❄️ Here comes the snow

More closures along Galveston Ave, UO Hockey comes to Bend, and RSVP for our next pickleball meetup

Author

Derek Carlson
January 07, 2026

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! Apologies to anyone who received Monday’s edition of the Bend Buzz way later than normal. There were some tech issues at AOL (insert you’ve got mail joke here), but everything should be back up and running as normal now.

In today’s Bend Buzz:

  • 🏒 UO Hockey coming to the Pavilion

  • 🚪 Two more Galveston Ave shops close (although one is only temporary)

  • 🏓 Pickleball meetup #2 is happening

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson & Emily Elaro 

Clear the Clutter. Make Room for the New Year.

New year, new goals — don’t let clutter be the thing that stops you from keeping your New Year’s resolutions. Whether you want your car back in the garage, a kitchen with clear counters, a home office that actually works, or closets that aren’t overflowing, The Avenue helps you start fresh.

They make decluttering easy by handling everything from sorting and organizing to donation drop-offs and dump runs. No piles sitting around. No half-finished projects. Just real progress. Whether it’s one problem area or your entire home, their flexible, all-inclusive packages help you reclaim your space and your sanity.

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📞 Call/Text 541-205-9129 or visit theavenue.us to clear the clutter in 2026.

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

SNAPSHOTS

🏓 Pickleball Meetup #2 at Ballers & Brews

A week ago, we shared a survey asking what you all liked about the Bend Buzz in 2025 and what you’d like to see added or emphasized for 2026. The resounding answer for changes in 2026 was more meetups and community-building opportunities. So we took that to heart and have a few things in the works for the next couple of months:

  • A couple’s dinner. This will be like the dinner we mentioned on Monday, where you are paired up with five other folks, but this time it will be for couples to meet other couples. I’m in discussions with several restaurants and will share more details soon.

  • A dating meetup/dinner. We’re aiming for something around Valentine’s Day and, once again, will share more soon.

  • Last but not least - our second pickleball meetup at Ballers & Brews. We had a great turnout last time, so we’re running it back again. This will take place on January 21st from 5 - 7 PM at Ballers & Brews (the food cart pod/pickleball facility in NE Bend). The courts are covered, and all equipment is provided, so all you have to do is show up and enjoy an evening of pickleball fun. And to make the evening even better, regular Bend Buzz sponsor Austin Buskohl has stepped up and offered to buy everyone their first beverage. The only thing he’s asking for in return is that you choose him to help you buy or sell your next home. A fair trade if you ask me. (kidding, kidding) . Want to join? You can RSVP here.

🏒 UO Hockey at The Pavilion

The University of Oregon is coming back to Bend for another weekend of hockey at The Pavilion on January 16th & 17th. They will be matched up against the University of Alabama for the games on Friday and Saturday evenings. Want to attend? These tickets always sell out, so I’d recommend grabbing some now.

🏃 A New Race Will Take You to the Top of Bachelor

There is no shortage of crazy running and biking races around Bend, and this summer you can add one more to the list. In mid-September, Daybreak Racing will be hosting the Bachelor Ascent, a trail race offering 5k, 16k, 28k, and 50k course options, with each taking you to the summit of Bachelor. Start getting those Pilot Butte laps in now if you want to be ready for this one.

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🧁 Ida’s Cupcake Cafe to close their Galveston location: The title says it all. Ida’s Cupcake Cafe is unexpectedly closing their Galveston location on January 10th after a family emergency. Still need your cupcake fix? They have two other locations at 1155 Division St and in Redmond.

🍺 Roundabout Pub closes until March: The hits just keep coming for Galveston Ave, although at least this one is only temporary. The Roundabout Pub (formerly Dump City Dumplings) has closed for a winter hiatus, per a post on Instagram. They’ll be back with a locals day on March 1st and a grand reopening on March 17th.

@THEBENDBUZZ

📸 Cat E. |📍Moon rise over Pilot Butte
Tag @thebendbuzz to get your photos featured!

TOGETHER WITH KILN

Hi Bend! I’m Alexa, part of the Kiln Community team, and I’m so excited to share that Kiln is coming to the Old Mill District in late spring 2026. Our 43,000-square-foot, lifestyle-focused coworking space is designed for everyone from solo entrepreneurs to growing teams who want a place that feels inspiring, functional, and genuinely welcoming.

We’ll offer furnished private and team offices, resident desks, meeting rooms, and flexible event space — all thoughtfully designed to support how people actually work and connect.

If you’ve been working from home and need a change of scenery, are new to town and looking to build community, or are searching for a home base for your remote team, we’d love to meet you. Click here to learn more or book an on-site tour with our team.

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Wednesday 1.7

🧘 Yoga + Community Tea Time: Unwind with a gentle, grounding yoga practice followed by cozy community tea. A chance to slow down, stretch it out, and linger in good company afterward. 6 PM Secret Yurt

🎿 Free Wax Clinic: Learn the basics of ski and snowboard waxing from the pros. Perfect for tuning up your gear mid-season and picking up maintenance tips you can use all winter long. 6 PM Gear Fix

📖 Current Fiction Book Club: Join fellow readers for an engaging discussion of contemporary fiction. A welcoming space for thoughtful conversation, new perspectives, and bookish connection. This month’s pick: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. 6 PM Roundabout Books

🎶 Music Bingo: Classic bingo meets a killer playlist. Sip, snack, and listen closely as songs replace numbers—singing along is highly encouraged. 6:30 PM Portello Lounge

🪡 Heartbomb! Crafting Session: Get crafty for a good cause by creating heart-themed yarn bombs and art pieces meant to spread love around the community. All skill levels welcome. 4 PM Midtown Yacht Club

✍️ Urban Sketchers Meetup: Get your sketch on with Urban Sketchers, a free group that meets at locations around town to sketch their surroundings. 9 AM Junction Roastery

✏️ Printmaking Skills Series: Learn the fundamentals of block printing at this five-week course at Two Suns Art Studio. 5:30 PM Two Suns Art Studio

🧘 Inquiry Playshop Series: Join Continuum Yoga for a relaxed playshop exploring fluid movement, gentle sound, and body awareness. 6 PM Continuum Yoga

💥 Zero for Life Masterclass: What if dry January became Zero for Life? Join Bend-based wellness entrepreneurs, Christa “Cricket” King and Dr. Jennifer Rossi for a free Science-Meets-Soul masterclass delivering tools and tips that create real ease, hope, and excitement for a booze-free life. 5:30 PM Online

Thursday 1.8

🎿 January Passholder Party: Mt. Bachelor passholders gather for an après-style evening with drinks, giveaways, and mountain stoke. A fun way to celebrate winter with fellow snow lovers. 5 PM Deschutes Public House

🎙️ Garrison Keillor: The beloved storyteller, humorist, and radio icon takes the stage for an evening of wit, reflection, and signature Midwestern charm. 7:30 PM Tower Theatre

🌲 Winter Tinkergarten: An outdoor learning experience for kids and caregivers focused on play, exploration, and connection with nature—even in the colder months. 11 AM Tumalo State Park

🧘‍♀️ Slow Flow Yoga & Sound Bath: Ease into gentle movement followed by immersive sound healing. This class is all about relaxation, nervous system reset, and deep rest. 6 PM Hanai

🎵 The Beatles Mystical Experience: A multi-sensory evening blending live Beatles music, movement, and sound bath elements. Expect a dreamy, immersive tribute to the band’s more transcendent era. 6 PM Unitarian Universalist

🏛️ City Club Forum: Slippery Slopes: A timely conversation on Oregon’s liability waiver crisis and how rising insurance costs are impacting outdoor recreation. Hear from industry leaders and policymakers on what’s at stake—and what solutions could protect access to the activities Oregonians love. 8 AMCOCC Willie Hall

🧠 Trivia on the Moon: Put your trivia skills to the test with trivia on the moon at Silver Moon Brewing. 7 PM Silver Moon

🙌 Bingo Night: Is 2026 going to be your year? Put that luck to the test and see if the balls bounce your way at bingo night at Hosmer Bar. 7 PM Hosmer Bar

🎤 Karaoke Night: Been jamming out to Djo after the finale of Stranger Things? Show off your knowledge of that one song about Chicago with some karaoke at Bunk + Brew. 7 PM Bunk + Brew If you have no idea what those last two sentences mean, here’s the cliff notes: Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington in Stranger Things, is also the lead singer of the band Djo, which currently has the top song in the country - End of Beginning (it’s a good jam)

🧘 EcoNIDRA Yoga: Start your 2026 off strong with a session of EcoNIDRA, which is a gentle and restorative meditation-like practice that guides you back into connection with yourself and the earth. 7 PM Namaspa Yoga Community

🕯️ Women’s Connection Circle: Join Larissa Bell for an evening of reflection and connection at her Women’s Connection Circle. During the event, you’ll take part in guided meditation, journaling, circle sharing, and 1:1 partner work. 6 PM Location shared after signup

👶 Mom + Baby Yoga: Gather with fellow moms and babies for a unique six-week yoga series that will both get you moving and stretching, and connecting with fellow moms. 10:30 AM Free Spirit Yoga

UPCOMING EVENTS

📓 2026 Planning Workshop: Calling all local entrepreneurs and innovators! Level up your business in 2026 with a three-day workshop that will help you step out of the daily fog, dismantle your business like an engineer, and rebuild it as a scalable, efficient system. Led by local entrepreneur Thomas Lebens, this immersive experience will help set your business up for success as we enter the new year. January 20 - 22 Location announced after signup*

*Indicates paid advertising. Want to see your upcoming events listed here? Fill out this form to get started

LIVE MUSIC

Wednesday 1.7

Brother Gabe & FireOnyx feat. Scarlet Rae & Maxwell Friedman | McMenamins | 7 PM
Eric Leadbetter | The Commonwealth Pub | 7:30 PM

Thursday 1.8

Jay Geib | The Lot | 6 PM
Joel Chadd, Erin Cole-Baker, Travis Ehrenstrom & Bella Cooper | The Commons | 6 PM
Fluffalove | River’s Place | 6 PM
Haute Melange | Stoller Wine Bar | 6 PM
Bigfoot County | The Commonwealth Pub | 7:30 PM

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 warm, and thank you again for reading!

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