Make it a Date!

8 Great Date Ideas To Maximize Your Moments Together

THE GREAT DATE. IT BEGINS WITH THE TWO OF YOU, PROGRESSES WITH A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS IN SMILE-MAKING MEMORIES. ASIDE FROM GREAT COMPANY, SHARING NEW EXPERIENCES IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO PULL OFF A DATE TO REMEMBER.

WHETHER IT'S YOUR FIRST DATE OR YOUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY, HERE ARE SOME GREAT DATE IDEAS FOR TOGETHER TIME IN BEND.

Movie and a Dinner

Always a classic right? Fortunately, there are many ways to elevate and revamp your dining experience, for example, Lady Bird Cultural Society in the Old Mill District. Cozy up in the posh, Chinoiserie cocktail lounge for eclectic cocktails, shareable appetizers and wonderful conversation.

Has your boo voiced an interest in the Metropolitan Opera or a passion for cult classics? Plan ahead and get tickets to one of the live simulcast performances from Fathom Events at Regal Old Mill IMAX & ScreenX and be whisked away to distant lands evoking all of the wonder inspired by professional theater.

Take Each Other for a Spin

Grab a latte or tea at Sisters Coffee Co. and then hop in the car together for a bike ride up at Phil's Trail. It's one of the more popular mountain biking trailheads in the Pacific Northwest, offering various levels of difficulty and miles of opportunities for fun. That giddy feeling could be the effects of open air and the horizon ahead, as well as the laughter from a nearby friend.

Try a Fly-Casting Class

Here’s a new way to try things out with the one you're angling before you take that romance to the river. Confluence Fly Shop and Craft Beer Bar offer private casting lessons year-round, plus you can laugh about it over a beer or cider afterwards at the beautiful new 8-tap bar or on the patio!

Summit to Spa

Go for a day hike together, meander through Shevlin Park or trek up Tumalo Mountain while taking in picture perfect views of the Cascade Mountains. Afterwards, rest and rejuvenate at Radiant Day Spa where a massage will leave you fully relaxed. After that, continue the exploration to Anthony's at the Old Mill and try one of their Best of the Season local dish and drink selections.

Art walk

Stroll through the Old Mill District and seek out the various pieces of public art that dot the landscape. You'll find four pieces from the Old Mill District's own Tin Pan Alley collection, Japanese artist Yuya Negishi’s dragon mural and cascading stair project, and Sisters painter/storyteller/musician Dennis McGregor's acclaimed "You Stole My Name" collection. Be sure to pop in and meet the makers in the art studios and galleries sprinkled throughout the Old Mill District including Lubbesmeyer Art Studio & Gallery, Tumalo Art Co., The Stacks Art Studios & Gallery and Amejko Artistry in the little red shed.

Adventure in the Great Outdoors

REI offers a series of ongoing classes covering a variety of outdoor activities, including GPS navigation, bike maintenance, camping 101 and backpacking. Why not register the two of you for an evening of discovery and learning together? You can put your new skills to good use with a follow up plan to seek out stellar camp sites up in the Cascades.

Wine Tasting

The Old Mill District is home to two regional vineyard tasting rooms Evoke Winery and Va Piano Vineyards Wine & Champagne Bar. Evoke Winery may be the perfect place for conversation ice breakers with wines labeled Ride or Die Red and Never Have I Ever Riesling. Va Piano produces elegant, balanced wines, focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and they recently added champagne to their already sensational sipping menu! Both offer the perfect space to enjoy their outdoor patios and river views while you sip and savor!

Heat Things Up in the Kitchen

Swing by Kara's and draw inspiration for you and your partner's next great dinner party. Find the right cookware to make delicious crepes or Neapolitan pizza in a new Roccbox pizza oven, or find inspiration by participating in one of her famous cooking classes! Trust us, you'll come home with new kitchen tricks you can't wait to use!

Folk Festival Sisters

SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 1

FOUNDED IN 1996, THE SISTERS FOLK FESTIVAL IS WHERE A SMALL TOWN, FRIENDLY VIBE MEETS WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS AND PRODUCTION IN A PICTURESQUE SETTING. This one-of-a-kind Central Oregon music celebration brings high profile and lesser-known artists, songwriters, and bands together to perform in intimate settings, including expansive tents, a historic church, and courtyard venues at local restaurants.

The Sisters Folk Festival has a long-standing history of cultivating a listening atmosphere, combined with an understanding that folks need to have a good time. Attendees can expect a unique and transformative festival experience beyond fantastic live music.

The 2023 lineup features more than 32 artists, including John Craigie, Katie Pruitt, Nick Shoulders, Willi Carlisle, Beth Wood, Anna Moss, and more. This year's lineup highlights artists from all over the world representing multiple genres of roots music, from folk and bluegrass to jazz and country-blues.

Calendar of Events

September

1-2 The Little Woody Beer, Cider and Whiskey Festival @Deschutes Historical Museum

1 F irst Friday Gallery Walk @Old Mill District & downtown Bend

2 Bend Beer Run @Downtown & Bend Park and Rec District Trails

2 Northwest Crossing Farmers Market @Northwest Crossing

9-10 T he Lumineers @Hayden Homes Amphitheater

10 The Great Drake Park Duck Race @Drake Park

10 Her oes on the Run 5K @Athletic Club of Bend & Old Mill District

11 Patriot Day @Brooks Park

23 Discover Nature Festival by Children’s Forest @Alpenglow Park

27 Bend Farmers Market @Brooks Alley downtown Bend

28 International Fly Fishing Film Festival @Tower Theatre

29-1 Sisters Folk Festival @Village Green Park

29-1 Bend Fall Festival @Downtown Bend

30 Oktoberfest @Downtown Bend

30 Northwest Crossing Farmers Market @Northwest Crossing

30 Adventure Van Expo @Deschutes County Fairgrounds

October

1 Bigfoot 10k @Riverbend Park & Old Mill District

4 Bend Farmers Market @Brooks Alley downtown Bend

6 F irst Friday Gallery Walk @Old Mill District & downtown Bend

6 Angel Glow Run @Old Mill District & Bend Parks & Rec District Trails

7 Northwest Crossing Farmers Market @Northwest Crossing

7-8 Sisters Harvest Faire @downtown Sisters

8 Sole Support for Parkinson’s @Drake Park

8 Molly Tuttle & The Golden Highway @Domino Room

10 Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band @Tower Theatre

31 K ids Halloween Block Party @Old Mill District

November

2 Lindsey Stirling @Hayden Homes Amphitheater

4 Goo Goo Dolls and O.A.R. @Hayden Homes Amphitheater

6 Bend Farmers Market @Brooks Alley downtown Bend

12 Jelly Roll @Hayden Homes Amphitheater

13 Bend Farmers Market @Brooks Alley downtown Bend

11 Bend Farmers Market @Brooks Alley downtown Bend

1 The Spinners @Tower Theatre

3 F irst Friday Gallery Walk @Old Mill District & downtown Bend

5 Daylight Savings Time ends

8 The Infamous Stringdusters @Midtown Ballroom

9-12 Chicago, The Musical! Presented by Thoroughly Modern Productions @Tower Theatre

10 The Crane Wives @Volcanic Theatre Pub

17 The Brothers Comatose @Domino Room

18 Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet @Tower Theatre

19 The Young Dubliners @Tower Theatre

23 Happy Thanksgiving!

24 Black Friday @Old Mill District

7 Rick Springfield @Hayden Homes Amphitheater

8 K IDZ BOP @Hayden Homes Amphitheater

14 Counting Crows @Hayden Homes Amphitheater

15 Napoleon Dynamite 20: A Conversation with Jon Heder, Effren Ramirez & Jon Gries @Tower Theatre

15-17 Bend Roots Revival @Box Factory

16 Pony Bradshaw @Volcanic Theatre Pub

16 Endless Summer Nights @Bend Park & Float

16 Northwest Crossing Farmers Market @Northwest Crossing

20 Mt. Bachelor Passholder Party @Deschutes Brewery

20 Bend Farmers Market @Brooks Alley downtown Bend

22-23 Oregon Whiskey Festival @Oregon Spirits Distillers

12-15 BendF ilm Festival @downtown Bend & Old Mill District

13-14 Jazz at the Oxford, Jane Monheit @Downtown Bend

14 Walk Like MADD @Aplenglow Park

14 MBSEF Skyliners Ski Swap @The Pavilion

14 Northwest Crossing Farmers Market @Northwest Crossing

14 Walk Like MADD @Alpenglow Park

15 Tommy Prine @Volcanic Theatre Pub

24 Santa Flies in via AirLink helicopter @Old Mill District

24-26 SantaLand @Old Mill District

9 Out of the Darkness @Alpenglow Park

9 Mo Lowda &The Humble w/Trash Panda @Volcanic Theatre Pub

9 T he Lumineers @Hayden Homes Amphitheater

9 Northwest Crossing Farmers Market @Northwest Crossing

9 High Desert Swap Meet & Car Show @Deschutes County Fairgrounds

10 Street Dog Hero Fun Run @Athletic Club Bend & Old Mill District

22-24 Cascade Equinox Festival @Deschutes County Fairgrounds

23 Mountain Cleanup Day @Mt. Bachelor

23 Legend Has It ski film, presented by Teton Gravity Research @Tower Theatre

23 Northwest Crossing Farmers Market @Northwest Crossing

23 Sisters Fresh Hops Festival @Three Creeks Brewing Tasting Room and Landing Zone

15 Walks to End Alzheimer’s @Riverbend Park & Old Mill District

19-20 Bend Venture Conference @Downtown Bend

23 Vienna Boys Choir @Tower Theatre

26-27 Bend Design Conference @downtown Bend

28 The Lil Smokies & Town Mountain @Volcanic Theatre Pub

28 Happy Girls Sisters Run 5K @Sisters