🚧 Cascade Lakes Highway Closing Soon

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! I hope everyone was able to get out and enjoy this pleasant late-fall weather. Now bring on the flakes!

In today’s Bend Buzz:

• 🚧 Road to Cascade Lakes to close on Wednesday

• 💰️ Property taxes are due today

• 🎒 Realms schools are on the move

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson & Emily Elaro

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SNAPSHOTS

🏫 Realms Schools are on the Move

This will be the last year in their current location for Realms middle and high schools. Currently located in NE Bend next to the Humm Kombucha facility, the two schools will be reopening in new spots for the 2026/2027 school year.

Realms High School will be merging with Bend Tech Academy off of NE 5th St, while Realms Middle School will be moving into space at Buckingham Elementary School.

💰️ Property Tax Day is Today

We try to have a little fun here and focus on the good stuff happening around town. But every once in a while, we have to be a downer, and today is one of those days. So here goes - today is property tax day in Deschutes County. If you’re one of those folks who likes to pay your tax bill all at once, get it in today to take advantage of the 3% discount.

Ok, back to less wallet-draining news.

🚧 Last Days to Drive the Cascade Lakes Highway (and Paulina too)

Want to make one last trip out to Sparks Lake (other than by ski or snowmobile)? Today and tomorrow are your last chance as the gate is set to close on Wednesday morning at 8 AM, sharp. While the road won’t quite be ready for skiing yet, it may make for a good bike excursion before the flakes start to fly for good.

⚽️ Another Week, Another State Title

A Bend high school brought home another state title over the weekend. This time, it was the girls’ soccer team from Bend High taking home the 5A crown. The Lava Bears finished up the season undefeated, and, while I’m no expert, it seems like a good way to finish the year. Congrats, ladies!

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🖼️ Downtown Bend gets a new Arthouse: Bend has a new option for adding a little color to your walls. Arthouse LTA has opened in downtown Bend at 113 NW Minnesota Ave. If you’re a fan of contemporary abstract art, then I’d recommend stopping by!

💼 Will Leather Goods now open at the Old Mill: Eugene-based leather goods maker Will Leather Goods has officially opened the doors to their new Old Mill location. If you’ve got a special someone in your life who has a leather bag, belt, or wallet on their holiday wishlist, then this spot will be a must-visit.

@THEBENDBUZZ

📸 @daddybonesaw |📍Pilot Butte
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TOGETHER WITH GLOSSED WHITENING BAR

✨ Get Glossed for Black Friday

Glossed Whitening Bar is dropping an exclusive Bend Buzz-only Black Friday sale to get your smile holiday-ready. For this week only, book Glossed’s signature dental office-grade 1-hour whitening session for just $249 — a discounted deal you won’t find anywhere else.

You’ll get a full 60-minute whitening treatment from Amanda, a registered dental hygienist, a Get Glossed desensitizer application to keep things comfortable, and the Glossed Goodie Bag loaded with an ultra-soft toothbrush, sensitive toothpaste, fancy floss, coozie, and stickers.

⏳️ Spots will go fast. Book your appointment and level up your holiday grill.

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Monday 11.17

🍺 10 Barrel Trivia: Assemble your most random-brained friends and get ready to flex the kind of trivia that has zero real-world application and 100% bragging rights. 7:30 PM 10 Barrel Westside

🌲 Natural Resource Management: Ease into the week with a little environmental wisdom. This free Downtown Library session digs into how we care for Central Oregon’s forests, waterways, and wild spaces. Perfect for anyone who likes their Mondays with a side of ecosystem insight. 5 PM Downtown Bend Library 

😌 Nervous System First Aid: Feeling frazzled? Same. This virtual workshop offers practical tools to soothe your nervous system, regulate stress, and bring you back into your body. A gentle, supportive reset without leaving your couch. 4 PM  Zoom

🎿 TREW to You Ski Film Tour: Winter stoke incoming! This high-energy film tour from TREW Gear features big mountains, big wipeouts, and big personality. If you’re counting down the days to powder season, this is your vibe. 6:30 PM Between Evergreens

🙋‍♀️ Bingo with Bren: Test your luck and raise some cash for Habitat for Humanity at Bingo with Bren at Bevel Brewing. 6 PM Bevel Brewing

Tuesday 11.18

🧠 State of Mental Health in Central Oregon: Start the day with depth. This City Club forum takes an honest look at mental health needs, gaps, and solutions across our region. Thoughtful, important, and community-centered. 8 AM First Presbyterian

🍽️ Lunch & Learn – Stories from Western Rivers Conservancy: Instead of scrolling at lunch, feast your eyes on the stunning waterways that shape the West. Learn how conservationists protect the rivers we love to paddle, fish, and drink from. 12 PM Larkspur Community Center

🌿 Herbal Medicine Making: Make your own tinctures in this hands-on class exploring plant medicine with Dr. Ashley at The People’s Apothecary. Cozy witchy energy, guaranteed. 4:30 PM The People's Apothecary

🧑‍🎨 Community Art Night Meetup: Bring a sketchbook, a project, or just yourself—this meetup at Hanai is all about creating, connecting, and letting your brain play a little. No skill level required. 5:30 PM Hanai

🖥️ What the Tech Meetup: Whether you’re an engineer, AI enthusiast, or just tech-curious, this Crux meetup brings together Bend’s geekiest minds over craft beer. Expect lively convo and maybe your next collab. 5:30 PM Crux

☕️ Refilling Your Cup: A grounding group gathering at The Pantry focused on nourishment, balance, and not pouring from an empty cup. Bring your cozy energy. 6 PM The Pantry

🪩 Silent Disco Run: Running, but fun. Throw on wireless headphones, follow the group, and cruise the COCC track in a fully DJ’d fitness rave. It’s impossible not to smile. 6 PM COCC Track

✨ Business Energetics 101: A workshop for entrepreneurs who want to align their work with their energy, intuition, and values. Equal parts strategy and soulful recalibration. 5:30 PM The Haven

🎭 History Pub – Oregon Search & Rescue: Grab a pint and dive into the wild stories of Oregon’s SAR heroes. From dramatic recoveries to wilderness survival tales, this is an adrenaline-fueled history lesson. 7 PM McMenamins

🩰 NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet: Yep, it’s officially Nutcracker season. The Tower Theatre hosts this dazzling, international ballet production full of whimsy, snowflakes, and holiday sparkle. 7 PM Tower Theatre

LIVE MUSIC

Monday 11.17

Bluegrass Collective | Silver Moon | 7 PM

Tuesday 11.18

Summit Express Jazz Band | The Commonwealth Pub | 7 PM 

WEEKEND PREVIEW

💗 Friday is for vintage vibes, cheeky minds, and a touch of acoustic magic. Start your evening with a little treasure hunting at Vintage Rendezvous, where retro romantics and gearheads sip something tasty at UPP Liquids while bonding over old-school cool. Feeling introspective? The Downtown Bend Library hosts The 3 C’s: Courage, Confidence & Collaboration, a community workshop that’s basically self-growth with a side of warm fuzzies. Want to get a jump on your holiday shopping? Check out the wares at Central Oregon Metal Arts Guild’s Holiday Art Show or make your way out to the Deschutes Fairgrounds for the Holiday Food & Gift Show. Once the sun dips, you’ve got options: dive into the pink-tinted sparkle of UPP’s Pink Party—a Barbiecore fever dream set to a danceable beat—or head to Craft Kitchen for Dirty Minds Thanksgiving Trivia, where the clues are spicy, the guesses are chaotic, and the only thing guaranteed is that someone will blush.

🎉 Saturday brings the cozy chaos Bend was built for. Kick off the morning with Festive Fun at the Farm Stand, where wreaths, alpacas, and holiday charm collide in peak Hallmark fashion. Then choose your adventure: get competitive (and slightly ridiculous) at Sunriver’s Gobble Games or support the tiniest titans of commerce at the Kids’ Entrepreneur Market—tiny CEOs, massive cuteness. Feeling a little Middle-earth? The Friendsgiving Hobbit Feast at Pangaea Guild Hall brings second breakfasts, elevenses, and enough whimsy to make Tolkien proud. You can round out the afternoon with a burst of seasonal joy at the Bend Pops Orchestra Fall Concert, then end your night with a battle of punchlines at Craft Kitchen’s Stand-Up Comedy Competition, where the jokes fly fast and the awkwardness is half the fun.

🌿 Sunday winds everything down into woo, wreaths, and winter calm. Start with a cosmic twist at the Plant & Planet Herbal Astrology Consult, where your birth chart meets your herbal blueprint in the coziest collision of stars and leaves. Keep the creative energy going with the Christmas Wreath Decoration Class at Bridge 99—no crafting skills necessary, enthusiasm encouraged. By the end of the day, you’ll be glowing, grounded, and possibly covered in pine needles. Want to celebrate the holidays Norwegian style? Swing by Grace First Lutheran Church for their Lefse & Holiday Bake Sale.

🎶 The weekend soundtrack: stacked, spicy, and impossible to go wrong. Grab a beer at Silver Moon for The Hasbens, Bendre the Giant & The Revalator, or drift into warm harmonies with Linda Quon & Hello Trouble at McMenamins. Craving something louder? Green Jelly and friends shake up The Domino Room, while The Vibeshiftas keep things groovy at The Commonwealth Pub.

THANKS!

Stay warm, and thank you again for reading!

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