Good morning, Bend! We’ve got a busy one this weekend, and hopefully we’re through the worst of the weather and back into our regularly scheduled sunny programming.

In today’s Bend Buzz:

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson & Emily Elaro 

Is This Playhouse Bend Chic or What?

Some kids get a plastic playhouse. Eighteen-month-old Benjamin Prescott got a custom-built backyard bungalow made from reclaimed wood, construction scraps, and weekends spent building alongside his dad.

Greg Prescott and his tiny construction sidekick spent their weekends sketching ideas, framing walls, and sanding cedar until the miniature retreat came to life. The result carries the design style Bend has become known for: wood tones, clean lines, asymmetrical rooflines, and just enough personality to make people stop and ask about it.

The little bungalow has since hosted years of giggles, neighborhood kids, family hangs, and glowing sunset evenings. It became the kind of space people naturally gravitate toward — proof that childhood magic doesn't need screens or excess. Just creativity, intention, and time together.

Now, as the Prescott family prepares for a move to Arizona, this one-of-a-kind property — playhouse and all — has officially hit the market. For the next family, it's a ready-made memory factory.

61060 SE Stari Most Loop is now for sale → View the listing here

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

Much to my surprise (and given some of the emails I received, you all were surprised as well), SummerFest is here! For those new here, SummerFest is a weekend-long festival that takes over downtown Bend with a full lineup of music, art, performances, food, drinks, and more!

The festival kicks off on Friday at 4 PM with music and food on Oregon Ave. Then the party really starts when all areas (art, bouncy houses, vendors, and more) will be open from 11 AM - 10 PM on Saturday and 11 AM - 5 PM on Sunday.

Here’s your full music lineup for the festival:

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

There had been a lot of will they or won’t they rumblings regarding this year’s Cascade Equinox Festival…and now we finally have a definitive answer. This year’s festival, which historically takes place in September, has been postponed until 2027. For folks who already bought tickets, you can either let your ticket roll to next year and they’ll give you a VIP upgrade, or you can request a refund. If you’d like to request a refund, the deadline to do so is June 10th.

🥕 NWX Farmers Market opening day: Farmers Market season in Bend will officially be in full swing as of this weekend, as NW Crossing kicks off the summer season on Saturday. Swing by between 10 AM - 2 PM to stock up on all your veggies, berries, meats, breads, and other local goodies.

Total aside - this time of year is when we make our absolute favorite dessert. Get an ocean roll and slice it in half so it’s like a sandwich, add a dollop of fresh whipped cream, and top it with fresh Oregon strawberries (preferably Hoods). We had this once when it was on as a special at Sparrow, and now it’s an annual late-spring/early-summer tradition that we make at home.

🍷 Va Piano 10th Anniversary: Come raise a glass and celebrate with the crew at Va Piano as they say cheers to 10 years of wine and community. On Saturday, they will have complimentary bites, discounted pours, and lawn fun and games.

👻 Bend Ghost Tours are back: It’s time to get spooky! Bend Ghost Tours are back for the season and are ready to take you to all the haunted spots around town.

📸 @highdesertmuseum |📍High Desert Museum
Tag @thebendbuzz to get your photos featured!

A different kind of middle school is coming to Bend

Redefine Learning Academy opens Fall 2026 and is now enrolling its founding class of 6th and 7th graders. With a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio, mastery-based pacing, and one-to-one instruction, RLA is built for students who thrive when they're actually seen and heard in the classroom.

No rushing ahead before a concept clicks. No getting lost in the crowd. Just real learning, at the right pace, with teachers who know your kid.

Want to say hi in person? Stop by their booth at Bend SummerFest on May 30th and 31st to learn more (and grab some free swag).

🌐 rlabend.com

🏎 Test N Tune: Bring your sports car (or maybe just your CRV) to HooDoo for a weekend of learning the ins and outs of autocross racing. 11 AM - 5 PM HooDoo Ski Resort

⚾ Bend Elks Home Opener: Baseball is back in Bend as the Elks take the field for their home opener against the Springfield Drifters. 6:35 PM Vince Genna Stadium (also games Sat & Sun)

🌾 Elevation Farmers Market: Another beautiful Friday at the market. Local produce, local makers, and all the signs that summer is officially here. 3 PM Elevation Bend Market is cancelled due to the weather

🦬 Come Along on the Oregon Trail: Come learn about the challenges faced by the 350,000 people who emigrated along the Oregon Trail. 2:30 PM Deschutes Historical Museum

🎨 Vegan Hat Burning: Design and burn your own premium vegan suede wide-brim hat from scratch with Freckles Creative Club. A couple hours of creative fun and a hat that feels like you. 6 PM TEAL Tea & Art Lounge

🛼Friday Night Roller Dance: Lace up and hit the floor at The Pavilion for another Friday night roller dance. 7:30 PM The Pavilion

🛶 PaddleFest: Come celebrate all things paddling with free demos and clinics at Tumalo Creek Kayak’s PaddleFest. 10 AM - 7 PM Tumalo Creek Kayak

🤣 Improv Showcase 500: The Bend Institute of Comedy is bringing the laughs with a night of improv. 7:30 PM Open Space Event Studios

🎤 TEDx Bend: Ideas worth spreading come back to Bend for another full day of talks, inspiration, and the kind of conversations that stick with you. 9 AM First Presbyterian of Bend

📺 TEDx Watch Party: Missed out on TEDx tickets? Join the watch party where you can catch all 8 speakers live on screen at The Haven. 9 AM - 4 PM The Haven

🗑️ Spring Trash Bash: Head out to Cabin Butte for a community cleanup and give back to the landscapes that give us everything. 9 AM Cabin Butte

🌲 Camping Fun: Forest Sculpture Class for Kids: Kids build forest sculptures at TEAL in a class that's equal parts art project and outdoor adventure inspiration. 11 AM TEAL Tea & Art Lounge

👙 Bend Boarding Babes Paddlefest Meetup: Join a fun group of ladies for a paddle followed by a hang at PaddleFest. 2:30 PM Tumalo Creek Kayak

👯Kids Line Dance Lesson: Get the little ones two-stepping at The Coyote for a kids line dance lesson that's guaranteed to produce absolutely adorable results. 12:30 PM The Coyote

🌿 Forest Bath: A Nervous System Reset: Step into Shevlin Park and let the trees do their work. A guided forest bathing experience that hits the reset button on everything. 1 PM Shevlin Park

🌎 Ecochella: Drake Park gets an eco-friendly festival makeover for an afternoon of sustainability, community, and good vibes. Climate action never looked this fun. 3:30 PM Drake Park

🛹 Slappy Hour: Give a hearty FU to cancer at Bend Brewing with a night of art, skateboarding, music, and more. 2 PM - Close Bend Brewing Co

😂 Gabriel Rutledge: The Pacific Northwest's own Gabriel Rutledge brings his sharp, relatable comedy to Volcanic Theatre Pub for a Saturday night that'll have you laughing until it hurts. 7 PM Volcanic Theatre Pub

🌕 Illuminaria: Enjoy a fully immersive, community-centered celebration of creativity, connection, and spiritual well-being at Hanai. 5 PM Hanai

🌈 Kaleidoscope: A dazzling evening of dance performance at the Tower Theatre that promises to be as vibrant and unexpected as the name suggests. 7 PM Tower Theatre

🎺 Cascade Winds Concert: Catch the last concert by Cascade Winds conductor Michael Gesme, who is retiring from his position at COCC at the end of the year. The concert is free for all. 1:30 PM Summit High Auditorium

🥞 Drag Brunch at Deschutes Brewery: Drag performances and brunch at the Deschutes Bend Pub—a legendary combination to kick off Pride week in Bend. 10 AM Deschutes Brewery Bend Pub

🚴 Cycle Homies Ride: A community bike ride starting from M's Bakery—the kind of Sunday morning roll that makes you feel like everything is going to be okay. 10:30 AM M's Bakery

🧸 Teddy Bear Tea Party: Little ones bring their favorite stuffed friends for a proper tea party at Higher Ground Community House. 11 AM Higher Ground Community House

🔭 Hiking Oregon's Fire Lookouts: A talk for anyone who's ever spotted one of those tiny cabins perched on a distant peak and thought, “I need to go there.” Learn about Oregon's historic fire lookouts and how to reach them. 11 AM Rosie Bareis Community Campus

🌴 Road to Reggae Rise Up: The pre-party for the upcoming Reggae Rise Up festival lands at The Commonwealth Pub with a Sunday afternoon of good music and good vibes. 12 PM The Commonwealth Pub

👗 Clothing Swap Party: Bring what you don't wear, leave with something you love at Alpenglow Park. 1 PM Alpenglow Park

🎭 Stripped Variety Show: Stars Cabaret hosts a variety show that promises to be bold, entertaining, and unlike anything else happening on a Sunday night in Bend. 6 PM Stars Cabaret

🎤 Okay Karaoke: Sing some songs and make some new friends along the way with Roundabout Social Club’s latest hang. 7 PM Dogwood

Lane Weiss | Bend Cider Co. | 6 PM
Funk Around and Find Out | Worthy Brewing | 7 PM
Bill Powers | Portello Lounge | 6 PM
STOP.DROP.REWIND | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets
Coyote Rider | McMenamins | 7 PM 
Company Grand | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets

Haute Melange | River’s Place | 6 PM
Bill Powers Old Growth | On Tap | 6 PM
Coyote Rider | Worthy Brewing | 7 PM
Mamas Boy | Bend Summer Festival | 7 PM
The Hoons | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets
One Mad Man | M&J Tavern | 9 PM

Mooncats | Deschutes Beer Garden | 4 PM
Eye Liner | The Capitol | 8 PM
Chris Baron & Two Secrets | River’s Place | 5 PM
Daisychain | Silver Moon | 6 PM | Tickets
I’m With Her | Tower Theatre | 7:30 PM | Tickets

Want to keep up on what’s happening around the state? A few weeks ago, we launched the Oregon Buzz and would love if you gave it a follow (and shared it with all your friends, as well 🙂). You can subscribe below 👇

Stay cool, and thank you again for reading!

Have an event you want to feature or want to advertise your business to our 17,000+ readers in Bend? Drop us a line here → [email protected]