⛈️That was a big boom!

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! I hope you all were able to catch up on your sleep after the weather excitement on Saturday night!

In today’s Bend Buzz:

• ✂️ Paper art pop-up coming to Discovery West

• ⛈️ Booms across Bend

• 💼 Will Leather Goods is opening at the Old Mill

Let’s get to it.

— Emily Randolph & Derek Carlson

SPONSORED BY SIERRA JAMES CONSTRUCTION

We’re Honored to Be Voted the Best!
Sierra James Construction is proud to be named Best Restoration/Remodeling Company and runner-up for Best Local Home Builder in the Source’s Best of Central Oregon 2025.

We’re deeply thankful to our Central Oregon community, our clients who trust us with their homes, and everyone who voted for us. Most of all, we’re proud of our talented team whose craftsmanship, dedication, and heart make this recognition possible.

From disaster restoration to design-build-remodel projects, our passion is helping people re-build after the unexpected and build the spaces they’ve always dreamed of. No matter the project, we’re here for you—because building in Central Oregon means building community.

📞 (541) 306-3775
🌐 www.sierrajamesconstruction.com

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SNAPSHOTS

🏡 2,500 New Homes Coming to Stevens Road Tract

Hayden Homes has been selected to build out 2,500 new homes in the Stevens Road Tract in Southeast Bend. The 260-acre parcel off of 27th and Reed Market will be developed into a mix of space for businesses, schools, and homes, including affordable housing

⚡️ What was that Boom?

Questions about where the smoke is coming from are out. In are questions asking what was that boom? Over the past week or two, there has been the shipping container explosion, a mysterious boom deep in SE Bend, and, early Sunday morning, one of the biggest thunderclaps that we’ve ever heard!

Turns out that the latter was a combo of a lightning strike near Pine Nursery Park and an inversion layer that created the perfect storm (pardon my pun) to wake up half of Bend. The thunder from the strike reverberated between the ground and the inversion, rumbling for nearly 15 seconds. It startled us (and one out of two kids) out of bed, and judging by the response to our post on Instagram, we weren’t alone.

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🛒 Farewell Market moving into Brookswood Plaza: Residents on the south end of town will soon have a new natural grocer as a brand new store called Farewell Market is moving into the space previously occupied by C.E. Lovejoy’s. Their website is still pretty bare of details at the moment, but they have an anticipated opening date of Fall 2025 currently listed. We’ll provide updates if we hear of a more concrete opening date.

💼 Will Leather Goods is coming to the Old Mill: More business happenings at the Old Mill as Eugene-based brand Will Leather Goods is opening a new shop next to Lululemon. They are known for their premium leather products like backpacks, totes, wallets, and belts. No official date has been set, but they anticipate opening later this fall.

👩‍🎨 Papier Popping Up at Discovery West: Papier is bringing the world of paper arts to Discovery West with a two-week pop-up. The shop will feature art from Central Oregon artists as well as workshops like puzzle purse paper folding, paper house making, choose your own adventure illustration class, and more! Check the link for the shop’s hours and workshop schedule.

@THEBENDBUZZ

📸 @miradavs |📍 Skylight Cave
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TOGETHER WITH CASCADE VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER

At Cascade Village Shopping Center, we make dining and shopping in Bend a breeze. With a wide variety of stores, delicious dining options, and a welcoming atmosphere, it’s the perfect place to spend your day. Shop, dine, and experience everything the Cascade Village Shopping Center has to offer, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Trader Joe’s, See’s Candies, Moose Sisters, PetSmart, El Rancho Grande, Pretty Moments Lingerie, World Market, Men’s Wearhouse, Best Buy, and Dakota’s Brick Shop, to name a few!

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Monday 9.15

​​🍺 $4 Pints Monday Night Football: Catch the game on the big screen with food cart eats and $4 pints—football + cheap beer = the perfect Monday night formula.  5 PM River’s Place

💃 Modern Square Dance Lessons: Think square dancing is old-fashioned? Think again! Learn the moves in a fun, welcoming setting that’s more about laughter than perfection. 6:30 PM Pine Forest Grange Hall

📚 RAB Middles Book Club: A club for middle-grade readers (and the grownups who love those stories too). This month’s pick, The Girl Who Speaks Bear, sparks conversation for all ages. 6 PM Roundabout Books

➗ Math Stories: Math meets storytelling in this family-friendly library event. A creative way to make numbers come alive for the kiddos. 5:30 PM Downtown Bend Library

🎬 Tertulias... ¡de película!: A bilingual Spanish-English cultural program at the Tower featuring film, conversation, and community connection. 6 PM Tower Theatre

🌌 In a Landscape: Dark Sky: Pianist Hunter Noack returns with his outdoor concert series under Central Oregon’s stunning night skies. A magical, star-filled musical experience. 9 PM Sunriver Stables

Tuesday 9.16

🧠 Nerd Night: Super Science Trivia: Bring your lab coat or just your best guesses—this trivia night is all about science. Expect quirky facts, brain-busting questions, and plenty of laughs. 7 PM Worthy Brewing

🧗 Ladies Climb Night: A night of climbing, community, and encouragement for women of all skill levels. Show up, chalk up, and send it! 6:30 PM Bend Rock Gym

🍷 Women Winemakers of Italy Tasting Class: Sip your way through Italian wines crafted by women winemakers, with guidance from the Flights team. Delicious education at its finest. 5:30 PM Flights Wine Bar

🐝 Beekeepers Monthly Meetup: Learn how to set up your bee colonies for success over the winter at this month’s Central Oregon Beekeepering Association’s meeting. 5 PM Trinity Episcopal Church

✨ Facial Rejuvenation Event: Learn about treatments and techniques for skincare and facial rejuvenation while enjoying light refreshments. Plus, check out the all-new Bend Time Machine package! 5 PM Bend Plastic Surgery

🛡️ SafetyNet Training: Join KIDS Center for a vital training session focused on preventing and addressing child abuse through community awareness. 5:30 PM Downtown Bend Library

🤸‍♂️ Zero to Handstand: Ever wanted to learn how to handstand but don’t know where to start? Then this class at the Circuit Bouldering Gym is for you! 6:30 PM Circuit Bouldering Gym

🧘 Do Yoga Outside: An outdoor yoga session by the river with Do Yoga Outside. Breathe deep, stretch it out, and soak up Bend’s natural beauty. 5 PM Drake Park

🤝 After Hours Networking: Mix and mingle with fellow professionals over craft beer—an easy way to expand your local network without the stuffy suits. 5:30 PM Bridge 99

UPCOMING EVENTS

👩‍🍳 Family Fun in the Kitchen: Hanai is hosting a four-part family cooking class series where kids ages 8 - 12 (with the help of a parent or guardian) will learn how to cook up tasty dishes featuring healthy seasonal ingredients like squash, apples, mushrooms, and pumpkin! Classes take place on Wednesday afternoons at 3:30 PM from October 1st to October 22nd. Sign up today to take advantage of their early bird discount and save $50.*

🍽️ Thrown Together Dinner Party: Mud Lake Studios is launching a brand new dinner series, bringing together local artists and cuisine. This 3-course family-style dinner will feature food prepared by Chef Eva Berg, served on pottery crafted by local artists. And the best part - your handmade place setting (large plate, small plate, bowl, and drinking vessel) is yours to keep at the end of the evening. Thursday, September 25th from 6 - 9 PM Old Ironworks Patio*

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LIVE MUSIC

Monday 9.15

Bluegrass Collective | Silver Moon | 7 PM
Hunter Noack (In a Landscape: Dark Sky) | Sunriver Resort | 9 PM | Tickets

Tuesday 9.16

It's A Setup, Gaspack & Gathering | Silver Moon | 6:30 PM | Tickets
Elise Franklin Quartet | The Commonwealth Pub | 7 PM 
Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen | Tower Theatre | 7:30 PM | Tickets

WEEKEND PREVIEW

🕺 Friday’s a choose-your-own-chaos kind of night. The Cascade Equinox Festival lands in Redmond with three days of music, art, and late-night vibes—think Burning Man energy but with better beer (and less wind). If you’re staying in town, comedy is king: Ball Pit Comedy at Craft Kitchen brings the silliness, while Shane Mauss headlines A New Trip at UPP Liquids with psychedelic punchlines. Worthy Brewing’s Boots & Brews adds a country twist (bring your dancing boots), while Bridge 99 and Thump host comedy and live music with plenty of pints and pizza to keep you fueled.

​​🍻 Saturday turns Bend into a block party on steroids. Bend Oktoberfest takes over downtown with lederhosen, steins, and questionable dance moves, while Seventh Mountain’s Fall Festival keeps it wholesome with pumpkin patches and family fun. Silver Moon cranks up the volume with Speedfest, a mash-up of bands and brews, and Midtown Yacht Club lures cyclists and beer lovers alike with Bikes & Pints. Looking for something quieter? Lone Pine hosts Poetry Night, The Tagalongs bring storytime magic to Roundabout Books, and Sisters Eagle Airport transforms into an outdoor cinema just as the stars come out.

🍂 Sunday slows it all down. Start with coffee and connection at CORK Mom Squad at Sisters Coffee in the Old Mill, then lean into the woo with a Fall Equinox Sound Bath + New Moon Ritual at Bend Yoga Center. It’s part self-care, part cosmic reset—the perfect way to balance out all the bratwurst and IPAs from Saturday.

🎶 The soundtrack? Equinox-level epic. From the all-weekend Cascade Equinox Festival lineup to local stages lighting up with comedy, bluegrass, and rock, you’ll find a beat (or a belly laugh) just about anywhere. This weekend’s recipe: one part Oktoberfest, one part Equinox, splash of speed (fest), and a whole lot of Bend buzz.

THANKS!

Stay cool, and thank you again for reading!

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