🖼️ Get first dibs on the art

Grab your tickets to the $20 art show, a new delicatessen coming to the Old Mill, and another round of local jobs

Author

Derek Carlson
September 24, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! So it’s gonna be 90 degrees today. Are iced pumpkin spice lattes any good? Asking for a friend.

In today’s Bend Buzz:

  • 🖼️ $20 Art Show tickets go on sale

  • 🥪 A new delicatessen coming to the Old Mill

  • 💼 More Bend jobs

Let’s get to it.

— Emily Randolph & Derek Carlson

Spice Up Your Porch This Fall 🍂 

Fall in Bend means cozy sweaters, crisp mornings, and… wrangling a cart full of pumpkins at the store, hauling them home, and eventually tossing a slimy mess into the compost. Not exactly the autumn vibe you were going for.

That’s where Spice Up Your Porch comes in. They’ll transform your front porch into a fall showstopper with a stunning arrangement of pumpkins in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Even better? Delivery and setup are included, so your porch looks festive without lifting a finger. And when the season’s over, they’ll handle removal too.

Your home will be the one neighbors stop to admire, and you won't have to deal with pumpkin guts or cramming gourds into your backseat.

🎃 Fall is here, and bookings fill fast. Reserve your porch makeover now at spiceupyourporch.com

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

SNAPSHOTS

🏠️ Bend Chamber Launches Pre-Approved ADU Design Library

Want to take advantage of Bend, now allowing up to two ADUs on your property, and want to save a little cash on the design process? The Bend Chamber of Commerce just released a design library of pre-approved ADU plans. No payment or login required. Just hit download, and you’ll have a full set of plans that you can hand off to your builder of choice.

🖼️ $20 Art Show Tickets Go On Sale

Bend’s hottest art show kicks off at the High Desert Museum in just a couple of weeks, and today is the day to grab tickets to get first dibs on the art. For those not in the know, every year the High Desert Museum hosts the $20 art show, where you can choose from nearly 10,000 original pieces of art, with each and every one priced at just $20. Tickets to the opening event go on sale at Noon today (Sept 24th) and will sell out in minutes, so get those clicking fingers ready!

🪑 Donation Sale at the Environmental Center

We were saving this news for the groundbreaking party next month, but this is too good not to share. The Environmental Center is renovating their 100+ year old building, and as they prepare to move out, they are holding a going-away sale/donation event. Swing by their building in downtown Bend on Thursday between 10 AM - 3 PM to pick up some new-to-you office supplies, tables, chairs, books, mugs, or just to say goodbye to the old space.

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🌮 Westside El Sancho to reopen as Runaround Sue BBQ: Some biiig changes for fans of El Sancho as their Westside location will be closing at the end of October for renovations. When it reopens in the spring, it will be doing so under a new (old) name - Runaround Sue BBQ. The Eastside El Sancho will still be open with business as usual. Plenty more to come on this one!

🥪 New delicatessen coming to the Old Mill: Here’s a little news that we’re pretty excited about. The owners of Zydeco are bringing a delicatessen to the Old Mill in the space previously occupied by Gap Kids. Stacks Dinner and Delicatessen will offer a menu featuring in-house cured and smoked meats and fish, fresh-caught fish, and local farm-fresh vegetables. Signature dishes are expected to include cured in-house pastrami and corned beef, beet-cured salmon lox, latkes, and rotisserie-roasted meats. Construction is underway with a goal of opening by the holidays!

🏦 NW Community Credit Union rebrands as Peak Credit Union: Longtime customers (or folks who frequently drive by Fred Meyer on the south side of town) may have noticed that NW Community Credit Union is looking a little different. After merging with TwinStar Credit Union, the combined company has rebranded as Peak Credit Union. The new green pens look pretty snazzy!

@THEBENDBUZZ

📸 @turtleturrrtletravels |📍Bend
Tag @thebendbuzz to get your photos featured!

TOGETHER WITH TRU NORTH FITNESS

Looking for a kickstart? Tru North Fitness invites all Central Oregon residents to claim your Intro Class — the perfect first step to discover what we’re all about. Experience expert, educated coaching that keeps you safe, builds confidence, and meets you where you are. 

Our community is full of like-minded people who will encourage you every step of the way, making every class both challenging and fun.

Ready to dive in? Grab our Intro 3-Pack for just $25 and see why Tru North is where strength, community, and growth come together. Your new chapter starts here.

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Wednesday 9.24

✏️ Weekly Sketch Meetup: Start your day with creativity! Bring your sketchbook and join fellow artists for a casual morning of drawing, sharing ideas, and connecting over coffee in a welcoming atmosphere. 9 AM The Grove

🥕 Bend Farmers Market: Get your fresh produce, local cheeses, baked goods, flowers, and artisan treats before the market ends in a few short weeks! Stock your pantry, meet local farmers, and enjoy the buzz of downtown Bend. 11 AM Brooks Alley

🧘‍♀️ Queer in Nature Meditation: A guided meditation in the forest where queer and allied folks can slow down, ground themselves, and find community in nature’s beauty. A chance to breathe deep and connect with both land and people. 1 PM Shevlin Park

💡 TEDx Bend Community Kickoff: Curious about what’s next for TEDx Bend? This launch event offers a sneak peek into the upcoming season, provides an opportunity to mingle with other big thinkers, and will even inspire you with the power of shared ideas. 5:30 PM The Haven Coworking

🚗 Driving the Alaska-Canada Highway: Adventurers will love this lively presentation on one of the most legendary road trips in North America. Learn about the sights, challenges, and stories from the Alaska-Canada Highway journey. 6 PM Downtown Bend Library

📚 Rediscovered Reads Book Club: Explore hidden gems and forgotten classics in this thoughtful community book club. Share your insights, discover overlooked favorites, and enjoy great conversation with fellow readers. 6 PM Roundabout Books

🎬 Bend Film Fest Kickoff Party: The countdown is on! Celebrate Bend’s beloved film festival with music, mingling, and plenty of creative energy at this lively kickoff party. A great night for cinephiles and community supporters alike. 7 PM Dogwood at the Pine Shed

🏋️‍♀️ Free Workout with Mom What’s Next: Drop off the kids at school and join the crew from Mom What’s Next for a free workout at MADabolic Bend. Registration is required, so make sure to sign up before showing up. 9 AM MADabolic Bend

🚵‍♀️ Thrilla Cyclocross Series: It’s week number 3 of the Thrilla Cyclocross series at the Athletic Club of Bend. Same story as before. Races are free. Just make sure you’re registered with OBRA. 4 PM Athletic Club of Bend

✍️ What’s A Zine?!: Take a trip back to 1997, when people still talked to each other in person and information was traded through local ‘zines printed in the back of your buddy’s garage while jamming out to The Dandy Warhols. Want to bring back this lost art or just learn what the heck a zine is? Head to Papier at Discovery West for their What’s a Zine class. 5:30 PM Papier @ Discovery West

Thursday 9.25

🎨 Art Play: A hands-on creative session designed just for ages 2–4! Little artists can dive into colors, textures, and playful projects while caregivers enjoy watching their kiddos explore and create in a fun, welcoming space. 10 AM Two Suns Art Studio

🧠 Chicken and Trivia: Head downtown to Wonderland Chicken for an evening of chicken wings and spicy trivia. Ok, maybe the trivia won’t be spicy, but the chicken wings should be! 7 PM Wonderland Chicken

🔭 Bend Astronomy Club Monthly Meeting: Local astronaut Dick Richards will be on hand to talk about the history of humans in space at this month’s Bend Astronomy Club meeting. 6 PM Downtown Library

📖 Toddler Story Time: Perfect for little ones and their caregivers, this interactive storytime features songs, rhymes, and engaging stories that nurture early literacy while fostering joy in reading. 10:30 AM Downtown Bend Library

🎤 Voices Rising Community Choir: Love singing and want to join a low-pressure choir where the singing is just for fun? Voices Rising community choir is the place for you. There are no tryouts and no pressure to perform. Just two hours of singing, just because. 6 PM First Presbyterian Church of Bend

🎨🧘 Watercolor + Yoga: Unwind with an evening that blends creativity and movement. Start with a gentle yoga flow in the park, then capture the beauty of the moment through a guided watercolor session—no art or yoga experience needed. 5:30 PM Tumalo State Park 

🍺 EDCO Pub Talk: Hear from the semi-finalists for the Bend Venture Conference in three-minute pitches, expand your business and social network, and even get some new headshots. 4:30 PM Worthy Brewing

✍️ An Evening with Hannah Pittard: Join nationally acclaimed author Hannah Pittard for an evening of storytelling, conversation, and insight into her creative process. A must for readers and aspiring writers alike. 6:30 PM OSU Cascades

🔊 Badass Sound Bath: This isn’t your average sound bath—it’s bold, immersive, and designed to energize as much as it soothes. Let powerful vibrations and resonant tones wash over you for a one-of-a-kind wellness experience. 7 PM CONTINUUM

UPCOMING EVENTS

🍷 Luscious Food + Wine Event: Been on the fence about grabbing tickets for this weekend’s inaugural food + wine event at Bachelor? There are still a few spots left (sorry, VIP tickets are already gone) where you can sample meals prepared by local chefs using ingredients grown by farmers right here in Central Oregon. Oh, and did we mention the wine? 5 PM Mt. Bachelor

LIVE MUSIC

Wednesday 9.24

Sax & Chill | Boneyard Pub | 5 PM
Doc Ryan’s DIRT World Revival | Commonwealth Pub | 7:30 PM
Paul Eddy | Cascade Lakes | 5:30 PM 
Trapper Keepers | Bevel Brewing | 6 PM
Eric Leadbetter | Crosscut | 6 PM

Thursday 9.25

Joel Chadd Trio | Bar Rio | 6 PM
Fluffalove | Commonwealth Pub | 7:30 PM
Amber Ambedo, Non Ether & Vacancy Floor | 7:30 PM | Silver Moon | Tickets
Birdtalker | Domino Room | 8:30 PM | Tickets

WHO’S HIRING IN BEND

Looking for your next job? Here are some local listings that have popped up over the last week.

Searching for a new job? Browse the full job board

Looking for local candidates for your open position? Post your job

THANKS!

Stay cool, and thank you again for reading!

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