays, 6:15-7:30pm. Pine & Prism Wellness Collective, 856 NW Bond St., Suite 202, Bend. Contact: 918-671-5457. hello@pineandprism. com. Pay what you can.

Rest in Rhythm This slow, floor-based practice combines gentle movement, supported rest, guided meditation, and live sound to help settle into the body and reconnect with breath. Designed to support the nervous system without urgency or expectation, Rest in Rhythm offers a softer start to the day. Thursdays, 7-8am. Pine & Prism Wellness Collective, 856 NW Bond St., Suite 202, Bend. Contact: 918-671-5457. hello@ pineandprism.com. Pay what you can.

Reverie Healing: Mobile Reiki In a world that rarely slows down, Reiki offers a chance to pause. Reverie Healing provides personalized sessions that support stress relief, emotional balance and nervous system restoration, helping you feel more grounded, present and connected to yourself. Mobile sessions available throughout Central Oregon. June 22-Sept. 2. Central Oregon, Countywide, . Contact: 971-266-3401. Paige. Bevando@gmail.com. $85.

Rooted in Refuge Through long-held, supported yin postures, Rooted in Refuge invites one to slow down, soften, and reconnect with oneself through breath, awareness, and rest. With Erin’s warm and grounded guidance, this class offers space to tune inward and gently tend to the nervous system in community. Thursdays, 4:30-5:30pm. Pine & Prism Wellness Collective, 856 NW Bond St., Suite 202, Bend. Contact: 918671-5457. hello@pineandprism.com. Pay what you can.

Sister Circle Community Gathering Step into a space of warmth, support, and celebration at our Monthly Sister Circle Gathering! Come together with a circle of incredible women to honor and uplift each other while embracing the beauty of the changing seasons. This gathering is a haven where you can nourish your soul. Second Monday of every month, 6:308:45pm. Hanai Center, 62430 Eagle Road, Bend. Contact: 650-862-9336. willow@emergingheartscollective.com. $35-$55.

Somatic Channeling Circle: FREE

Somatic channeling group for those already practicing embodied energy work. Gather in a small, supportive circle to deepen connection through shared experience. Reach out via email thdubose@gmail.com or phone for the location. Every other Sunday, 4-6pm. Harriman Healing Arts, 1010 NW Harriman St, Bend. Contact: 541797-3638. thdubose@gmail.com. Free.

Sunset Sounds: A Lavender & Reiki infused Sound Bath Lavender infused Reiki & Sound Bath. Try Qigong (movement meditation), walking meditation amongst the lavender and then full hour-long sound bath by Lisa of StepintoStillness while Reiki master, Rach Huff of Pine&Prism performs Reiki. Lavender Lemonade &refreshments served during sunset. July 10, 6:30-8:30pm. Tumalo Lavender Farm, 19825 Connarn Rd, Bend. Contact: 541-905-2949. soundbathstillness@gmail.com. $45.

Tarot & Tea Sitting with uncertainty or feeling Tarot curious? Kati is an Intuitive Tarot Reader who weaves astrological nuance into her readings, offering deep presence and honest reflection to help you feel seen, find clarity, and move forward with confidence. Reserve your spot ahead of time at threedeertarot.com Sat, July 11, 11am-2pm and Sat, Aug. 8, 11am-2pm. The Peoples Apothecary, 1841 NE Division Street, Bend. Contact: 541-728-2368. hello@ threedeertarot.com. $44.

The Embodied Leadership Immersion

An Immersion for men who want to build real, embodied leadership within themselves, their purpose and their relationships. The Embodied Leadership Immersion is a training ground for men who are ready to cultivate valuable leadership traits directly in the body - not as ideas - but as lived skills. Fri, July 10, 2-8pm, Sat, July 11, 8-10am and Sun, July 12, 8am-8pm. Green Rock Retreat, 15580 Southwest Fs 5480 Road, Culver. Contact: 604-657-4191. support@travisstreb. com. $1,777.

Wednesday Night Astrology Talk People root themselves in ancient teachings of both philosophy and astronomy to link to the astrology of modern times. Learn about the divine cosmic tapestry of time. Wednesdays, 4:30-6:30pm. Unity Spiritual Community of Central Oregon, 63645 Scenic Dr,, Bend. Contact: 657-349-9750. esoteric.butcher@gmail.com. $5-$20 Donation.

Weekly Online Breathwork Weekly online breathwork hosted from Bend, Oregon and open worldwide. Release stress, reset the nervous system, and reconnect to calm through guided Conscious Connected Breathing. Trauma-aware and choice-based. Wednesdays, 6:30pm. Through Dec. 30. Contact: confluencebreathbody@gmail.com. $22.

Yoga @ The Elk Lake 60-minute Vinyasa yoga class set against the serene backdrop of Elk Lake in Central Oregon. This inclusive all-levels practice invites everyone, from first-time yogis to seasoned practitioners, to experience the harmonious blend of movement, breath, and nature. Sat, June 20, 10-11am, Sat, June 27, 10-11am, Sat, July 4, 10-11am, Sat, July 11, 10-11am, Sat, July 18, 10-11am, Sat, Aug. 1, 10-11am, Sat, Aug. 8, 10-11am, Sat, Aug. 22, 10-11am, Sat, Aug. 29, 10-11am and Sat, Sept. 5, 10-11am. Elk Lake Resort - Lodge Bar & Restaurant, 60000 SW Century Dr., Bend. Contact: 541-316-9213. missie@romingyogabend.com. $25.

CULTURE

The legacy of Jerry Garcia’s 30-year music career is still going strong more than 30 years after his death. Garcia’s birthday, on Aug. 1, will be honored at several local venues in the days surrounding that date.

Silver Moon Brewing is kicking off the celebration with a Jerry Garcia Band Night on July 22. Fans can dance the night away with jam-band favorites StealHead and The Soul Sistahs, plus special guests Gbots and The Journeymen on “Jerry Duty.” All ages are welcome.

The owners of McMenamins are known “Deadheads” and celebrate Garcia for a full week from Aug. 1-9, which is called “Days Between.”

“Days Between isn’t just about Jerry Garcia’s birthday — though we do love celebrating birthdays! Instead, it’s a 9-day tribute to his entire life. It starts on his birthday, ends on the anniversary of his death, and covers allllll the days in between the two,” according to a post on McMenamins’ website.

The week includes food and drink specials including a special West Coast IPA brewed with Citra and Strata hops, “I Need a Miracle” grilled cheese, a sloppy Jerry sandwich and “Reckoning” — a Kentucky bourbon whiskey, ginger liqueur and lemon.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School is hosting three nights of free music including StealHead on Aug. 1, which channels the music catalog of the Jerry Garcia Band; Late for the Train Plays Dead on Aug. 5; and Call Down Thunder, a local Grateful Dead tribute band, which rolls in on Aug. 7. The week ends with authors Gabi Moskowitz and Jim Newton in conversation. Moskowitz wrote “Dead in the Kitchen:The Official Grateful Dead Cookbook,” a vegetarian cookbook inspired by the band’s music, culture and community. Newton wrote “Here Beside the Rising Tide: Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead and an American Awakening” which explores

The Flame Keeps Burning

A

week-long celebration honoring Jerry Garcia’s legacy is happening throughout Bend

By Nic Moye

the Grateful Dead’s history through the life of Jerry Garcia. Tickets for that are $15 in advance/$20 at the door.

One tribute band still holding a torch for Garcia is Jerry’s Middle Finger. The musicians say it’s a full fan experience, with everyone sharing a devotion to the same catalog of songs.

More than a cover band, the group’s drummer and co-founder Rodney Newman says online,”We’ve studied these songs: the guitar tones, the vocal arrangements, the keyboard sounds. We play them the way Jerry did, and we connect with the audience in an interactive,

open-hearted way. It’s an approach that transcends the perfection of a performance or the spectacle of a light show, because we’re not really about that. We’re about the music, the feeling and the communal experience.” Jerry’s Middle Finger is on a national tour, stopping at the Tower Theatre on Aug. 6.

A California Grateful Dead tribute band is heading to Volcanic Theatre on Aug. 7. Definitely Dead is on a mission to keep the spirit alive.

The Deadhead subculture developed in the 1970s when fans began traveling to see as many Grateful Dead concerts

as they could. The band was known for not repeating sets and extensive improvisations, making each show feel unique. The band performed more than 2,200 live shows.

Garcia was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. “Rolling Stone’” ranked the rock legend, known for his distinctive guitar playing, 13th best on its list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

Jerry Garcia Band Night Wed, July 22 7pm Silver Moon Brewing 24 NW Greenwood Ave, Bend facebook.com/SilverMoonBeer/ $10

“Days Between” Sat-Sun Aug 1-9

McMenamins Old St. Francis School 700 NW Bond St, Bend StealHead (8/1)

Late for the Train (8/5) Call Down Thunder (8/7) Free Conversation with Gabi Moskowitz & Jim Newton

$15 advance mcmenamins.com/Find.aspx?txtSearch=days+between&t=1

Jerry’s Middle Finger Thu, Aug 6 8:30pm Tower Theatre 835 NW Wall St, Bend towertheatre.org/event/jerrys-middle-finger-8-6-26 $17+

Definitely Dead Fri, Aug 7 7pm Volcanic Theatre

70 SW Century Dr, Bend tixr.com/groups/volcanictheatre/events/definitely-dead-187584

$25 advance/$35 door

CHOW C Worth the Wait: Bamboo Sushi Brings Sustainable Style to Bend Pristine

seafood, inventive rolls and a polished atmosphere have diners lining up

By Donna Britt

Bamboo Sushi has finally arrived in Bend and judging by the crowds, Central Oregon has been waiting patiently. Originally expected to open back in December, the restaurant finally welcomed its first guests during the first week of June. Since then, word has spread quickly. On my recent early evening visit, the wait for either a table or a seat at the bar stretched to about 45 minutes. Nobody seemed particularly bothered. The dining room buzzed with conversation while more than one guest nearby mentioned this was already their second visit because it was simply “that good.”

I’ll admit I approached Bamboo Sushi with a bit of skepticism. I am not usually drawn to chain restaurants, especially when Bend has so many excellent independent options. But Bamboo Sushi is a relatively small company with locations in Portland, Washington, Denver and San Francisco, and it has built a reputation around something more meaningful than expansion.

In 2008, Bamboo Sushi became what the company says was the world’s first certified sustainable sushi restaurant. The restaurant emphasizes responsibly sourced seafood and works with organizations including the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. Even better, one percent of sales from its Green Machine

Roll and Sushi Boards are donated to environmental nonprofits. Those are admirable goals that make ordering another roll feel just a little easier.

The Oregon Avenue space in downtown Bend deserves its own applause. Anyone who remembers its previous lives as neighborhood bars may hardly recognize it. The footprint remains the same, but nearly everything else has changed. Fresh paint, contemporary finishes, strategic lighting, comfortable seating and a soaring ceiling transform the room into something bright, modern and unexpectedly sophisticated. Even packed to capacity, the restaurant never felt cramped.

The menu is expansive without becoming overwhelming. Starters range from comforting bowls of miso soup and spicy edamame to cucumber sunomono, Agedashi tofu, crispy rice dishes, tempura selections, fresh oysters and oyster shooters. For guests looking beyond sushi, the “From the Kitchen” section offers dishes such as Miso Glazed Black Cod with orange, ginger, yuzu miso and gochugaru oil, along with Pan Seared Kanpachi served over a colorful heirloom tomato and roasted corn salad with charred apricot peach puree. There’s even a half pound Wagyu burger topped with Tillamook white cheddar, momiji aioli and served with furikake fries.

Traditionalists will appreciate the broad selection of nigiri and sashimi featuring everything from Coho salmon and steelhead trout to snow crab. I chose the seared Albacore Nigiri finished with duck fat and truffle salt. The fish was only lightly seared, allowing its freshness to remain front and center while the duck fat added richness without overwhelming the delicate flavor. At $13 for two pieces, it felt like a worthwhile splurge.

The Signature Rolls showcase Bamboo Sushi’s more playful side. Choices include the Bamboo Dragon, loaded with shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and seasoned crab, and The Unicorn featuring spicy crab, shrimp tempura, albacore and jalapeno dressing. The Green Machine, perhaps the restaurant’s signature creation, layers tempura fried green beans, avocado, cilantro, green onion and sweet chili aioli, with the option of adding salmon, albacore or crab.

The Garden of Eden immediately caught my attention because of two unexpected ingredients, crisp apple and pickled mustard seed. Those additions,

paired with spicy albacore, cucumber, seared tuna, basil and yuzu vinaigrette, created one of the most memorable specialty rolls I have had in quite some time. Every bite balanced freshness, acidity and texture beautifully.

Guests who struggle to choose can order one of several curated experiences built for sharing. The Setto serves two to four diners with nigiri, sashimi, crispy rice, chopped salad and multiple rolls. Larger groups can step up to the Kazoku, which feeds as many as eight people with an even more generous assortment.

The beverage program deserves nearly as much attention as the food. Sake pairings are thoughtfully suggested alongside several sashimi selections, making it easy for newcomers to venture beyond familiar choices. The sake list ranges from approachable house hot sake to premium pours with tasting notes highlighting pineapple, honeydew, roasted pistachio and melon. Flights of sake and Japanese whisky encourage exploration, while cocktails such as the Kyoto Sunrise with yuzu kosho infused tequila or the floral Alpine Bloom provide creative alternatives. Beer drinkers will find Japanese imports alongside local favorites including pFriem Rice Lager and StormBreaker IPA. Those skipping alcohol have several appealing choices as well, including housemade lemonade and a refreshing peach ginger Palmer.

Dessert is worth saving room for. The butter mochi cake arrives with passionfruit guava puree, orange and whipped cream, while the Haupia Pie layers coconut custard, dark chocolate ganache, macadamia crust and roasted strawberry puree. A black sesame brownie rounds out the small but tempting dessert menu.

Prices land about where you would expect for an upscale sushi restaurant. Starters begin around $6, signature rolls hover near $20, entrees reach the upper twenties and cocktails range from $13 to $16. It is certainly not an inexpensive evening out, but the quality of the ingredients, polished atmosphere and careful presentation make the cost feel justified.

Bamboo Sushi brings something that feels distinctly urban to Bend. The room is stylish without being pretentious, the menu rewards adventurous diners while remaining approachable for newcomers, and every plate that passed our table looked as beautiful as it did appetizing. Just one piece of advice. Arrive early, because everyone else seems to have discovered it already.

Bamboo Sushi Tue-Fri 4-9pm, Sat Noon-9pm 125 NW Oregon Ave, Bend bamboosushi.com

541-241-9122

LITTLE BITES

By Nic Moye

A Food Journey

A new pie shop is about to open and a trail map will lead you on a food adventure

Pie? Yes, Please!

A pie shop is opening next to Hola! on NW Minnesota Avenue. Construction is currently underway to remodel the space once held by BrownBag Popcorn which moved across the street. Pie Maison describes itself as a modern bakery with European soul. According to its website, it will offer signature pies along with monthly rotating seasonal specials by the slice or whole. The company is currently hiring bakers who will work at an off-site commercial kitchen then transport pies to the downtown retail shop. Pie Maison is expected to open later this month.

Pie Maison

Opening Soon 920 NW Bond St, Suite 106 piemaison.com/

High Desert Food Trail

The High desert Food & Farm Alliance released the latest High Desert Food Trail, a self-guided food adventure highlighting local farms, ranches, restaurants and culinary experiences. Sixty businesses are on the list from Sunriver to Warm Springs. Categories include craft beverages, cafes, bakeries, eateries, farm stands, specialty markets, farmers markets, agritourism experiences and accommodations. Accessibility is also a priority with many of the businesses certified through Wheel the World such as Faith, Hope and Charity, Rainshadow

Organics, DD Ranch, Lazy Z Ranch and Tumalo Farmstand.

New this year, the first High Desert Food Trail Scavenger Hunt will take place in the Sisters and Tumalo areas on Saturday, Sept. 19. The interactive event will lead participants on a family-friendly adventure exploring local businesses.

High Desert Food Trail

Ongoing

Scavenger Hunt Sept 19 hdffa.org/hdft

SC SCREEN An Odyssey, a Dunesday and Everything In-Between

What films to anticipate in the second half of 2026

By Jared Rasic

While the first half of the year hasn’t given us an overabundance of masterpieces, it has been a banner year for genre entertainment. From the meteoric rise of YouTube creators turning out horror blockbusters like “Obsession,” “Backrooms” and “Iron Lung,” to the deeply touching, humanistic “The Sheep Detectives,” and the jaw-dropping maximalist brilliance of “I Love Boosters,” 2026 has belonged to filmmakers with uncompromising, highly specific visions. Still, it’s the back half of the year that has me truly enthusiastic about the state of cinema. The release schedule is jam-packed with exciting work from innovative artists around the world.

Let’s take a look at what’s to come.

July 17 — “The Odyssey”: For many, this is their most anticipated release of 2026 and I can’t blame them. Director Christopher Nolan has not only ushered an entire generation of film nerds into their cinematic obsessions with “Interstellar,” “The Dark Knight” and “Inception,” but he also tends to push filmmaking with each successive release. While I don’t think he’s without his misses (“The Dark Knight Rises” didn’t work for me as much as I hoped), his take on Homer’s epic looks like the kind of old-school spectacle filmmaking we so rarely get anymore.

July 24 — “Her Private Hell”: Nicolas Winding Refn makes movies I either love or absolutely love to hate, which means I have to catch everything he puts his demented fingerprints on. This looks like another neon nightmare from the auteur of audaciousness. With Sophie Thatcher and Charles Melton starring, I’m on board no matter what the story is— which is good, because after watching the trailer three times, I still have no idea what it’s about. The film received dismal reviews out of Cannes, so temper those expectations if you’re an NWR fan.

July 31 — “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”: Yeah, yeah, I get it, it’s not cool to like Marvel movies anymore, but if you expect me not to be excited for a new Tom Holland and Zendaya “Spider-Man” movie, then you just don’t know me. Plus, this introduces Sadie Sink to the MCU (I’m almost positive she’s playing Jean Grey), features appearances from The Hulk and The Punisher and lands the director of “Shang-Chi” behind the camera. Sorry to be a bad film nerd, but I’m hyped for this one.

July 31 — “The Samurai and the Prisoner”: There are very few living filmmakers who remotely approach the brilliance of Kiyoshi Kurosawa. His latest, a samurai murder mystery set in the late 16th century, looks like yet another masterwork.

A FEW OTHERS TO LOOK FOR

Aug. 7 — “Tony”: I didn’t realize I needed a biopic about a young Anthony Bourdain, but here we are. The film follows the pivotal period of his life in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where he fell in love with the intersection of food and writing while working for a chef who channelled his spiraling angst into a passion for cuisine. It looks fantastic and with Canadian filmmaker Matt (“Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie”) Johnson directing, this has a chance of being something truly delectable.

Aug. 7 — “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma”: One of my most anticipated films of the entire year is the third feature from indie auteur Jane Schoenbrun, starring Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson. The movie looks like a love letter to filmmaking and 80s slasher flicks, so expect another gorgeously singular vision that makes little to no money.

Sept. 9 — “Hope”: This looks like an absolutely bonkers sci-fi alien invasion flick from Na Hong-jin, the South Korean madman behind “The Wailing” and “The Yellow Sea.” South Korean filmmakers—Na included— are routinely a few years ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to genre filmmaking, so expect this one to be a stunning work of pure imagination.

Oct. 9 — “Fjord”: Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, “Fjord” appears to be another uncomfortably tense masterpiece from the great Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, Starring Sebastian Stan and the always astonishing Renate Reinsve, the film focuses on a family of five that relocates from Romania to the Norwegian fjords, only to be accused of “disturbing behavior.” I can’t wait for this one.

Oct. 23 — “Clayface,” “Klara and the Sun” and “Wildwood”: This singular calendar day features three separate releases I can’t wait to see. “Clayface” promises a body horror flick set in Batman’s Gotham

July 24: “Sheep in the Box”

July 31: “I Want Your Sex” and “Terrestrial”

Aug. 14: “The End of Oak Street” and “The Rivals of Amziah King”

Aug. 28: “Coyote vs Acme,” “Colony” and “Idiots”

Sept. 4: “Onslaught”

Sept. 11: “Practical Magic 2”

Sept. 18: “Resident Evil” and “The Weight”

Sept. 25: “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother”

City; “Klara and the Sun” is based on the gorgeous, heart-rending novel from Nobel Prize-winner Kazuo Ishiguro and “Wildwood” is the new stop-motion animated film from Portland’s own Laika studios, based on the children’s book by The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy. This will be a long, glorious day at the theater.

Nov. 6 — “Wild Horse Nine”: A new film from certified genius Martin (“Three Billboards”) McDonagh is always cause for celebration. This one looks even juicier with Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich and Steve Buscemi in front of the camera. Set on Easter Island just before the 1973 Chilean coup, expect an irreverent historical takedown from one of the sharpest Irish writers in history.

Nov. 20 — “Minotaur”: A Russian remake of Chabrol’s “The Unfaithful Wife” from masterful filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev? Shut up and take my money.

Nov. 25 — “The Adventures of Cliff Booth”: While I will always line up for whatever David Fincher cooks up, I still find it fascinatingly weird that he’s dipping his toes into the world of Quentin Tarantino for a Netflix movie that is only hitting IMAX theaters for a limited time. Call me cautiously optimistic.

Dec. 18 — “ Dune: Part Three” and “Avengers: Doomsday”: What is colloquially known as “Dunesday,” expect this to be the single busiest day movie theaters experience all year. Personally, I can’t wait to see Robert Downey Jr. back in the MCU or to find out how Denis Villeneuve is going to wrap up his beastly “Dune” franchise in one final film. Even if this represents the most predictable, corporate blockbuster day of the year, if it keeps movie theaters in business, I’m there with popcorn in hand.

What are you most excited to see in the second half of 2026??

Oct. 2: “Digger”

Oct. 9: “The Social Reckoning”

Oct. 16: “Once Upon a Time in Harlem”

Nov. 6: “Godzilla Minus Zero”

Nov. 13: “The Great Beyond” and “Paper Tiger”

Nov. 20: “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping”

Dec. 25: “Werwulf”

OUTSIDE

Bend into Balance: Willis Mitchell of the Loving Fungi

Mushrooms and humans share a lot more than one might think

By Adriana Marino

Willis Mitchell’s passion for mushrooms does not go unnoticed. His eyes light up as he enthusiastically explains why he has devoted his life’s work to this remarkable kingdom. During our podcast conversation, he mentioned that fungi are more closely related to humans than to plants — a statement that immediately piqued my curiosity.

Rather than belonging to the plant kingdom, fungi occupy their own unique biological kingdom and share a distant common ancestor with animals — including humans — dating back approximately 1.1 to 1.5 billion years. This shared evolutionary history means fungi and humans share important similarities in cellular biology and many fundamental biochemical pathways, making fungi a rich source of medically relevant compounds that interact with human physiology.

The more I learned, the more I realized that fungi aren’t just fascinating organisms — they’ve quietly transformed modern medicine. Some of our most important drugs, from antibiotics to immune-modulating medicines, trace their origins back to the fungal kingdom. Scientists estimate there are as many as 3.8 million fungal species on Earth, several hundred of which have been identified as containing compounds with medicinal potential. Although research is ongoing, the strength of evidence varies considerably among different mushroom species and health conditions.

Excerpts from the podcast with Willis Mitchell (quotes have been abridged for print version)

Willis Mitchell: When I first got up here (Bend) and it was like, well, what is my life? I kind of took this expanded view of what happiness means to me? And it wasn’t money, it wasn’t people, wasn’t things. It wasn’t homes. Like, I’ve had all of that and it’s all, you know, transient. It seemed to me if I could figure out what I was passionate about and do that, that would bring me great happiness and joy. Then the other part of this is, well, if I could do something I’m passionate about and it benefits others. I’m of service. It’s like this never-ending cycle of feelings of joy and excitement. And I no longer seek happiness. It’s more just peace. Yes, but at the time, that was my question. And all I knew is that what I was passionate about was mushrooms.

Adriana Marino: I’m very curious. What is the magic of mushrooms? Why are mushrooms so interesting?

WM: Yeah, it’s a fascinating species. They’re not plants. They’re not humans. They’re not animals. They’re their own thing. And we’re actually more closely related to them than we are to plants. We have receptors inside of us that are designed just for them. Some folk talk about the spores being able to travel through space. So, are these intergalactic beings that come here with, like, a consciousness, mission and energy? On a very physical level, what affects them, affects us, molds and things like that. So, we can use that intelligence to help our bodies with defense. And a lot of these are considered adaptogens, which help us regulate and adapt to our environment, which is changing continuously.

It’s a huge subject to dive into. They’re the reason that trees decompose and we have minerals and nutrients and stuff so that we can grow things. Healthy soil has fungus in it. It’s a wideopen subject. What I found most fascinated about them — beyond the tasty foodstuffs, porcinis and morels — was just the medicinal qualities of these and how long we’ve actually known about them as humans.

AM: How has all this study and work and just this constant learning with mushrooms enhanced your own health and wellness?

WM: For who I am today and who I was 10-15 years ago, health-wise I feel fantastic. I’m 43, going to be 44, I don’t look it. Now, I feel stronger than I ever have; understanding the necessity to move my body to lift heavy weights and to break those cell membranes and to grow them, understanding the importance of detoxing. I feel really, really vibrant- right nutrition, right mindset, right spiritual connection. And then accessing these beautiful medicines that are here for us. And this also connects us to our ancestry. There’s something deep inside of us when we start working with these things that get activated. It’s fascinating.

—Adriana Mariño is the producer and host of Bend into Balance. She is a board-certified functional medicine health & wellness coach, and a graduate of the 200-hour yoga teacher training at Namaspa and loves to swim, ski, hike, bike, and travel. Adriana can be reached at adrimarino@hotmail.com.

A few remarkable medicinal mushrooms:

Reishi (The Mushroom of Immortality)

Revered in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, Reishi contains beta-glucans and triterpenoids. Beta-glucans help modulate immune function, while triterpenoids have demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in laboratory studies.

Cordyceps (The Energy Parasite)

Cordyceps has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been studied for its potential to support energy production, aerobic performance, and oxygen utilization.

Turkey Tail (The Cancer Adjuvant)

Turkey Tail is one of the most extensively researched medicinal mushrooms in the world. In Japan, a purified extract known as PSK has been approved for decades as an adjunct to conventional cancer treatment, particularly alongside chemotherapy for certain cancers.

By Nic Moye

Balloons Over Bend Returns

July 24-26

A weekend of flights, entertainment and beauty

Every year in late-July, on a clear day in Bend, you can look up in the sky and see the brilliant colors of hot air balloons floating against the crisp blueness of a summer morning dawn. The annual Balloons Over Bend returns July 24-26. The balloons launch each day just after sunrise from R.E. Jewell Elementary School in southeast Bend on Murphy Road. It’s free to watch the pilots prepare the balloons and lift off.

On Friday evening, the festival moves to the athletic field at Central Oregon Community College. Gates open at 5pm with an array of activities including two FlippenOut extreme trampoline shows, a Balloon Blast kids race and live music from the Tri-Cities Steel Drum Band, culminating with a balloon glow. The balloons are rolled out beginning at 8:30pm and lit up at sunset. FlippenOut is a nationally touring show with gravity-defying flips, wall tricks and high energy stunts at 5;30 and 6:30pm on July 24. The kid race is an obstacle course designed for ages 3 to 10. Participants will run, climb and compete while parents cheer them on. The Tri-Cities Steel Band Association features youth-powered steel drums and African marimbas. There will also be a marketplace with vendors selling art and other items. Tickets to the evening at COCC are $13 for kids 12 and under and $15 for adults. Discounts are given for buying multiple tickets in advance.

On Saturday, the evening balloon glow moves to American Legion Park in Redmond. That event, which also begins at 5pm, includes a Brewfest, food trucks, craft vendors, live music and the night glow at sunset. The Redmond festivities are free to attend.

The nation’s fascination with hot air balloons dates back more than two centuries. The first humans achieved flight by balloon nearly 150 years before airplanes. According to the Balloon Museum, the first hot air balloon was launched in 1783 by French scientist Jean-Francois Pilatre De Rozier. It carried three non-human passengers — a rooster, duck and sheep — remaining aloft for 15 minutes before a hard landing on the ground. A decade later gas-powered balloons dominated the flight experience. Hot air ballooning was revived in the 1950s when engineer Ed Yost redesigned the system to allow air-powered balloons to fly longer distances.

—Lay It Out Events, which produces Balloons Over Bend, is owned by the same parent company as the Source.

Bend Balloon Launches Fri-Sun July 24-26 Sunrise

R.E. Jewell Elementary School 20550 Murphy Rd,, Bend balloonsoverbend.com/night-glow/ Free

Bend Balloon Glow Fri, July 24 5-10pm COCC Athletic Field

2600 NW College Way, Bend balloonsoverbend.com/night-glow/ $13 children/ $15 adults

Redmond Balloon Glow Sat, July 25 5-10pm American Legion Park

850 SW Rimrock Way, Redmond balloonsoverbend.com/night-glow/ Free

FRIDAY, JULY 25

BALLOON LAUNCHES AT SUNRISE AT JEWELL ELEMENTARY

BEND NIGHT GLOW PRESENTED BY HIXON MORTGAGE A CELEBRATION AT COCC KIDS ROCK THE RACES

BALLOON BLAST PRESENTED BY COPA

SATURDAY, JULY 26

BALLOON LAUNCHES AT SUNRISE AT JEWELL ELEMENTARY

REDMOND BREWFEST & NIGHT GLOW

SUNDAY, JULY 27

BALLOON LAUNCHES AT SUNRISE AT JEWELL ELEMENTARY

PRESENTED BY

UNDERSTANDING INTIMACY A COLUMN THAT FOSTERS DEEPER LOVE BETWEEN COUPLES

By Dr. Jane Guyn

How to Get in the Mood While Exhausted

My husband and I have been married for 10 years and have two elementary-school-aged kids. They just got out of school, and I’m already exhausted. We love them to death, but if I’m honest, they’re a lot — our 8-year-old daughter is neurodivergent, and our 6-year-old son is a whirlwind of energy. I read somewhere that you and your husband raised six kids. Honestly, I have no idea how anyone does that and survives. Kudos to you both for doing the impossible.

This question isn’t really about parenting (although it could be, lol) — it’s about sex and intimacy. With everything we’re navigating, it’s literally impossible to imagine feeling turned on. I’ve read Emily Nagoski’s book Come As You Are, so I know I have plenty of sexual “brakes.” But I think my real problem is a lack of accelerators. How do I get myself in the mood when I’m exhausted just from day-to-day life?

—Can’t Imagine Wanting Anything but a Nap

Dear Can’t Imagine Wanting, Thank you so much for writing — I really feel you. Those years with the kids “on break” were some of the most wonderful and exhausting of my life. It’s such a challenge to be in charge of all the fun and the house and the work and... everything else.

The most important thing to know is this: you are not broken, and you’re not doing it wrong. Your nervous system simply isn’t wired to prioritize sexual desire when it’s busy running a dozen other systems at once. That’s actually a smart, protective feature, not a flaw — the animal part of our brain is designed to hold off on desire when we’re running on empty, so we don’t take on more than we can handle. It’s not a perfect system, but it makes sense.

That said, intimacy and connection are good for you, and they can genuinely help lower your stress rather than add to it. So what can you do? Here are three things to keep in mind:

1. Give yourself an off-ramp before you try to find the on-ramp.

Make space to decompress after being fully “on” with the kids, work, and life before trying to get in the mood. A 10—15 minute buffer — a shower alone, a walk, a few quiet minutes in the car — helps you exhale before you try to shift gears. Desire rarely shows up when your nervous system still thinks it’s on duty.

2. Stop waiting for spontaneous desire — build responsive desire instead.

You mentioned Nagoski’s brakes and accelerators, and she’s spot on. But it’s just as important to remember her distinction between spontaneous and responsive desire. Early

in a relationship, desire often seems to appear out of nowhere. Over time, though, it usually needs to be invited more intentionally — that’s responsive desire. Physical intimacy doesn’t have to be spontaneous to be amazing. You don’t need an elaborate date night to try it — responsive desire can start as simply as agreeing to some non-demand touch: a real kiss, a shoulder rub, a few minutes of cuddling with no expectation that it has to lead anywhere. Let your body catch up to the moment instead of trying to manufacture the mood before you’ve even begun.

3. Clear resentment and mental load off the table first.

Camps, pickups, drop-offs, birthday parties — it’s hard not to feel resentful when you’re the one holding it all together. If that’s you, talk with your partner about the mental load of running the household and how to actually share it — not “helping,” but true co-ownership. When that balance shifts, your nervous system gets the exhale it needs, and physical intimacy has room to come back into your life.

One more thing: give yourself grace this summer especially. Some seasons of parenting are simply harder on the nervous system than others, and this is one of them. You don’t have to force intimacy to prove you still love each other — you already know that. A few small, low-pressure moments of connection now can be enough to keep the thread alive until life opens back up a little.

You’ve got this.

Xoxo, Dr. Jane

TAKE ME HOME

By Nathan Powers Engel Volkers Bend

The Mid-Year Checkup: Bend Real Estate in 2026

As the celebration of America’s 250th birthday fades into the background and more people begin floating down the Deschutes each afternoon, one thing is certain — we’ve officially reached the halfway point of 2026. That also means it’s time to see what the first six months of Bend’s real estate market have revealed.

After a fast start fueled by optimism, momentum cooled as mortgage rates climbed back into the mid-6% range. But beyond the headlines, what do the numbers actually say? More homes have sold than in any first half since 2022, median prices have dipped, homes are selling faster than last year, and sellers are still receiving nearly 96% of their original asking price.

Below is a comparison of five key indicators over the past five years. All data reflects residential sales (single-family homes, condos, and townhomes) from the local Flex MLS.

Homes Sold:

Through June, Bend recorded 1,192 residential sales—the strongest first half since 2022. Much of that momentum came during May and June, when sales increased roughly 12.5% year over year despite lower inventory, showing buyers remain active even with higher mortgage rates.

Median Sale Price/Median Price

Per Sq/Ft/% of Original List Price

Received:

At first glance, a lower median sale price alongside a stable price per square foot seems contradictory, but it reflects what buyers are purchasing. Sales under

$700,000 are up 15%, 25%, and 6% compared to the previous three years, pulling the overall median price lower.

Perhaps most surprising is how little Bend’s price per square foot has changed over the past five years after the rapid appreciation seen during the COVID housing boom. Many homeowners who purchased between 2021 and 2023 are discovering their homes have appreciated far less than expected — or, in some cases, are worth slightly less than when they purchased—helping explain why sellers are averaging 95.9% of their original asking price rather than receiving multiple offers above list.

Median Days on Market:

Homes are selling faster than a year ago but remain well above the pace seen during the pandemic. That trend is consistent across price points, with homes under $700,000 averaging 21 days on the market, homes between $700,000 and $1 million average 15 days, and luxury homes average 18 days.

Conclusion:

The numbers suggest Bend has settled into a more balanced market—one where realistic expectations matter more than urgency. Buyers have more negotiating power than they did just a few years ago, while sellers who price strategically continue to find success. Every market creates opportunities — it simply changes who those opportunities favor. Rather than trying to perfectly time the market, the better approach is making the right decision for your circumstances with guidance from an experienced real estate advisor.

ASTROLOGY

By Rob Brezsny

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Male humpback whales in the Pacific Ocean change their songs over the years. New phrases can spread across thousands of miles as other whales take up and transform them. Researchers don't know why, but the pattern is clear: The whales value novelty even in their ancient rituals. They create an evolving musical tradition. Consider what this prac -

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Do you have a muse? If not, please find one. You shouldn’t go another day without a provocative, inspiring presence to stir your imagination and drive you deliciously wild. If you already have a muse and that genius has been faithfully fueling your creative fire, bestow a reward. Give a gift or blessing that provides a muse-like boost to your muse. And if your existing muse has grown quiet lately, go off on an adventure together. Dream up plans to stimulate the bursts of kaleidoscopic energy that you

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In some monastic traditions, practitioners engage in "work prayer.” They transform ordinary labor into spiritual practice not by thinking holy thoughts while working, but by bringing complete presence and fond attention to ordinary labors. Chopping vegetables becomes meditation. Sweeping floors becomes devotion. The sacredness arises from their wholehearted attitude. This would be an excellent experiment for you to try, Aquarius. Divine solace and inspiration will arrive as you perform your daily duties with verve and gratitude. Try this: For a few days or even two weeks, approach routine duties and familiar obligations with a ceremonial reverence. Be joyful for the privilege of being alive

PISCES (Feb. 19-March

You’ve entered a phase when your magnetism and charisma will expand as you focus on ruminating deeply about what’s most meaningful to you. Seeking out new teachers and fresh lessons will bring lucky breaks and helpful influences into your sphere. Each fresh insight will polish your allure, and every surge of curiosity will add to your glow. Be extra sexy and ultra smart: Cosmic energies will work in your favor as you weave your id and intellect together. There are only two types of humans, right? Some of us serve beauty, truth, and goodness, while the rest pledge their allegiance to illusions, lies, and shadows. Our planet is now caught in a colossal showdown between these two sides. And it’s high time for you to align yourself with one or the other. JUST KIDDING! The truth is far messier and more interesting: Every one of us is a blend of luminosity and ignorance. And now is a perfect moment to study how those two currents move within you. When you clearly see how you contribute to the murky jumble, your commitment to love, harmony, and

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll move with style and purpose if you take quick jaunts, dare gentle risks, and make a few nimble leaps of faith. You’ll go awry and astray if you wander too far afield, chase swaggering adventures, or try vaulting across yawning chasms. Keep it light, sharp, and intuitive, Taurus. Refrain from lugging heavy emotional baggage or drifting into daydream limbo. It’ll be wise to trust your sprightly impulses, but foolish to dissect them so ruthlessly that the magic leaks out. The color amber and the number three will be your allies. Somber gray and the number four will not. Align with sly visionaries and soulful realists but sidestep bitter contrarians and

I swear I’m smarter in some places than in others. My intelligence soars in Barcelona, Kyoto, Aix-en-Provence, France, and Florence, Italy. But I seem dull-witted in Munich, Moscow, and Washington, D.C. Even in Northern California, my long-time home, some areas bring out the best in me. I feel mediocre on Valencia Street in San Francisco, for instance, whereas I’m extra wise in downtown Berkeley. Why is this? The branch of astrology known as astrocartography says that my strengths are more likely to shine in certain spots than others. In the coming weeks, Gemini, I urge you to experiment with the possibility that this may be true for you, as well. Wander far and wide. Find out where you feel most aligned with your deep, bright, genuine self.

e.g.

By Brendan Emmett Quigley

Pearl’s Puzzle

Puzzle for the week of July 06, 2026

Puzzle for the week of July 06, 2026

Difficulty Level: ●○○○

Fill in every row, column, and 3x3 box with each of the letters

L I N K E D H A M exactly once.

Fill in every row, column, and 3x3 box with each of the letters

The highlighted letters read left to right and top to bottom will complete the quote: “My grandfather did not travel across 4,000 miles of the Atlantic Ocean to see this country overrun by immigrants. He did it because back in Ireland.”

Stephen Colbert

The highlighted letters read left to right and top to bottom will complete the quote: “My grandfather did not travel across 4,000 miles of the Atlantic Ocean to see this country overrun by immigrants. He did it because ________ back in Ireland.” — Stephen Colbert We’re Local! Questions, comments or suggestions for our local puzzle guru? Email Pearl Stark at pearl@bendsource.com

Answer for the week of June 29, 2026

ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S PUZZLES

S O I A F N D U

A D U S Y F I

I F U O N D S A Y

The highlighted letters read left to right and top to bottom will “My grandfather did not travel across 4,000 miles of the Atlantic country overrun by immigrants. He did it because - Stephen Colbert

A D S F Y O U N I

O N I A D U Y F S

F U Y S I N D O A

Answer for the week of June 29, 2026

D I F Y O S A U N

U Y A N F I O S D

S O N D U A I Y F

“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.”

— Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

2026 CONCERT SEASON

LUKE BRYAN W/ DREW BALDRIGE, SHANE PROFITT, KARLEY SCOTT COLLINS, DJ ROCK 8/6 • TY MYERS W/ BRENT COBB, BENNY G. 8/14

0.A.R. W/ GAVIN DEGRAW, LISA LOEB 8/15

• TOTO W/ CHRISTOPHER CROSS, THE ROMANTICS 8/19 • NEEDTOBREATHE W/ DREW & ELLIE HOLCOMB 8/20

GOOSE W/ GREENSKY BLUEGRASS 8/21 • GOOSE W/ BUFFALO TRAFFIC JAM 8/22 • ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION FEATURING JERRY DOUGLAS W/ THEO LAWRENCE 8/23 THE STROKES W/ THE GARDEN AND ÖLÜM 8/25 • MATT RIFE 8/27 • TRAIN W/ BARENAKED LADIES, MATT NATHANSON 8/28 • MT. JOY 8/29 • DOMINIC FIKE 9/3 “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC W/ PUDDLES PITY PARTY 9/6 • ROLE MODEL W/ SAMIA 9/9 • FOSTER THE PEOPLE W/ GOTH BABE 9/12 • NIKKI GLASER 9/13 RILEY GREEN W/ RANDY HOUSER, KASHUS CULPEPPER & HANNAH MCFARLAND 9/18 • BLEACHERS W/ THE LINDA LINDAS 9/20

GODSMACK W/ STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, DOROTHY 9/22 • JACK JOHNSON W/ G. LOVE 9/27 • BLACK LABEL SOCIETY W/ ZAKK SABBATH, DARK CHAPEL 10/2 EMPIRE OF THE SUN W/ POLO & PAN, MIDNIGHT GENERATION 10/3

GET TICKETS NOW

TICKETS AT BENDCONCERTS.COM, LIVENATION.COM, AND IN PERSON AT THE TICKET MILL IN THE OLD MILL DISTRICT.