TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! Here’s hoping this newsletter is a bit more fun than making a last-minute tax filing.

In today’s Bend Buzz:

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson

Spring is here, and so is your excuse to finally deal with that clutter

You know the feeling. The days get longer, the windows go up, and suddenly you can't stop eyeing that overstuffed garage or the messy spare bedroom you've been avoiding since fall. Spring cleaning season is real, and The Avenue is here to help you actually follow through.

Less Mess = Less Stress

Constance is a certified Professional Declutterer™ serving Central Oregon. She doesn't just help you clear the clutter, she sets you up with simple, sustainable systems so that next spring (and every spring after that), you're spending less time organizing and more time actually enjoying your home.

Get started at theavenue.us →

🗺 Not sure where to donate your stuff? Even if you're doing a purge on your own, knowing where things can actually go is half the battle. The Avenue's free Donation Guide rounds up the best local drop-off spots so you can clear the clutter and feel good about where it's headed.

Download the free Donation Guide →

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Bachelor will be finishing up the winter season in style as the RendezVan party kicks off on Thursday. This four-day event will include a weekend of music, activities, skiing (of course), and camping (if you managed to grab a spot!). This weekend is also the last hurrah for winter activities, as the mountain will be shutting down and beginning the transition to summer operations after the last laps on Sunday.

While we’re on the topic of Bachelor closing for the season, Bend’s favorite race, the Pole Pedal Paddle, has announced that there will be no ski legs this year. Instead, they’ll be incorporating two new run legs (so there will be three in total). Here are the details straight from the source - One leg will be a “Mountain Run”, featuring notable elevation gain and loss over 2.5 -3 miles. The other run leg at Mt. Bachelor will be a “Fun Run” – short, relatively flat, and hopefully including some fun surprises. Sorry to all the folks who signed up for the downhill ski leg and now have to tackle the mountain run portion 😬

Well, it looks like it’ll be another year before recreation areas on the south end of town will be reopening, as the Forest Service announced that the Cabin Butte closure (this is the one around the China Hat area) will stay in place through at least April 30, 2027. The closures were originally scheduled to end on May 1st of this year, but now it’ll be another winter before popular recreation areas like Bessie Butte, Horse Butte, and Boyd Cave are open again to the public.

Looking to meet that special someone and are tired of endlessly scrolling the apps? Join us at our FIRST dating event, The Meet Market, at Ballers & Brews. We’re cohosting the event with Cricket from Cricket Fixes (she’ll be the MC for the event) and it will include an evening of mingling, connection pods, and, of course, pickleball (the pickleball portion is totally optional, though!). Full details below 👇

​The Details

🌮 Hablo Tacos opening a second location at The Grove: Well, my guess was wrong about who would be taking over the Good Egg spot at The Grove, as Hablo Tacos announced they will be moving into the space later this spring. I’m a sucker for their al pastor tacos, so I’m hoping they install a vertical shawarma grill like they have at their east side location.

🍽 Drake closes for a makeover and a rebrand: Another downtown restaurant is getting a refresh as Drake has closed (their last day of service was Sunday). The space will get a refresh and will reopen under the name Olive & May on Memorial Day weekend. Expect a refreshed menu with a continued emphasis on fresh, local flavors.

📸 @maisonkokorobend | 📍Coming soon…
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We’re giving ourselves a little bit of a plug in this space today with some reminders on upcoming events.

First up is our next free pickleball meetup at Ballers and Brews. This is a low-key affair where we can chat around the firepit, enjoy a frosty beverage, and play some friendly games of pickleball. We’ll be there from 5 - 7 PM on Thursday, April 23rd. RSVP here →

The following week, we’re hosting dinner club #5. These dinners are a chance to get together at tables of six and meet some new friends. After dinner, we all meet up at a local watering hole for some drinks around the fire. Want in? Fill out the quick survey, pay the matching fee, and we’ll see you on April 30th at 6 PM. Sign up here →

Last but not least is The Meet Market happening on May 7th. We already covered that above, but if you need another reminder to sign up, here it is. Grab your spot here →

📖 Toddler Story Time: The libraries may be closed for the next month, but they still have plenty of fun events on the calendar. Bring the littles by the Deschutes Children’s Foundation for a morning of storytime fun. 10:30 AM Deschutes Children’s Foundation - East Bend Campus

💃 Tropical Latin Dance Party: Mid-week blues got you down? That’s nothing an evening of dancing can’t fix. DJ SOLO will be bringing the beats to keep you moving and grooving. 7 PM Dogwood at the Pineshed

🎗 The Life We Have: Join Greg Balkin at Embark for a screening of The Life We Have, followed by a run and raffle. There are some amazing raffle prizes, and all proceeds go towards supporting a great cause for The American Cancer Society and Berlin marathon fundraiser! 6 PM Embark

🤣 Derek Sheen: Who doesn’t need some midweek laughs? Derek (excellent name) Sheen is headlining the show, which will be part a cuddly mess of insecurities, part human hug, and all one-of-a-kind storytelling. 7:30 PM Silver Moon

🧠 WTF Wednesday Trivia: Put your trivia skills to the test and enjoy a boot of beer (is that still a thing?) at Prost’s WTF Wednesday trivia. 7 PM Prost

🧵 Kids Studio: Hand Sewing: Just because it’s an early out Wednesday doesn’t mean the learning has to end. Let your little ones unleash their inner creativity at a hand sewing class where they’ll learn to make their own mini stuffy. 1:30 PM Freak’n Art

🌵 250 in the West: Join historian, author, and associate professor at Colorado State University, Leisl Carr Childers, as she discusses the history of public lands from the American Revolution to today. 6 PM High Desert Museum

❓ Mystery Book Club: Discuss the latest who-dun-it with a fun group of fellow mystery book lovers. 6 PM Roundabout Books

🚵‍♀ New Friend Mountain Bike Ride: Want to make some new friends and sweat a little along the way? Bring your mountain bike and join this beginner-friendly ride. Don’t forget to pack a chair for some parking lot hangs afterwards. 5:30 PM Cascade Lakes Welcome Center

🖼 Art and Poetry at the Peterson Gallery: Need a little inspiration for your next piece of poetry? Join the Deschutes Library for a poetry and art event at the Peterson Art Gallery. Writing supplies will be provided and registration is required. 5:30 PM Peterson Contemporary Art Gallery

🥊 Self Defense Class: Learn the basics of krav maga self defense with a free intro class at Tula. 7:30 PM Tula

🖋 Ink & Insights: Head to Roundabout Books for a night of conversation with the people helping preserve Central Oregon’s Environmental Landscape. 6:30 PM Roundabout Books

🧘 Guided Breathwork: Enjoy an evening contrast therapy with Flux’s hot and cold plunge pools, along with a guided breathwork session with Chris from Confluence Breathwork. 5 PM Flux Thermal Lounge

👩‍🍳 Family Fun in the Kitchen: Mac and cheese is out, and dishes using fresh, local ingredients are in. This kid-friendly class (ages 8 - 12) will walk them through how this week’s ingredient is grown, creative ways to cook with it, and make a recipe that celebrates its flavor. 4 PM Hanai

🪡 Intro to Quilting: Get started with your quilting journey with this class that will take you through quilting basics and how to ensure accurate fabric cuts, construction of a Sawtooth quilt block, and how to finish with basting, quilting, and binding the block. 5:30 PM Two Suns Art Studio

🎨 Art Supply Swap: Hit the road and make your way out to Pine Meadow Ranch (it’s out by Sisters) for an art supply swap, followed by some crafting time where you can use your newly acquired supplies. 2 PM Pine Meadow Ranch

🎲 Bunco Night: New Friends Bend is back with another event for, well, making new friends. This event’s fun is bunco, which, according to Google, is a dice game that people seem to enjoy (I’ll have to try it one of these days). 6 PM Works Real Estate

🥾 Larkspur Trail Walk: Enjoy a brisk 4.5-mile walk along the Larkspur Trail with the Bendites meetup group (keep an eye out for the plants in pants…you’ll know it when you see it). 10 AM Larkspur Park

📜 Found Poetry: Learn the art of generative techniques that will help free the mind and invigorate creativity while putting the pen to paper. No previous poetry or writing experience required. 6 PM Open Arts Center

🎶 Circle of Voices: Ukrainian Women’s Folklore Trio: Join Kolovita for an afternoon of song and storytelling on the 40th anniversary of Chornobyl. Artists Inna Kovtun, Nadia Tarnawsky, and Hanna Tishchenko will guide you through the cultural life of Polissya, shaped by 40 years of displacement, and carried forward through its villages, voices, and traditions. There will also be a pre-program reception featuring a curated selection of food and beverages inspired by the traditions of the Polissya region. This is an intimate gathering with limited seating, 3:30 PM this Sunday, April 19th at Hanai.

Bob Sumner | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets
Tommy Emmanuel CGP | Tower Theatre | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Blü Egyptian | Commonwealth Pub | 8 PM

Phil Cook | Tower Theatre | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Mark Creech | The Abbey at Monkless | 6 PM
Fluffalove | Stoller Wine Bar | 6 PM
Pinã Colada | Midtown Yacht Club | 6 PM
Bigfoot County | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets

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Stay warm, and thank you again for reading!

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