TOGETHER WITH
Good morning, Bend! I’m loving this warm weather, but I’ve gotta be honest, it was a little too warm on my run yesterday.
In today’s Bend Buzz:
🚧Cascade Lakes Highway opening early?
📰 Free shred event (the paper kind)
📆 And your weekend event lineup
Let’s get to it.
— Derek Carlson & Emily Elaro
SPONSORED BY AUSTIN BUSKOHL REAL ESTATE
60-second real estate market update
Sellers Outnumbering Buyers…again. Just like last year, people are putting homes up for sale faster than buyers are taking them. This looks a lot like the start of last year, when we saw a 10-year high number of homes fail to sell.
It's only a seller's market for the first 15 days after a home is listed. In February, 79% of homes in Bend sold at a reduced price. Higher than the 64% we saw last year and the 59% from the year before.
My advice:
Sellers: Prep and price well. If you don't, you will likely have to "mentally unspend" your equity later.
Buyers: If you can afford the payment, this is a great time to be out shopping. You have more choices.
If you want to know what your home is worth in today’s market, I’m always happy to chat. Email me at [email protected]
Featured Opportunity: Know someone looking for a weekend getaway in Eagle Crest? Check out this great townhome at 10674 Village Loop.
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SNAPSHOTS
🚧 Will the Cascade Lakes Highway Open Early?
Our low snow year might have folks looking forward to an early start to lake season, but, if this update from the Deschutes County Road Department is any indication, the highway might not be opening any earlier than normal. I guess that just means extra time where we can ride our bikes on the road without worrying about a car pushing us into the ditch.
🖇 Free Shred Event
I’ve had a few folks asking about shred events happening this year, so I figured I should share this. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a free shred event at their main office off of Highway 20 this Saturday from 10 AM - noon. The service is limited to residential use, and participants may bring up to four boxes of documents. You can also bring in unused medications, worn or damaged American flags, and donate nonperishable food items.
💁 Visit Bend Awards $500k to Community Projects
The Bend Sustainability Fund has awarded $500k to 11 community projects that range from installing new ride-over cattle guards on local trails to replacing single-use packaging at local food cart pods to building one of the only adaptive cycling centers on the West Coast. The fund is entirely supported by a portion of the transient room tax paid by folks who stay at local hotels and short-term vacation rentals. You can see the full list of funded projects here.
BUSINESS HAPPENINGS
🍚 Saute popup at Discovery West: Last week, Discovery West hosted JOOLZBOX as part of their global eats series, and you all showed up! This week, the series is back and will be featuring Korean dishes from Saute and matcha from Matcha.Bar. Saute was actually there a few weeks back and said the turnout was amazing, so if you missed it then, here’s your second chance. Friday 5 - 7 PM and Saturday 11 AM - 2 PM & 5 - 7 PM.
🛝 Play Society's last day: Sad news for parents of littles around Bend, as today is the last day of open play at Play Society. Best of luck to their team as they move on to other ventures.
🎉 Evergreen anniversary party: Evergreen Ocufacial Plastic Surgery is hosting a party for their 2-year anniversary. Make an appointment and enjoy pricing specials, refreshments, prizes, and more!
🥙 Another food cart pod coming to Bend?: File this one away under it’s still a long way off, but Taylor Brooks (the company behind the new business development at Juniper Ridge on the north edge of town) announced that the development will be getting a food cart pod, cafe, and bar, likely in late 2027. Good news for folks who live on that side of town and the hungry middle schoolers at Sky View who are tired of school cafeteria food.
@THEBENDBUZZ
📸 @bendoregonwithali |📍Smith Rock
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TOGETHER WITH FALLING LEAF TREE CARE
An early spring means early tree care
If it feels like spring arrived ahead of schedule in Bend this year… you’re not imagining it. And your trees are already responding.
That means it’s a great time to bring in Falling Leaf Tree Care before the growing season really takes off. Early-season pruning helps keep trees healthy, encourages strong growth, and lets you address any winter damage before branches start filling in.
It’s also the ideal window for fruit tree pruning, which helps set the stage for a better harvest later this year.
If tree work is on your list, getting ahead of it now can make a big difference.
Call or email Scott now at [email protected] or at (541)241-6239.
LOCAL LOWDOWN
Friday 3.20
🖨️ Tangled Roots Block-Printing Night: Roll up your sleeves and press some ink at The Pantry for a hands-on block-printing evening. Satisfying, creative, and you leave with something you actually made. 5 PM The Pantry
🕶️ Goggle Tan Jam: A celebration of questionable 80s fashion, end-of-season energy, and the kind of people who think a goggle tan is something to be proud of (it absolutely is). 6 PM UPP Liquids
😂 Bits n Skits: Alex Cureau: Stand-up comedy at Craft Kitchen with Alex Cureau. Laughs, beer, a Friday night well spent. 7 PM Craft Kitchen
🎣 Fly Fishing Film Tour: The legendary F3T rolls into the Tower Theatre with a lineup of stunning fly fishing films. Even if you've never picked up a rod in your life, the cinematography alone will make you want to wade into a river immediately. 7 PM Tower Theatre
👗 Vintage Rendezvous Clothing Popup: Swing by Crux to find your new old favorite piece of clothing while enjoying a cold beverage and beats from DJ Verndon. 4 - 8 PM Crux
🍺 Belgian Beer Bottle Share: Have some old lambics or Trappist ales collecting dust in the cellar? Bring them to Ale Apothecary for this month’s winter bottle share series. 6 PM Ale Apothecary
🎭 39 Steps: Cascades Theatrical Co is kicking off their 3-weekend run of 39 Steps, a thrilling adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film. Shows run Thurs-Sun for the next three weekends, so grab your tickets to the show before they’re gone! 7:30 PM Cascades Theatrical Co
💃 Club Reggaeton Spring Break Kickoff: Get ready to dance the night away as Club Reggaeton is back for an evening of celebrating Latin culture. 10 PM Midtown Ballroom
Saturday 3.21
🎷 Live Saxophone, Coffee & Pastries: Saturday morning with live saxophone, fresh pastries, and a good cup of coffee at Nancy P's. Honestly, the most civilized way to start a weekend. 9 AM Nancy P's Cafe & Bakery
💃 Get Up & Groove: Celebrate the arrival of the spring solstice by moving and grooving with a free dance party (and optional river plunge) with Get Up & Groove. 4 PM Riverbend Park
📸 Wildlife & Birds Photography Walk: Join Think Wild’s lead wildlife educator, Becca LiPuma, for a photography walk around Reynolds Pond. Along the way, Becca will provide techniques for composition, lighting, and capturing elusive wildlife moments. 9 AM Reynolds Pond
🛻 Touch a Truck: Bring the kids up to Bachelor where they will have the chance to climb aboard a snowcat, explore the cabins, and see the controls up close. If you’re lucky, they might get hired as overnight groomers (kidding!). 12 PM West Village Parking Lot
🐾 Wildlife Tracking Workshop: Head out with Nighthawk Naturalist School and learn to read the landscape like an animal detective. What walked through here? When? Why? A genuinely fascinating morning outside. 9 AM Nighthawk Naturalist School
🌿 Pop Up & Seconds Sale: Camp Clay is hosting another of their wildly popular seconds sale, and this time they’re adding some extra fun! Wolf Ceramics will be joining in with a co-seconds sale popup just down the road at Somewhere That’s Green. 9 AM Camp Clay & Somewhere That's Green
🍵 Teacup & Saucer Hand Building Ceramics Workshop: Spend a Saturday morning with your hands in clay, building something beautiful and functional at TEAL. A teacup you made yourself just hits different. 11 AM TEAL Tea & Art Lounge
⛷️ Ski Like a Girl Tour: A celebration of women on snow, stopping in Bend for an afternoon of stoke, community, and probably some very good stories. 12 PM Bend Brewing
🌄 Sunset Snowshoe Tour: Strap on some snowshoes and chase golden hour through the snow at Mt. Bachelor Nordic. One of those experiences that reminds you why you live here. 4 PM Mt. Bachelor Nordic
🧘 Belly Tending Class: Learn hands-on techniques for bringing ease, harmony, and vitality to your whole digestive system. 11:30 AM Body & Being Healing
🌸 Spring Equinox Sound Bath: Welcome the first day of spring the way it deserves — horizontal, eyes closed, vibrating at a higher frequency. A restorative sound bath at Continuum to mark the turn of the season. 5 PM Continuum
🎬 2026 HUMP! Film Festival: Dan Savage's legendary amateur adult film festival comes to Volcanic Theatre Pub. Funny, boundary-pushing, and genuinely unlike anything else you'll see this weekend. Adults only, obviously. 5:30 PM Volcanic Theatre Pub
🩰 Giselle: Night one of the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s visit to the Tower Theatre will be a performance of Giselle, a classical ballet that tells the story of a peasant girl who falls in love with a nobleman disguised as a commoner. 7 PM Tower Theatre
Sunday 3.22
🩰 Snow White: The Grand Kyiv Ballet brings Snow White to the Tower Theatre in what promises to be a stunning afternoon of world-class dance. A magical way to spend a Sunday with the whole family. 1 PM Tower Theatre
🦋 Butterfly Pinning Workshop: Learn the art of mounting and displaying butterflies at Somewhere That's Green. Equal parts science, craft, and surprisingly meditative. 2 PM Somewhere That's Green
🥂 Sunday Refresh at Mt. Bachelor: Take a little break from your hot laps with mimosas, non-alcoholic drinks, and elevated snacks. Equal parts apres and mid-ski, which is truly the best of both worlds. 10 AM Mt. Bachelor
⛸️ Spring Break Skate & Swim: Bend Parks & Rec has spring break covered with ice skating at The Pavilion and rec swim at Juniper and Larkspur running March 22–29. Check bendparksandrec.org for the daily schedule and times. The Pavilion & Juniper/Larkspur Community Center
🪩 Not’cho Grandma’s Bingo: Bend’s favorite bingo event that needs no introduction. This week’s beneficiary is Thrive Central Oregon. 9:30 AM Silver Moon
LIVE MUSIC
Friday 3.20
Piña Colada | Portello Lounge | 7 PM
Oyster Lee | Currents | 7 PM
West 22nd | Volcanic Theatre Pub | 8 PM | Tickets
Superball | The Commonwealth Pub | 8 PM
Song of Sunset | Silver Moon | 6:30 PM | Tickets
Saturday 3.21
Karyn Ann | Portello Lounge | 6:30 PM
Moon Rattles | Ale Apothecary | 6 PM
Bim Jeam & The Sadness | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets
Mild Universe & Theodor | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets
Juju Eyeball | McMenamins | 7 PM | Tickets
Fractal | The Commonwealth Pub | 8 PM
Sunday 3.22
Chris Beland | River’s Place | 6 PM
It’s Chaos & Distest | Silver Moon | 6:30 PM | Tickets
THANKS!
Stay warm, and thank you again for reading!
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