TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! If you managed to stop in for the Runaround Sue BBQ soft opening on Saturday, send me the deets! Darn kids’ soccer games cut into my BBQ time.

In today’s Bend Buzz:

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson & Emily Elaro

Get Your Free Tickets for Author Thomas Kohnstamm 

A month of dynamic events for Deschutes Public Library’s A Novel Idea 2026 wraps up on Saturday, May 2, with a presentation from Supersonic author Thomas Kohnstamm. This is a free event, but tickets are required to secure your spot—you can reserve your free tickets by visiting the library’s website.  

Here’s another date to put on your calendar: May 11. That’s when the new Central Library at 27th and Wilderness Way in Bend opens to the public! For now, the Central Library Drive-thru is open 24/7 for you to return library books and DVDs, and the holds pick-up window is open Monday–Saturday, noon to 6:00 p.m. 

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Every year, The Source puts out a guide naming their top restaurants and food carts of the year. This year’s edition dropped last week (we ran out of room in Friday’s newsletter, so it got pushed to today), and the winners are in.

You can check out the full 2026 restaurant guide here.

Sorry, east side drivers, bikers, and walkers 😬 Wilson Ave between 9th and Centennial St, will be fully closed starting today through sometime in July. The railway is doing work on the signal and crossing arms during this time, so there will be no access for anyone until the work is complete.

In better road construction news, the mild winter has allowed crews to get ahead of schedule on the work along Butler Market Rd. A portion of Butler Market has reopened to two-way traffic (although you still can’t get through the full construction zone if you’re headed west). If all goes well, the project should be wrapped up by September.

The Bend Comedy Fest was a hit last year, so they’re running it back again. This time they’ve moved it out of the heart of summer and into the first weekend of September (September 4-6). If you want to grab an all-access or VIP pass, you can save a few bucks if you purchase before May 1st. They recently announced the first headliner, Cristina Mariani, and I’m sure there are plenty more drops to come over the next few months.

This month’s dinner club is happening on Thursday evening at 6 PM at restaurants around the Old Mill district. Want to join a club of the coolest cats in town? Click here to fill out the quick survey, pay the reservation fee, and we’ll pair you up at tables of six to mix and mingle over dinner. Afterwards, we all meet up for a drink or two at a local watering hole.

🎱 Rally Recreation to close: Well, this is a bummer, as we were just here for a birthday party the other weekend and had a great time. Rally Recreation in NWX is closing their doors on May 10th. While the door hasn’t been completely closed on a reopening at a new location sometime in the future, this will be it for the current spot.

🌶 Savory Spice rebranding: Old Mill spice shop Savory Spice is getting a new name. The owners and spices are staying the same, but in May, they’ll be switching up the name to Top Hat Spice Shop. Along with the rebrand, they’ll also be launching a new website where you can order spices for delivery or pickup locally at their Old Mill shop.

📚 Early Learning Hub / Imagination Library: Help the Early Learning Hub of Central Oregon ensure that families in our community continue to experience the joy and lifelong benefits of early literacy through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. With the financial support of the Early Learning Hub of Central Oregon, 4,400 children in Central Oregon receive a book at no cost to them each month through this program. A gift of just $15.50 provides a child with 1 book per month for a year.

Make an individual donation here or donate on behalf of your business or organization here.

Do you have a child 0-4 years old? Register them to receive books here. Books are available in both English and Spanish. Every family should have the opportunity to share in the joy of reading!

📸 @bendcomedyfestival |📍Volcanic Theatre Pub
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Hey everyone, if you've got tree work to take care of around Bend, Scott's been a licensed arborist here for over 10 years.

If he looks familiar, you might've spotted him up at Bachelor as he's been a ski instructor there for years, too.

He runs Falling Leaf Tree Care, a small family business. He's easy to work with, keeps things simple, and takes the time to actually understand what you're after. Whether it's tidying up a backyard, getting overgrown trees back under control, or just making your yard a little easier to manage through the seasons.

He's got some openings this month and next, so if it's been on your list, reach out for a free estimate.

📞 (541) 241-6239
📧 [email protected]
Falling Leaf Tree Care, LLC · CCB# 235548

✍️ Teen Poetry Workshop: The Poetry Art Swap: Ever wondered what happens when poetry and art collide? This workshop dives into ekphrastic poetry—writing poems in response to visual art—then flips it, making art inspired by words. 4 PM The Open Arts Center

🎬 Oregon Movie Trivia: How well do you actually know the films shot in your home state? Put it to the test at Bevel Craft Brewing for a trivia night. 6 PM Bevel Craft Brewing

🏴‍☠️ Pirates of Penzance: Gilbert and Sullivan's beloved comic opera swashbuckles its way to the Tower Theatre. Rollicking, ridiculous, and genuinely great fun. 7 PM Tower Theatre

🍺 Pints with Profs: Join COCC professor of anthropology, Amy Harper, as she explores the culture of drinking. 6 PM Bridge 99

🪐 Out of this World Book Club: Head out of this world and dive into the latest in sci-fi and fantasy writing. This month’s book-du-jour is Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett. 6 PM Roundabout Books

💐 Plant a Hanging Bag: Ditch the premade hanging baskets (or bags, in this case), and make your own at this hands-on workshop at Whistlestop Farm. 5:30 PM Whistestop Farm

📚 Social Studies: Here’s a book club that will make you think. Dig into the reading list and prepare for some deep discussions. 6 PM Wildwood Bar & Grill

🗻 Let's Talk About Mount Jefferson: The Central Oregon Geoscience Society heads to Worthy Brewing to dig into the geology, history, and mysteries of one of Oregon's most striking peaks. 5:30 PM Worthy Brewing

🏔️ Adventuring is Different Now: Part of the Empowering Women Through Adventure speaker series at Embark—an honest and inspiring conversation about finding your path forward when your body changes. The kind of talk that meets people exactly where they are. 6 PM Embark

🐝 Bumblebee Season by Eileen Garvin: The Oregon author brings her newest novel to Roundabout Books for a launch event that sounds as warm and alive as the title suggests. 6:30 PM Roundabout Books & Cafe

🤖 Stay Human: Author Your Mind in the AI Age: Helen and Dave Edwards talk about what it means to stay human as AI reshapes everything around us. A timely, thought-provoking evening for the Nancy R. Chandler Lecture Series. 6:30 PM Willie Hall COCC

🚵 NICA Night at Pine Mountain Sports: Curious about middle or high school mountain biking in Bend? This is your night: a full overview of the Bend Composite team, video presentation, Q&A with coaches, plus details on the team's exciting rebrand and what's ahead for the season. 7 PM Pine Mountain Sports

🏠 Fault Lines: The City of Bend is hosting a screening of this film about growth, housing affordability, and homelessness, followed by a panel discussion with Mayor Melanie Kebler, Senator Anthony Broadman, and Housing Division Manager Racheal Baker. 6:30 PM Tower Theatre

⛏️ History Pub: Oregon Gold: William Willingham takes the McMenamins stage to unpack the history of Oregon mining from the Civil War through the Progressive Era. Gold, grit, and a great pint. 7 PM McMenamins Old St. Francis School

✈ Passport Social: Come meet the crew from The Travel Group Collective to talk all things boutique travel over a glass of pinot. 4 PM Stoller Wine Bar

Bluegrass Collective | Silver Moon | 7 PM

High Country Hustle | Silver Moon | 7:30 PM
Haute Melange | The Commonwealth Pub | 7 PM

Friday:

🦮Ruffwear Spring Warehouse Sale
🏡 Home & Garden Show at the Fairgrounds
🥕 Elevation Farmers Market Grand Opening
🍷 First Friday at the Old Mill & Downtown Bend
🎭Telltale Presents: Ride or Die, Darling. at Craft Kitchen

Saturday:

🎪 Spring Festival at Bend Leadership Academy
🏃Bend Beer Chase at Drake Park
🚴Pedal for the Planet at Farewell Bend Park
🏇Stirrup Kentucky Derby Fundraiser at The Commonwealth Pub
⚫ The Emo Night Tour at Midtown Ballroom

Sunday:

💐Mother’s Day Maker’s Market at UPP Liquids
🍵Mother’s Day Tea at Tetherow Resort
💃May the 4th Be With You: Star Wars Burlesque at Silver Moon
🍵 Thrown Together Dinner Party at Mud Lake Studios

Live Music:

🎸Low Tide Ritual at Silver Moon
🎼El Ten Eleven at Volcanic Theatre Pub
🎧Floater at Midtown Ballroom
🎶Gathering at Silver Moon
🎤Drifting Roots at Silver Moon
🎸Whitey Morgan and the 78s at Volcanic Theatre Pub

Stay warm, and thank you again for reading!

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