🎉 Thank you and happy New Year

Good morning, Bend! Well, that’s a wrap on 2025 as this is our final edition for the year (and the week, as well). Your event lineup for the rest of the week is below, and I’ll be back in your inboxes on Monday. Have a safe and happy New Year!

In today’s Bend Buzz:

• 🎉 Happy New Year

• 🎄 Tree pickup from the Scouts

• 📆 Events for the week ahead

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson & Emily Elaro 

SPONSORED BY…ME

I’m mixing things up a little in this spot today by running an ad for myself. We’re now booking advertisers for 2026, and I’d love to see your business here. Our headline ad slot is fully booked through March, but our mid-newsletter placement opens up at the end of January.

The Bend Buzz goes out three times a week to more than 16,000 Central Oregonians, and these ad spots are designed to help local businesses reach real people in our community.

If you’re planning a new business launch, looking to bring in new clients, or simply want more locals to know your name, click here to get the conversation started, or just reply to this email and I’ll follow up personally.

P.S. We also have spots to promote upcoming events (think concerts, races, dinners).

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

SNAPSHOTS

🎄 Christmas Tree Pickups from the Scouts

Get that Christmas tree out of the way (and out of the yard debris bin that it won’t fit in) by letting the Scouts pick it up for you. They are making one last round of pickups this weekend. You can schedule your pickup here.

🤝 Premium Subscriber Club Perk for January

Our first premium subscriber email of the year will be going out tomorrow at… well, sometime. I don’t want to wake you all up too early since it’ll be New Year’s Day and all. As a reminder, each month we send out an email with a preview of upcoming events for the month, a little behind-the-scenes info at the Bend Buzz, and a local business perk.

This month’s perk comes to you from Rally Recreation, a new neighborhood game spot located in NW Bend. They’ll be offering up a free pass to all premium members, so if you want to spend a fun evening playing foosball or ping pong and support the Bend Buzz at the same time, you can sign up here.

📆 End of Year Feedback

In Monday’s newsletter, we shared a few of the numbers behind the Bend Buzz for 2025, and now we want to hear from you about what you liked best and what we can add in 2026 to make the newsletter an even more valuable resource to the community.

If you have a minute, you can fill out the survey here.

Thanks again, and have a happy New Year!

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🍣 North Fresh Sushi closing at Ponch’s Place: Well, that’s a bummer. After a short stay at Ponch’s Place in NE Bend, North Fresh Sushi announced via an Instagram story that they would be closing their cart immediately. Their Midtown Yacht Club and Redmond food carts will remain open.

🪑 Roundabouts Home Consignment closes…but hopefully only temporarily: Local home goods consignment store Roundabouts Home Consignments announced around Christmas that they would be closing. It may be for good, or it may be temporary, but, for now, you’ll have to look elsewhere if you want to save some bucks on outfitting your home.

🗝️ Oregrown opens first dispensary in Redmond: Bend-based cannabis dispensary is opening up the first dispensary in Redmond, kicking off with a grand opening celebration on Saturday and Sunday. They’ll have special discounts, giveaways, raffles, and more. 2127 South Highway 97

@THEBENDBUZZ

📸 @woofworksbend |📍Good Dog
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_{Side note: Embedding Instagram posts in the newsletter has not been working reliably as of late, so if you have a photo you’d like featured in this space, feel free to email it to me at [email protected] along with how you’d like to be credited, and we can include it here.}

TOGETHER WITH MOUNTAIN DOGS

Mountain Dogs Just Leveled Up

A few weeks ago, we introduced you to Mountain Dogs, a brand-new doggy daycare in Bend. And judging by the turnout for their free Santa photos, it sounds like plenty of local pups made it onto the nice list.

We wanted to circle back with an update. Mountain Dogs has been busy behind the scenes and has officially expanded their offerings. In addition to daily doggy daycare, they now offer overnight boarding.  Also, look out for professional grooming coming in the weeks ahead.

Whether you’re heading to work or out of town, you can rest easy knowing your dog is enjoying spacious and modern boarding suites, regular playtime, and trips to their outdoor yard and play space.

Want to learn more? Visit mountain-dogs.com or give them a call at 541-777-8008.

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Wednesday 12.31

Still looking for a place to ring in the New Year this evening? We published a full list of NYE parties in Monday’s newsletter (read it here)

🎨 NYE Artsy Party: Ring in the new year with paint-splattered joy, creative play, and an anything-goes art party that’s perfect for all ages and all skill levels. 1 PM Beat of My Art

☺️ NYE Flow: Join Tula for their last yoga flow class of the year. Got little ones in tow? No worries, as they have childcare available. 9:30 AM Tula

🧘 New Year Yoga Festival: Start your last day of the year grounded and intentional with a full-morning yoga celebration focused on movement, reflection, and fresh-start energy. 9:30 AM Namaspa

🕯️ Luminaria at Bachelor: Embark on a candlelit adventure to ring in 2026 in the great outdoors. Headlamps, costumes, glow-in-the-dark attire, and general merriment are encouraged! 5 PM Mt Bachelor

Thursday 1.1

🌿 New Year Botany Walk: Kick off 2026 with a peaceful guided walk exploring winter plants and seasonal ecology along the Deschutes. A calm, nature-forward way to reset. 10 AM Riverbend Park

🪩 Dance & Cold Plunge: Kick off the new year with some grooving and a likely very cold plunge into the Deschutes with Get Up & Groove. 10 AM Miller’s Landing Park

💃 Welcome 2026 Dance Party w/ DJ Chris: Shake off the confetti and keep the celebration going with a high-energy New Year’s Day dance party. 8 PM The Commonwealth Pub

🥐 New Year’s Day Hangover Brunch: Grease, grace, and good vibes. Cure what ails you with hearty brunch classics and recovery-friendly beverages. 10 AM Monkless Brasserie

🎭 New Year’s Day Hangover Masquerade: Costumes encouraged, judgment discouraged. Dance your way into the new year with a late-night masquerade twist. 8 PM Silver Moon

👕 Shop Party at Daze Printing: Chill with a morning of custom t-shirt printing, community building, and coffee from Hush Hush at Daze Printing’s New Year party. 9 AM Daze Printing

📺FRIENDS Trivia: Pivot! Grab your crew and test your knowledge of Central Perk moments, iconic one-liners, and all things Friends. Could this trivia night be any more fun? 6:30 PM Bend Brewing

Friday 1.2

📸 Winter Wonderland Weekend Photo Workshop: Sharpen your winter shooting skills with a guided photography workshop focused on snowy Central Oregon landscapes. Perfect for hobbyists and serious shooters alike. 2 PM Cascade Center of Photography

❄️ Sunset Snowshoe Tour: Strap on snowshoes and head out for a golden-hour tour through the Nordic trails, capped with mountain views as the sun dips behind the Cascades. 3:30 PM Mt. Bachelor

🎨 First Friday: Galleries, shops, and studios stay open late for art, music, pop-ups, and that classic First Friday buzz throughout the Old Mill and downtown. 3 - 6 PM (Old Mill) and 5 - 8 PM (Downtown Bend)

💃 West Coast Swing Class: Learn smooth, modern swing with plenty of room for creativity and connection. Perfect for beginners and experienced dancers alike — no partner needed, just show up ready to move. 7 PM The Space

Saturday 1.3

🏋️ Lift & Community: Get the new year started right with a morning men’s group that starts off with a weight lifting session at Lift Fitness Studio, followed by coffee and community at Thump. 6 AM Lift Fitness Studio

📚 Book Binding + Journal Making Workshop: Get hands-on and learn the basics of bookbinding while creating a custom journal you’ll actually want to use. 12 PM Freak’N Art

🎹 Moonlight Ski Concert: Ski under the stars to a live piano performance on snow-covered trails — equal parts magical and very Central Oregon. 5 & 7 PM Virginia Meissner Sno-Park

🍺 The Story Behind the Brew: Go behind the scenes with UPP Liquids to learn how their beers come to life, with stories, tastings, and good conversation. 5 PM UPP Liquids

⛷️ Full Moon Ski & Dine: Here’s a fun one for you. Strap on your nordic skis at Dutchman and ski the 11 (mostly downhill) miles to Elk Lake Lodge, where you can enjoy a dinner before taking a ride in their snowcat back to the Dutchman parking lot. 3:30ish Dutchman Sno-Park

Sunday 1.4

🌕 Full Moon Sound Bath: Unwind under the full moon with a deeply restorative sound bath designed to help you reset, release, and recharge for the week ahead. 7 PM Bend Yoga Center

🧠🍻 Trivia Night: Round up your smartest (or loudest) friends and put your random knowledge to the test over drinks and friendly competition. 6 PM The Commons

🥫End of Holiday Food Drive: Last call to give back — drop off donations and help wrap up the season by supporting local food access. All Day Juniper, Larkspur & The Pavilion

🎨 DIY Drop-In: Get crafty at your own pace with open studio time and all the supplies you need to make something fun and unexpected. 11:30 AM Freak’n Art

🎿❄️ XC Oregon Learn-to-Ski Day: New to Nordic skiing? This beginner-friendly day is all about learning the basics, building confidence, and getting outside on snow. 1 PM Meissner Nordic

🦉 Queer As Flock Bird Walk: Head out to Dillon Falls with the crew from Queer as Flock to try and spot some birds that stick around for the winter months. 9 AM Dillon Falls Trailhead

LIVE MUSIC

Wednesday 12.31

Double Jump | River’s Place | 7 PM
Mari & The Dream, Maria Jackson Band & DJ Jay Meast | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets
Soulshine | McMenamins | 8 PM | Tickets
Soul’d Out | The Commonwealth Pub | 8 PM
The Hasbens & Call Down Thunder | Midtown Ballroom | 8 PM | Tickets
The Jugulars & Jackrat | UPP Liquids | 8 PM | Tickets
Watkins Glen | McMenamins | 8 PM | Tickets

Thursday 1.1

The ABluestics | River’s Place | 6 PM 
Doc Ryan | The Lot | 6 PM

Friday 1.2

Them NJ | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets 
Funk Around and Find Out | The Commonwealth Pub | 8 PM

Saturday 1.3

Jordan Wolfe | On Tap | 5 PM
The Substitutes | Northside Bar & Grill | 8 PM
Eric Leadbetter | Portello Lounge | 6:30 PM
THAT 90s BAND | Silver Moon | 7 PM
Livid Kings | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets 
MIkey Bilello & Beverly Anderson | River’s Place | 6 PM 
Cover City | The Commonwealth Pub | 8 PM

Sunday 1.4

Lickety Split | River’s Place | 5 PM

WHO’S HIRING IN BEND

Looking for your next job? Here are some local listings that have popped up over the last week.

• Appliance Service Technician at Jusin-In Time Appliance Repair

• Events Coordinator at Deschutes Library

• Makerspace Technician at Deschutes Library

• Vice President of Land Acquisition at Hayden Homes

• Public Safety Officer at OSU-Cascades

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!

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]