🎸Busiest weekend of the year?

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! From music to books to culture to art, somehow these first few weekends in September are turning out to be busier than summer, as there is A LOT happening around town.

In today’s Bend Buzz:

• 🎸 Bend Roots Revival brings the tunes downtown

• 🌍️ Culture Jam celebrates Bend’s Vibrant Community

• 👩‍🎨 Tour artists’ studios across Bend

Let’s get to it.

— Emily Randolph & Derek Carlson

SPONSORED BY RETHINK WASTE

For decades, Oregonians have been proudly recycling everything from pizza boxes to milk cartons, only to find out much of it wasn’t actually recyclable. Oops. But good news: that changes now! Thanks to the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA), you can finally recycle many of those things you thought were recyclable… and now, they’ll actually get recycled.

The RMA makes recycling better, and also makes us the first state to make producers responsible!

While many changes are behind the scenes, here’s what’s changed for us:

♻️ Now accepted in curbside carts:

• Food & Beverage cartons (milk, broth, juice)

• Pizza Boxes (empty)

• Small scrap metal (see limits)

• Plastic caps (leave on if they’re screwed on)

✋ No longer accepted in curbside carts:

• Shredded paper (only at drop-sites)

🚫 Still not accepted:

• Plastic bags

• Plastic cups, takeout containers, or any foodware

To stay updated, receive our Mindful Materials Monthly newsletter.

These changes are great, but please remember, reduce and reuse still come first!

_{Interested in featuring your business in our next ad spot? ⬆️ Fill out THIS FORM!}

SNAPSHOTS

🎸 Bend Roots Revival Kicks Off Across Bend

Bend’s homegrown music fest kicks off this weekend as Bend Roots Revival hits the stage at locations across downtown Bend. Stages can be found at Silver Moon Brewing, Bunk + Brew, M&J Tavern, The Domino Room, and in the courtyard outside of The Commons. All of the performances are free and are a great way to catch some of the amazing musicians who call Central Oregon home.

You can check out the full weekend lineup here →

🚧 Bond Street Closing for the Weekend

Heads up if you’ll be driving through downtown this weekend, as Bond St between Greenwood and Wall (this is the stretch in front of the courthouse) will be closed Friday through Monday for a crane removal.

📚️ Sisters Festival of Books

Bibliophiles unite as the Sisters Festival of Books takes place this weekend in Sisters. This weekend-long event features workshops for aspiring writers, storySLAMs, a literary dinner, chances to meet local authors, presentations, and more!

Some events are ticketed (with some of those already sold out), while others are free and open to the public. Check out the full schedule here.

☮️ Celebrate Bend’s Vibrant Community at Culture Jam

Culture Jam takes center stage at Open Space Event Studios. This one-day event is Bend’s first multicultural celebration and will be highlighted by local vendors, live performances, a fashion show, and community activities.

You can find the full lineup of activities here.

🧑‍🎨 Artist Studio Tours Across Bend

Want to get a peek inside some of the artist studios across town that are normally off limits for most of the year? Now’s your chance with the Artist Studio Tour weekend. Painters, sculptors, photographers, and more will be opening the doors to their studios, and you can get a look behind the scenes at how they create their stunning works of art.

The tour is self-guided, and the studios are open on both Saturday and Sunday between 11 AM and 4 PM.

🎸 First Concert of the 2026 Season Announced

The 2025 concert season at Hayden Homes Amphitheater isn’t quite done yet, and the first concert of the 2026 season has already been announced! Bailey Zimmerman will be heading to the Amphitheater on June 6th, 2026, and tickets go on sale this morning at 10 AM (the presale kicked off yesterday…sorry I couldn’t go back in time to update you on that one). Expect many more announcements in the coming months. It’s never too early to start looking ahead to summer!

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🪅 Papi Chulo’s three-year anniversary party: Kick off the weekend right with the three-year anniversary party at Papi Chulo’s at the Box Factory. The party kicks off at 5 PM with live music, salsa dancing, food & drink specials, and more! Friday 5 PM - Late at Papi Chulo’s

🥳 El Rancho Grande's one-year anniversary celebration: Come celebrate one year in business for El Rancho Grande at their Brookswood Meadow Plaza location. They’ll have tastings and giveaways from Patron, live music, a piñata, and more! Saturday All Day at Rancho South

@THEBENDBUZZ

📸 @seedtotableoregon📍Seed to Table Farm
Tag @thebendbuzz to get your photos featured!

TOGETHER WITH CAMP COFFEE CO.

Meet Camp Coffee Co. — a husband-and-wife-run coffee cart and bottled latte service catering Central Oregon.

From office gatherings and staff appreciation to weddings and corporate events, Camp brings the local craft coffee shop experience to you. Enjoy cappuccinos, americanos, and specialty lattes made with locally roasted beans and in-house small-batch syrups (their seasonal pumpkin salted caramel is unreal!).

Need a grab-and-go option? Their bottled latte service is perfect for smaller events or keeping your fridge stocked for the week (yep, they do weekly deliveries!!), freshly made, fun, and convenient. Craft lattes delivered on my doorstep? Sign me up!

✨ Want Camp to come to you? Fill out the inquiry form on their site and mention “Bend Buzz” for an exclusive discount. 

🌐 Learn more here →
📲 Follow Camp Coffee Co on Instagram

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Friday 9.12

🎤 Sam Miller Comedy:  Known for his raw, hilarious takes on life’s chaos, Sam Miller brings his stand-up to Craft Kitchen for a night of unfiltered laughs. 8 PM Craft Kitchen

🎭 Bits N Skits Comedy: A rotating lineup of comics serves up sketches, stand-up, and improv in an intimate setting. Expect fast laughs and unexpected twists. 7 PM Hosmer Bar

📚 Nonfiction Book Club: Kick off your Friday morning with coffee and conversation about real-life reads at Roundabout’s nonfiction gathering discussing Land Between the Rivers. 9 AM Roundabout Books

🖌️ Meditative Monochromatic Painting Workshop: Join local artist Michelle Schultz at Two Suns Studio for a meditative monochromatic painting workshop. Bring a friend, grab a glass of wine, and enjoy learning about this unique painting style. 7:30 PM Two Suns Art Studio

🦫 Celebrating Beavers in Bend: A community gathering spotlighting Oregon’s most important ecosystem engineers. Learn, connect, and raise a glass to the beaver. 6 PM 10 Barrel

🍻 Bingo Night: Classic bingo fun with craft beer on tap. Relaxed, rowdy, and a great excuse to yell! 6 PM The Abbey

🚵 Free Shuttle Ride with Gear Fix: Mountain biking season isn’t over yet, and Gear Fix is offering a free shuttle ride in partnership with Cog Wild. Give them a ring to reserve your spot. Details provided at signup

Saturday 9.13

💼 Job-A-Palooza: A career fair meets community fest, hosted by Mt. Bachelor. Network, apply, and even interview on site! Time to work where you play. 10 AM Deschutes Brewery

🎶 Discovery West Porch Fest: Celebrate the spirit of community, creativity, and the joy of live music throughout the Discovery West neighborhood. Enjoy bites from local food trucks and even take a tour of some homes while you’re there!  3 PM Discovery West

🍀 Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day: Irish cheer in September! Bagpipes, green pints, and pub fare to tide you over until the real deal in March. 1 PM McMenamins

🎧️ So Much House Anniversary Show: Celebrate 4 years of house music from So Much House at Dogwood. 9 PM - 2 AM Dogwood

🎵 Cascade Equinox Summer Jam Preparty: Get a taste of the upcoming festival with live sets and plenty of dancing energy. 4 PM Volcanic Theatre Pub

🏄 The Bend Surfest: Watch (or join) surfers take on Bend’s famous river wave at this all-day celebration of surf culture in the high desert. 10 AM McKay Park

📣 Bring It On Auditions: Have a teen who wants to show off their acting chops under the bright lights? Cascades Theatrical Company is hosting auditions for their upcoming performance of Bring It On. Now your teen can finally learn why every time they say, ‘Brr, it’s cold in here,’ you respond with, ‘There must be some Toros in the atmosphere!’ 10 AM Cascades Theatrical Co

🐮 Western night at 10 Barrel: Yeehaw! It’s Western night at 10 Barrel West. Grab your best dancin’ boots and head over to take part in the line dancing lessons, flash tattoos, custom hats, and mechanical bull. 6 - 10 PM 10 Barrel West

👨‍🌾 Winterize Your Garden: Join Ashley from Bend Urban Gardens for this free class, where you'll learn valuable tips on preparing your garden for winter and setting yourself up for success next spring. It will certainly beat my plan of pulling dead pea vines in the snow in February. 10 AM Franklin Corner Community Garden

Sunday 9.14

👗 Neon Threads: Vintage Fashion Show & Pop-up: Bold retro looks hit the runway, followed by a pop-up shop where you can score vintage finds for your own closet. 1 PM Seventh Mountain

🛍️ 9th St Village Makers Market: Support local makers while sipping craft beer. Handmade goods, good food, and community vibes in Bevel’s beer garden. 12 PM Bevel Brewing

😂 The Roundabouts Improv Benefit Show: Local improv troupe The Roundabouts delivers quick wit and big laughs—all while raising funds for Family Kitchen. 5 PM Bend Cider

🌱 Tangled Roots Workshop: A hands-on workshop teaching you the art of block printing. After this, you’ll be ready to make your own Christmas cards with your hand-carved blocks! 3 PM The Grove

🥯 CORK Dirt and Doughnuts: Hit the trails with Central Oregon Running Klub for a fun community run from Dutchman Sno-Park. All paces are welcome, and yes—the reward at the finish line is fresh doughnuts. Running has never been so sweet. 9 AM Tumalo Mountain

🍁 Sip & Sew Autumn Garlands: Set the mood for a season of pumpkin spice lattes with this Sip & Sew - Autumn Garland class. All materials are provided, and there will be mimosas and snacks to keep the fun flowing. 11 AM Two Suns Art Studio

LIVE MUSIC

There is A TON of music (too much to list below) taking place for Bend Roots Revival! Click here to see the full schedule.

Friday 9.12

Bill Powers | Ponch’s Place | 6 PM
Rebecca Conner | Currents at the Riverhouse | 7 PM
Robot Mushroom | WildWood | 7 PM 
Chained to Stone | The Commonwealth Pub | 8 PM 
Cover Story | Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge | 8:30 PM

Saturday 9.13

Cascade Highlanders | McMenamins | 1 PM
The Ballybogs | McMenamins | 1:30 PM
Marcelo Guitron Band | McMenamins | 3:30 PM
Garcia Birthday Band | Volcanic Theatre Pub Courtyard | 4 PM
Jason Burky | The Grove | 6 PM
Super Secret Band | McMenamins | 7 PM
Harris Blake Band | The Commonwealth Pub | 8 PM

Sunday 9.14

Broken Top Bluegrass | Deschutes Brewery | 4 PM 
DuBb Central | McKay Park | 4 PM
Sidney Joseph | River’s Place | 6 PM
Rafe Pearlman | Tower Theatre | 7:30 PM | Tickets

THANKS!

Stay cool, and thank you again for reading!

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