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❄️ Welcome to winter

❄️ Welcome to winter

A new cocktail spot at the Box Factory, Summit has its earliest opening in a decade, and another round of holiday markets

Derek Carlson
December 13, 2024

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! Here’s a fresh helping of weekend events to go with our first real snow of the year.

In today’s Bend Buzz:

🍸️ A new cocktail spot opens at the Box Factory
🏔️ Mt. Bachelor opens Summit
🎄 Another round of can’t miss holiday markets

— Derek Carlson

SNAPSHOTS

📉 Home prices fall in Bend

This month’s Beacon Report showed a huge drop ($100k 😱) in real estate prices in Bend. Rather than give you my uninformed opinion on this shift, I reached out to local realtor (and advertiser with the Bend Buzz) Austin Buskohl for his thoughts -

In October, 33% of homes sold were at the $1 million+ price point—well above the usual 20-25%. But before you call it a trend, here’s the thing: the data on homes that went under contract in October (and were closing in November) backed up what I hinted at last month—October was a temporary spike, not the new normal.

Market nuances like this are easy to miss if you’re only looking at one stat. That’s why I put together my suite of reports: the Mid-Month Report, End-of-Month Report, and the BOSS Report. They help subscribers stay ahead of the curve and make smarter moves.

⛷️ Summit opens early

Mt. Bachelor was able to open the Summit lift (Northwest as well!) on Wednesday, December 11th. This was the earliest opening date for the lift in over a decade and further cements this early season as one that will go down in the books as an all-timer.

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🍸️ Freeland Spirits opens in the Box Factory: Portland’s women-owned spirits company Freeland Spirits has officially opened the doors to its new Bend location in the Box Factory. Located in the space formerly occupied by Avid Cider this spot will add another option for a night out on the town.

🌲 Skyliner Lodge changes hands: Skyliner Loge, the rustic outpost near Skyliner Sno-park and Tumalo Falls, is changing hands as of June 30th of next year. The previous caretakers, the High Desert Education Service District, is transferring management back to the USFS. This has led to cancellations of wedding plans over the summer, and its future use is now up in the air.

@THEBENDBUZZ

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TOGETHER WITH OREGONIZED BREWING

What’s better than enjoying an Oregon craft beer? Brewing your own Oregon craft beer!

Oregonized Brewing is Bend’s newest (and only) home brew shop, stocked with everything you need to start your first batch or keep the supplies flowing for your next great winter ale.

You’ll find them online and in person at Spider City Brewing on SE 9th Ave, where you can browse their impressive selection and maybe even grab the perfect Christmas gift for the homebrewer in your life.

Prefer to shop from the couch? You can browse their selection of supplies at OregonizedBrewing.com. Use the code BENDBUZZ24 at checkout, either online or in person, to save 10%. Cheers to brewing local! 🍻

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Friday

🛶 Holiday lights paddle parade: Is there any tradition that is more “Bend” than dressing up your kayak or SUP in holiday lights and paddling the Deschutes on a freezing December evening? Whether you are braving the water or watching from shore, this is always a can’t-miss event. 4 - 7 PM Old Mill District

🖊️ Flash tattoo day: Want to get some new ink, but your favorite artist is booked out for six months? Stop by this flash tattoo/market event, where you can choose from over 50 hand-drawn designs that are both quick and wallet-friendly. 10 AM - 6 PM 123 NW Franklin Ave

🎲 Board game design night: Are you a board game designer looking for testers? Or maybe someone who wants to get a first-hand look at the next big game? Modern Games is hosting a board game design night, and all are welcome. 5 PM - 9 PM 550 SW Industrial Way

🤣 Comedy night at Hosmer: Hosmer bar, that is, not the lake. Check out the acts from local comedians and get your weekend started right. 7 PM 1415 NE 3rd St

🎨 Sip & paint at Bridge 99: Spend the evening at Bridge 99 Brewery, painting a tranquil snowy scene with guidance from Sarah at Let’s Paint. One free beverage is included with registration. 5:30 PM 63063 Layton Ave

Saturday

🎹 Piano concert at Bachelor: Ever wanted to cross-country ski along candlelit trails while listening to live piano music from local musician Paula Dreyer? (I certainly have!) If so, you’re in luck, as Mt. Bachelor is playing host to this magical event. Don’t worry if you miss this one, as there will be plenty more at both Mt. Bachelor and Meissner throughout the winter. 5 PM Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center

🫘 Holiday food drive: Bend Parks and Rec is hosting a holiday food drive at their Larkspur location. This drive-thru event makes it easy to drop off food for those in need this holiday season. 10 AM - 12 PM 1600 SE Reed Market Rd

Item needed per BPRD:

Canned proteins (chicken, tuna, etc.)
Soups and stews
Canned vegetables and fruit
Dried beans (black beans, pinto beans, lentils)
No glass packaging, please.

🍥 Holiday gelatin salad show: Did you grow up having to take a heaping scoop of tomato aspic or other strange gelatin dishes during Christmas dinner? Well, if so, you can relive these wonderful memories at the holiday gelatin salad show at the Deschutes Historical Museum. Make your own or just browse the entries to see what other fellow Central Oregon gelatin enthusiasts come up with. 1 PM - 3 PM 129 NW Idaho Ave

🎄 Christmas ornament exchange: Need to spruce up the tree with some new ornaments this holiday season? Bring in your extras and trade them for some beautiful new (to you) ornaments. This event also includes a potluck, so feel free to make a double batch of tuna jello salad (I’m so sorry 🤐). 1 PM 61357 S Hwy 97

🫖 Holiday pottery sale: Looking for a unique and locally made gift this holiday season? Swing by the Bend Environmental Center for a pottery sale hosted by the Raku Club of Central Oregon. The event takes place Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM - 4 PM 16 NW Kansas Ave

☃️ Ugly sweater party: Throw on your best ugly holiday sweater and dance the night away to the music of Precious Byrd. This party at Cross-Eyed Cricket is the way to kick off the holiday season in style. 7 PM 20565 NE Brinson Blvd

Sunday

🍄 Music for mushrooms watch party: The Central Oregon Psychedelic Society is hosting a watch party for the film Music for Mushrooms. The event is free to attend, but they ask you to help support the Volcanic Theatre Pub by buying a beverage or two. 4:30 PM Volcanic Theatre Pub

🎅 Santa baby drag brunch: Indulge in a tasty brunch and glittery festive cocktails while taking in the show by some of Central Oregon’s best drag performers. 11 AM 1044 NW Bond St

🥗 Winter salads for all: Need a break from your steady rotation of tuna jello casseroles (I promise I’ll stop now), stews, and soups during the winter season? Head down to the East Bend library for a presentation by author Suzanne Landry on ideas for making filling main-course winter salads. 1 PM 62080 Dean Swift Rd

🔠 Slow down with Scrabble: Take a drive out to Sisters for the Scrabble club meetup at Paulina Springs Books. Because when else will you have the chance to show off your knowledge of random words like SHVITZ or RUDISTID. 11 AM - 12:30 PM 252 W Hood Ave, Sisters

WEEKEND HOLIDAY MARKETS

Dec 13: Holiday Handmade Market at Title Nine

Dec 14: Centennial Holiday Village Market at Centennial Park

Dec 14: Locavore Holiday Gift Faire at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Dec 14: Holiday Beer + Bazaar at Sunriver Brewing (Sunriver location)

Dec 14: Winter Faire at Waldorf School of Bend

Dec 14: Christmas Flea Market at Deschutes Expo Center

Dec 14 - 15: Craft-O at The Workhouse

Dec 14 - 15: 2nd & Olney Makers Market at Camp Clay

Dec 14 - 15: Holiday Show & Sale at Bend Environmental Center

Dec 14 - 15: Bevel Holiday Market at Bevel Craft Brewing

Dec 14 - 15: Magical Markets of Merriment at Somewhere That’s Green

Dec 15: Kindred Holiday Market at Spork

Dec 15: Pop-Up Bazaar at Iconic Dance

Dec 15: Kid’s Entrepreneur Holiday Market at Bend Elks Lodge

LIVE MUSIC

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

WEEKEND SNOW REPORT

After a dry past couple of weeks, the snow gods are smiling down on the mountains (and on Bend!). Thursday brought nearly half a foot to Bachelor, with more on the way through the weekend. With Northwest and Outback open, there is a lot of area to explore on the mountain.

Bachelor Snow Forecast

Current base: 51”

❄️ Friday - 5 to 9 inches
❄️ Saturday - 3 to 6 inches
❄️ Sunday - 1 to 3 inches

Meissner Snow Forecast

Current report: Yesterday’s snow helped cover up all the pinecones that had accumulated on the trails over the past week, and the trails are coming out great. Prepare for an incredible weekend of nordic skiing!

❄️ Friday - 2 to 5 inches
❄️ Saturday - 1 to 3 inches
❄️ Sunday - ~1 inch

THANKS!

Stay warm, and thank you again for reading!

For those of you who made it all the way to the bottom of the newsletter, I’m going to be hosting an impromptu meetup at Dilly Dally Coffee on Tuesday, December 17th, at 9am. I’ll have some gift cards for free breakfast burritos from Bend Breakfast Burritos and coffee on the house (feel free to splurge on an eggnog latte; you deserve it!) for the first ten folks who stop by and say hello.

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