🦃 Gobble til you wobble

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! Just a reminder that Friday’s newsletter will be our shop local guide, so all of your events for the week AND weekend can be found below.

In today’s Bend Buzz:

• 🎄 Tree lighting ceremony

• 🦃 Thanksgiving dining guide

• ⛷️ A great deal for new xc skiers at Bachelor

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson

SPONSORED BY ALAN BELL

Look, we know—it’s Thanksgiving week, and securing a home loan is probably not at the top of your to-do list since you’re already juggling defrosting the turkey, where to put Aunt Marge, and taking care of the kids. 

Luckily, Alan isn’t your typical pushy loan consultant. He’s here to chat now or whenever you’re ready to take that next step.

Instead of a sales pitch, here are some fun facts to help you get to know Alan a little better.

Alan is a big-time foodie, always on the hunt for the best bites around Bend. He also owns a small business in the film industry, bringing creativity and hustle to everything he does. And when he’s not helping clients or running his business, you’ll find him helping out his wife as she tackles their family’s DIY home remodel, transforming their house one room at a time.

When the holiday dust settles, and you’re ready to explore your home loan options, Alan’s here to help. Whether it’s your first home, a refinance, or something in between, he’ll guide you with care, expertise, and maybe even a great restaurant recommendation!

Reach out anytime—Alan’s got you covered!

NMLS 2113486

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SNAPSHOTS

🍽️ Thanksgiving dining guide

Forgot to take that 25-pound turkey out of the freezer, or just don’t feel like cooking this year? Well, luckily for you, there are plenty of spots around Bend that will be serving up some incredible Thanksgiving dinners. And to save you the hassle of having to search for them, our friend Nancy at Eat Drink Bend has put together a great list of all the spots that will keep your plate filled with stuffing, giblets, and cranberry sauce.

⛷️ Mt. Bachelor prepares for daily operations

Mt. Bachelor will be closed today through Thursday as they prepare to kick off the 2024/2025 season in earnest on Friday. The closure includes uphill access so you’ll have to find a different spot to earn those turns in the meantime. With more snow in the forecast the mountain expects to have Sunrise, Skyliner, Little Pine, and Pine Marten spinning on Friday.

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

✈️ Alaska Airlines year-round flights to Portland: Alaska Air has announced that flights between Portland and Redmond will be sticking around all year long. Perfect timing now that the PDX remodel is mostly done!

🏢 Cracker Barrel has new tenants: The former Cracker Barrel location on Bend’s north side has new tenants and it will be welcome news for the area’s food trucks. The new space will host a commissary kitchen, retail space, and room for cooking classes. The first phase is expected to open sometime in January.

🎈 Camp Clay grand opening celebration: Camp Clay, Bend’s newest pottery studio, is hosting a grand opening celebration just in time for small business Saturday. Stop by to check out the gallery, class offerings, and membership options. Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM

@THEBENDBUZZ

📸 @bgreene.visuals |📍Road to Bachelor
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TOGETHER WITH MT. BACHELOR

❄️ Hit the Trails with Mt. Bachelor’s New Nord in 4 Program! ❄️ 

Curious about cross-country skiing? Mt. Bachelor’s brand new Nord in 4 program is the perfect way to dive in! With this new program you’ll get four lessons from their top-notch Nordic instructors (I took lessons last year—they’re fantastic!) that include both gear rentals and day passes.

The lessons are available from January through March and take place on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays, so there are plenty of options to fit your schedule.

And here’s the best part: upon completing the program, you’ll get a Nordic season pass to keep you gliding all winter long.

Sign up now to grab your slot and get ready to hit the trails this winter.

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Tuesday

🤓 Nerd night trivia: Head over to Worthy Brewing for an evening of science-based trivia. 6 PM 495 NE Bellevue Dr

🫙 Make your own dream jar: The kids are out of school this week, so make your way down to the Sunriver Library so they can create their own dream jar. 10 - 11 AM 56855 Venture Ln, Sunriver

Wednesday

📖 Hello storytime: Enjoy some quiet time at the Roundabout Books while the kids listen to stories (and you can pick out a few early holiday gifts in the meantime!) 10:30 - 11 AM 900 NW Mt. Washington Dr

🎉 Sorry we ruined Thanksgiving: Hop over to Ale Apothecary for a tasting of some of their rarest bottles and pick out that special treat to bring to dinner tomorrow. 2 - 8 PM 30 SW Century Dr

🧶 Color and knit night: Take a break from the oncoming storm of the holidays with a quiet evening of coloring and knitting at Bend Cider Co. 5:30 - 7:30 PM 64649 Wharton Ave

👯 Free line dance lessons: Giddy up! River Pig Saloon is hosting free line dancing lessons. Cowboy hats optional. 7 - 9 PM 555 NW Arizona Ave

Thursday

🥧 I like pie run: Bring the whole family for this casual 1.5 mile or 5k fun run along the Deschutes River. The best part is you’ll get a sweet color coded beanie (to let everyone in town know you ran in THIS year’s race) and a slice of pumpkin pie at the finish. 7:30 - 9:30 AM Old Mill District

Friday

🎅 Santa arrives at the Old Mill: Stop by the Old Mill to watch jolly ol’ Saint Nick himself arrive by helicopter. 10 AM Old Mill District

🎭️ Winter Wonderettes: The Cascades Theater is hosting this magical holiday showing starting today and running through December 22nd. 7:30 PM 148 NW Greenwood Ave

🤣 Comedy with The Roundabouts: Exhausted after having to talk politics around the dinner table on Thanksgiving? Recharge with a night of improv comedy with Central Oregon’s best troupe. 7:30 PM 220 NE Lafayette Ave

🎄 Tree lighting at Bend Brewing: Join your neighbors for an evening of carols and hot cocoa (or a nice porter) at Bend Brewing for the annual tree lighting ceremony. I heard a rumor that our jolly friend from the North Pole will be making an appearance as well 🎅 4:30 PM 1019 NW Brooks St

Saturday

🌕️ November Moonlight Market: Head over to Open Space Event Studios for the holiday edition of the Bend Moonlight Market. There will be vendors, live music, tattoos, drinks, and more. 4 - 11 PM 220 NE Lafayette Ave

🎭️ A very Nutcracker Christmas: Taking in a showing of the Nutcracker is a holiday tradition for many, and the Tower Theatre is here to make sure you have your chance in Bend. The Nutcracker: A Child’s Tale will be playing multiple times both today and Sunday, so grab those tickets before they’re gone. 1:30 & 6:30 PM Tower Theatre

🎅 Santa’s coming! I know him!: SantaLand at the Old Mill district is back up and running for another holiday season. Bring the littles to ask Santa for that new iPad and Nintendo Switch that they so desperately need. 11 AM - 5 PM Old Mill District

🎸 Rockin’ holiday kickoff: Make your way down to Sunriver for their kickoff party for the holiday season. There will be a visit from Santa (I can’t confirm whether the Old Mill Santa or this Santa is the real one), live music, hot cocoa, and, for the grand finale, the lighting of the village Christmas tree. 3 - 6 PM 57100 Beaver Dr, Sunriver

🎲 Trade in those used board games: Want to unload that closet full of unused board games or browse for a sweet deal on your next family night favorite? Head down to Modern Games for their used games market and help support Central Oregon Toys for Tots while you’re at it. 11 AM - 3 PM 550 SW Industrial Way

Sunday

🔠 Hello, fellow word nerds: Want an excuse to make a drive over to Sisters for a donut, coffee, and some Scrabble fun? Paulina Springs Books is hosting their Sunday Scrabble club, and all are welcome. 11 AM 252 W Hood Ave, Sisters

🦅 This walk is for the birds: Walk off all that extra pumpkin pie and learn about bird migration at the same time. Win-win! Join Think Wild at Hatfield Ponds for this educational excursion. 9 - 11 AM 22395 McGrath Rd

🏈 Trivia x football: Swing by River’s Place for an afternoon of trivia while catching some NFL action on the TVs. Useless Knowledge Bowl Trivia will be manning the mic. 12 PM 787 NE Purcell Blvd

LIVE MUSIC

Tuesday

No live music scheduled…maybe round up some neighbors and go caroling instead

Wednesday

McMenamin’s | JuJu Eyeball | 6 PM
Crosscut Warming Hut | Ben Johnson | 6 PM
The Bite at Tumalo | Erin Cole-Baker | 6 PM
The Commonwealth Pub | Pete Kartsounes | 7:30 PM

Thursday

M&J Tavern | One Mad Man | 9 PM
Bunk + Brew | Robot Mushroom | 6 PM

Friday

Volcanic Theatre Pub | Watkins Glen & The Hasbens | 8 PM | Tickets
Hawkeye & Huckleberry | Olivia Harms | 7 PM
Silver Moon Brewing | Soul’d Out | 7 PM | Tickets
Velvet | Dana Wirth | 7 PM
The Commonwealth Pub | Shine | 8 PM

Saturday

M&J Tavern | Blackflower Blacksun | 9 PM
Bridge 99 Brewery | Zach Madison | 6:30 PM
Silver Moon Brewing | Son de Cuba | 7 PM | Tickets
On Tap | Derek Michael Marc | 6 PM
Volcanic Theatre Pub | Katacombs | 8 PM
Northside Bar & Grill | Sweet Motor | 8 PM
Cafe des Chutes | Brothers Ivan | 5 PM | Tickets
Ale Apothecary | Alicia Viani | 6 PM

Sunday

River’s Place | Jess Ryan Duo | 5 PM

THANKS!

Stay warm, and thank you again for reading!

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