🍽️ What’s your go-to meal in Bend?

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend!

In today’s Bend Buzz:

• 🚧 Another roundabout project is set to begin

• 🍽️ What’s your go-to meal in Bend?

• 🍔 Killer Burger opens by Costco

Let’s get to it.

— Emily Randolph & Derek Carlson

SPONSORED BY SIERRA JAMES CONSTRUCTION

🚨 Big News for Bend Homeowners! 🚨

The City of Bend now allows TWO ADUs on a single property:
✅ One up to 800 sq ft
✅ One up to 500 sq ft
Attached or detached — you can even build a 500 sq ft unit above an 800 sq ft ADU.

Two rentals? Two in-law suites?
The possibilities are wide open.

Sierra James Construction has a full team of ADU specialists — including an on-staff architect to create plans tailored to your lot.
Already have plans or using the city’s pre-approved design? We’re ready to build.

✅ Free site walks
✅ Local experience that delivers

🏗️ Call the ADU experts at Sierra James Construction
Let’s explore what’s possible on YOUR property.

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

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SNAPSHOTS

🚵 Flagline Trail Opens for the Season

Mountain bikers rejoice as the limited-time-only Middle Flagline Trail is officially open for the summer. We thought about sharing this on Friday, but figured it’d already be seeing enough opening day crowds, so we decided to spread out the love a bit. What better way to cap off the summer than by hopping the shuttle to Bachelor and riding all the way back to town?

🚧 Butler Market & Wells Acres Construction Open House

Get ready for another big impact to traffic on the east side as the construction of a new roundabout at Butler Market and Wells Acres will be kicking off in a month or so. In an effort to reduce the impact of the closure, the intersection will remain open to eastbound traffic for the duration of the project.

If you want to learn more about this project, the City of Bend is hosting a pre-construction open house at the Hollinshead Barn on Tuesday, August 19, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.

🍽️ What’s Your Go-To Bend Meal

I was chatting with the editor of this little newsletter the other day (who also happens to be Mrs. Buzz) about our go-to meal in Bend. This isn’t necessarily the best meal we’ve had, but the one that we could eat every single week and never get tired of. Mine was a tie between the Sancho bowl with carnitas from El Sancho or the spicy pork noodles from Spork (Mrs. Buzz went with the chicken banh mi from Da Nang).

So that got us thinking - what’s your favorite everyday meal in Bend? I’m interested to see if it's a toss-up between a bunch of options or if one stands out above the rest.

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🍔 Killer Burger opens their Bend location: A second new business opened today by Costco (sorry for not giving you a shoutout, Sleep Number). Killer Burger is officially opening the doors to its first location in Central Oregon. The regional chain originally started in Portland and is known for its peanut butter pickle bacon burger (we got an invite to their soft opening and can attest that it’s pretty darn tasty). They will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

🏗️ Ballers and Brews food cart lineup taking shape: The new east side food cart pod/pickle ball spot, Ballers and Brews, is still a month away from opening, but their food cart lineup is taking shape. So far, it includes Manzanita Barbeque, Chonie’s Pizza, Bread and Bunny, Indodaddy, The Great Greek, and 5th St Bagels. We’ll keep you up to date if any more join the crew between now and their grand opening.

@THEBENDBUZZ

📸 @tessarmbruster.art |📍South Sister
Tag @thebendbuzz to get your photos featured!

TOGETHER WITH THE PANTRY

Gather, sip, connect — The Pantry is growing.

The Pantry has been under new ownership since March and is embracing its role as a spot to slow down and settle in. Part neighborhood café, part refillery, part community hub, all built on a warm, generous presence. Now we’re expanding thoughtfully with beer and wine, new seasonal menu items, handcrafted goods from local makers, and a calendar of upcoming events (thepantrybend.com)

Stop in for a housemade breakfast burrito, sip a seasonal latte with a friend on the patio, catch up on emails in our cozy nook, or refill your spice jars, dish soap, and other essentials at our refillery.

Mention the Bend Buzz in September for 25% off one coffee drink.
Follow us @thepantrybend or visit thepantrybend.com to see what’s next.

📍 1124 NW Newport Ave, Bend

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Monday 8.18

🧘‍♀️ Yinyasa Encore Flow: Stretch it out under the summer sky with this silent disco–style outdoor yoga session, complete with a LIVE DJ set by DOONE. Flow with the beat, breathe in that sweet Deschutes breeze, and get centered before your evening plans. 5 PM Drake Park

🎬 Family Movie Night: Round up the crew, grab the popcorn, and settle in for an evening flick at the Hideaway. It’s cozy, it’s free(ish), and it’s the perfect low-key summer night in Bend. 6:30 PM Hideaway Empire

🚵 Dirt Pride: Join filmmaker and community organizer Christina Rosetti for a screening of Dirt Pride, a short film that celebrates queer joy and community—without centering trauma. Follow a crew of empowered queer women and gender-nonconforming folks as they bikepack through Washington, exploring the transformative magic of building queer community outside. 6 PM Downtown Bend Library

🌑 New Moon in Virgo: Tap into Virgo’s grounded energy with a night of insight meditation and sound healing. Perfect for setting fresh intentions, shaking off the old, and maybe hearing a gong or two. 6 PM Hanai

🎨 Kids Studio Printmaking Camp: Got a budding little artist in the family? This summer camp is all about unleashing creativity through printmaking. Kids will design, carve, and print their own custom masterpieces while learning hands-on art skills (and probably getting a little inky in the process). 9:30 AM Mon-Thurs Freak’n Art

Tuesday 8.19

🙋 Bingo night: For just a couple of bucks, you can join in on some bingo fun and help out local non-profits while you’re at it. 6 PM River’s Place

🪅 Gnome Paint Night: Sip a pint, grab a brush, and give your very own gnome some personality. Warning: your little bearded buddy might end up cuter than you anticipated. 5:30 PM Silver Moon Brewing

🔊 Badass Sound Bath: Not your average spa soundtrack—this sound bath is designed to help you feel powerful, grounded, and totally recharged. Think: zen meets “heck yeah.” 6:30 PM Continuum

🧗‍♀️ Ladies Climb Night: Whether you’re sending V5s or just learning to tie in, this is the perfect night to chalk up, meet rad women, and crush some climbs. 6:30 PM Bend Rock Gym

📜 We Become a Poem / Nos Convertimos en un Poema: A bilingual poetry experience that blends English and Español into one beautiful, rhythmic conversation. Bring your ears, your heart, and maybe a tissue. 12:30 PM Downtown Bend Library

LIVE MUSIC

Monday 8.18

Bluegrass Collective | Silver Moon | 7 PM

Tuesday 8.19

Counting Crows | Hayden Homes | 6:30 PM | Tickets
Elise Franklin Jazz Quartet | 7 PM | The Commonwealth Pub
American Progress | Silver Moon | 7 PM | Tickets

WEEKEND PREVIEW

✈️ Friday’s ready for takeoff. Head north for the Airshow of the Cascades in Madras, where vintage warbirds and aerobatic stunts light up the sky. Back in Bend, the Gravity Series takes over Mt. Bachelor’s Rattlesnake Trail for some high-speed mountain biking action. Closer to town, Burn & Barrel at Tetherow brings the smoke with craft drinks and fire-kissed bites, while Art in the High Desert transforms Riverbend Park into a world-class outdoor gallery. Evening choices? Slide into Boots & Brews at Worthy for a little country dancing, catch a family-friendly flick at Movies in the Park (Al Moody), or grab a seat at the Bend Secret Show with Jackie Kashian for laughs that go late.

🍻 Saturday’s a festival of flavors and feels. Kick it off with hard hits at the Cascade Classic Rugby Tournament at Pine Nursery, or do some good at the OAC Donation Drive. Young hustlers take center stage at the Kids Entrepreneur Market outside the Downtown Library, while beer lovers get their fill at Bevel’s Pursuit of Hoppiness. When the sun sets, rev your engines at Moonlight Cruise Night with Dogwood at the Pine Shed—or cheer on the ultimate test of grit with runners in the Oregon Cascades 100.

🍷 Sunday winds it down, Bend-style. Ease into the day with LaBuBu Fest at Nature’s Bling—a quirky mashup of art, vendors, and live music. Families can roll out the weekend at the Sunset to Summer Skate at The Pavilion, while wine lovers swirl and sip at Willamette Valley Vineyards’ Intro to Wine Tasting. Keep the evening moving with a Tea Dance at Podski or a vintage-style Lindy Hop Social Dance at The Space.

🎶 And the soundtrack? Non-stop. Mt. Joy and Matt Rife bring the big stage vibes to Hayden Homes, while Dizzy Wright, Yellowman, and Acoustic Minds throw down across town. Local favorites like Eric Leadbetter at Deschutes Brewery, Riverstones at Bend Cider Co., and Almost at River’s Place keep the community groove alive. Whether you’re chasing blues, funk, soul, or indie rock, Bend’s stages have you covered.

THANKS!

Stay cool, and thank you again for reading!

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