TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! And good luck to everyone with BPRD summer camp signups tomorrow!

In today’s Bend Buzz:

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson & Emily Elaro

Building Community, One Book at a Time  

A Novel Idea shows how the power of the written word can strengthen connections and build community—one book at a time. Deschutes Public Library’s annual community read program is in full swing starting in April, so the time to read is now!  

 Reserve a copy of Thomas Kohnstamm’s Supersonic through your library or purchase a copy from a local bookseller. Then, get ready to engage with the book through thought-provoking (and free) events throughout April. It all wraps up with an in-person visit from the author on May 2. Bonus: there’s a selection for young readers, too: Mitali Perkins’s Hope in the Valley. Both books have at their center the idea that place matters, with characters who put it all on the line to protect what they love.  

Learn more about A Novel Idea on the library’s website. 

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

Get your coffee ready as signups for Bend Park & Rec summer camps and other summer activities take place on March 17th & 18th. Because this is such a popular one, they’ve gone back to a two-day registration with summer camp signups happening on the 17th and all other rec program signups happening on the 18th.

Want to see a list of all the summer camps happening around Bend this year? We put together a full guide that should keep your kids occupied all summer long.

Need to get away for a weekend to blow some cash on slot machines and all-you-can-eat crab legs (or maybe just go hike in the warm desert air)? Breeze Airways has started twice weekly non-stop flights from Redmond to Las Vegas, starting at $69. Note that this is one of those low-cost carriers, so expect to pay extra for things like carry-on bags and whatnot.

Things may be looking up for residents of SW Bend (on the east side of the river) dreaming of a connection to the trails in west Bend. BPRD is hosting an open house next month and launching a study looking at potentially building a pedestrian bridge over the Deschutes on the south end of town. You can learn more about the study and open house here.

🚴‍♀ Bikepacking in style: Ever wanted to try bikepacking (like backpacking but on a bike), but the thought of lugging all your own gear on a bike seemed a little much? A new local company called Broad Country Adventures is aiming to fix that. They offer fully supported (think gear transport, family-style meals, route logistics, etc) multi-day bikepacking trips for women through the Ochocos and Painted Hills area. Right now, they have two dates planned for this summer, with more hopefully coming next year.

🍽 Rosemary & Fox opens on Tuesday: Rosemary & Fox, a modern French-American restaurant, is opening their doors to the public tomorrow, March 17th. The restaurant is in the space formerly occupied by Jackalope Grill in downtown Bend. While I haven’t had a chance to try the food yet, the menu and photos certainly look good!

📸 @alexsreininger |📍The Coyote
Tag @thebendbuzz to get your photos featured!

Time to Turn the Sprinklers Back On

Spring is around the corner, which means it’s about that time to wake up your irrigation system. Deschutes Backflow & Irrigation helps homeowners across Central Oregon get their systems running smoothly again.

They handle spring activations (turning the water back on, checking zones, adjusting sprinkler heads), along with state-required backflow testing to help protect our water supply. They also offer repairs, upgrades, and full irrigation installations.

A quick tune-up now can prevent leaks, reduce water waste, and make sure your system runs efficiently all season long.

Schedule your spring activation or backflow test today at deschutesbackflow.com or call 541-788-7987.

🎺 Glenn Miller Orchestra: The legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra comes to the Tower Theatre for an evening of timeless big band music. If you've ever wanted to feel like you're in a 1940s ballroom, this is your moment. 7 PM Tower Theatre

🎸 Irish Open Mic: The St. Patrick's Day spirit refuses to die and honestly, good. Grab a pint and catch some live music as folks take the mic for an Irish-themed open mic. 12 PM The Commonwealth Pub

🧵 Sew Club: Whether you're a seasoned seamstress or just finally committing to fixing that pile of clothes you've been meaning to mend for six months, Sew Club at Freak'n Art is your people. Come stitch, chat, and leave with something actually finished. 5:30 PM Freak'n Art

🧠Quizhead Games Bingo: Head down to the Old Mill for some trivia along the river with Quizhead Games trivia at Greg’s Grill. 6 PM Greg’s Grill

🙋‍♀ Bingo with Bren: Enjoy an evening of bingo and raise some money for a good cause with Bingo with Bren at Bevel Brewing (say that 5 times fast). 6 PM Bevel Brewing

☕ Coffee with a Commissioner: Pull up a stool at Strictly Organic and have an actual conversation with your county commissioner. Democracy tastes better with a good cup of coffee. 10 AM Strictly Organic

🥗 Lunch & Learn: Maintaining Muscle Mass: Eat your lunch and learn how to keep your muscles from staging a quiet revolt as you age. Practical, useful, and way more interesting than it sounds. 12 PM Larkspur Community Center

🌱 Science Pub: Back by popular demand, OSU's James Cassidy returns to blow your mind with everything you never knew you needed to know about soil. Yes, soil. How it forms, why it's the reason you're alive, and how it stores water and nutrients. Grab a drink and prepare to leave with a completely new appreciation for the dirt under your feet. 5:30 PM OSU Cascades Charles McGrath Family Atrium

☘️ St. Patrick's Party at Volcanic: Volcanic Theatre Pub goes full Irish for the actual St. Patrick's Day. Good music and no shortage of green. 5 PM Volcanic Theatre Pub

🏡 Firewise Landscaping: Join the Native Plant Society of Oregon at their monthly chapter meeting, where they’ll be discussing firewise landscaping with OSU Professor and Extension Horticulturist Amy Jo Detweiler. 5 PM The Breakroom

👗 Fit Check: Sustainable Clothing Swap for Teens: Bring what you don't wear, leave with something you love. The Deschutes Public Library hosts a clothing swap for teens that's good for the wardrobe and good for the planet. 5:30 PM The Pavilion

🏂 Bend Boarding Babes St. Paddy's Shenanigans: The Boarding Babes are celebrating St. Patrick's Day, and it sounds like exactly as much fun as it should be. Come hang with a crew of women who shred and know how to party. 6 PM River's Place

🎤 Public Rock Choir: Good singer or bad, this is your chance to sing as loud as you want. No experience necessary at this just for the heck of it event. No 6 PM UPP Liquids

📖 Beholden Storytelling: Join storyteller Jared Anderson and host Ben Paulus for a seasonal evening of live storytelling and shared reflection. 6:30 PM Roundabout Books

🤓 Nerd Night Trivia: Round up your smartest and sciency-est friends as this isn’t your normal night of pub trivia. Nerd Night trivia brings out a specially curated set of questions that will stump even the brainiest of brainiacs. 6 PM Worthy Brewing

Glenn Miller Orchestra | The Tower Theatre | 7 PM | Tickets
Bluegrass Collective | Silver Moon | 7 PM

Tortilla Chips | McMenamins | 4 PM
Jordan Wolfe | Ponch’s Place | 6 PM
Jesse Roper | Silver Moon | 6:30 PM | Tickets 
Tanner Laws Band & Johnny Bourbon | The Domino Room | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Irish Rambling House | Tower Theatre | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Sonic Benders | McMenamins | 8 PM

Friday:

🌆 Song of Sunset at Silver Moon
😂Bits n Skits: Alex Cureau at Craft Kitchen 
🥽Goggle Tan Jam at UPP Liquids
🎨Tangled Roots Block-Printing Night at The Pantry
🎣Fly Fishing Film Tour at Tower Theatre

Saturday:

☀️Spring Equinox Sound Bath at Continuum 
🐕Paint Your Pet as a Tarot Card at Pine & Prism Wellness Collective
🐾Wildlife Tracking Workshop at Nighthawk Naturalist School 
🦆Wildlife & Birds Photography Walk with Think Wild
🍵Tea cup + Saucer Hand Building Ceramics Workshop at Teal Tea & Art Lounge 
🎬2026 HUMP! Film Festival at Volcanic Theatre Pub

Sunday:

❄️Snow White at Tower Theatre 
🦋Butterfly Pinning Workshop at Somewhere That’s Green

Live Music:

🎤West 22nd at Volcanic Theatre Pub
🎶Bim Jeam & The Sadness at Silver Moon
🎛️Mild Universe & Theodor at Silver Moon
🎸Juju Eyeball at McMenamins

Stay warm, and thank you again for reading!

Have an event you want to feature or want to advertise your business to our 16,000+ readers in Bend? Drop us a line here → [email protected]