Source Weekly August 24, 2023

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On the Cover:

My Dreams Of Late," Watercolor and 24kt Gold Leaf, by Alexandra Becker-Black. See more of her work at: alexandrabeckerblack. com or on Instagram @abeck erblack

Call for Artists:

ested in being a SW featured artist, email: production@ bendsource.com.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

EDITOR’S NOTE:

We have lots of great stuff for you inside this edition! Read Damian Fagan’s take on five great hikes in the Willamette National Forest in Outside. Get up to date on possible changes for Medicare Advantage plan members at the local hospital with Jack Harvel’s story in News. Meet a local TikTok influencer who works in the Dungeons and Dragons realm with Julianna LaFollette’s story in Feature. In Chow, learn about the people behind those ice cream carts you may have seen around town under the name Grey Duck Ice Cream, and so much more! This week we say a hearty goodbye to reporter Jack Harvel, who’s moving on to Midwest pastures. Next week, Julianna LaFollette will take over in the reporter’s role, and we’ll officially welcome Armando Borrego as calendar editor/reporter. Jack, I, too, would have very much liked to fulfill your wish to bring back our Outside 20/40/60 column and do one with the psychedelic trip sitters. Yes, I said it. If you can’t say it in the Source, where else can you say it?!

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CUSTOM. CABINE TS

OPINION

Doing Enough to Change Our

As we write this, Central Oregon is once again experiencing what is shaping up to be a yearly event: smoke season. A new fire erupted over the weekend near Sisters, blanketing our already smoky region with more unhealthy air.

Perhaps it’s a leap in thinking to relate this to a survey released late last week, which outlined the trends in bike ridership in Oregon, but bear with us. The survey outlines how, overall, Oregonians are not opting for bicycle transportation any more than they have in recent years. This recent survey reveals, yet again, how we’re not doing enough to change our habits and get serious about the challenges we are now faced with in the form of our changing environment.

The survey, conducted by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center from March 24 to April 3 of this year, revealed that overall, Oregonians who already ride their bikes regularly for commuting or leisure are not riding more now than they did before — in fact, some of them are riding less.

“…slightly more bicyclists say they are riding less often (38%) than say they ride more often now (29%). The remaining 33% say they ride about as often as in the past,” reads a summary of the survey. “People who are more likely to report a decline in their bicycle usage include women, people aged 45 and older, individuals living in rural areas, and those who do not have school-aged children living with them. On the other hand, individuals who are more likely to report an increase in their bicycle usage are those aged 30-44, urban residents, and people with school-aged children living in their household,” the survey summary stated.

People who reported they’re riding less say it’s because of safety, weather and convenience.

A survey participant in Central Oregon age 30-44 said they have too many demands on their time, making driving easier and faster. Another survey participant in Central Oregon said there are too many tourists, making them feel unsafe riding.

We can do something about the first and the last points of safety and convenience – and even, as it pertains to climate change and fires, the weather factor, too.

The world is burning and we’re still over here, doing things the way we’ve always done them — driving 1 mile to work or the grocery store, allowing corporations to gut our natural resources for profit (and stock value increases, which pad our retirement funds), cutting down trees when we should be planting more, and on and on.

While it’s true that our society has spent the better part of the last 100+ years praying at the altar of the automobile and designing our cities to accommodate them, and that it’s going to take some time to alter that trajectory to make cities safer for pedestrians, cyclists and others who don’t drive, not all of this can be attributed to the big, bad government and the structure of our cities. A critical mass of those who opt not to drive is needed.

Here in Bend, city leaders are investing heavily, by way of the recent Transportation GO bond, in reworking city streets to make them safer for people who walk, bike and roll. Some of these projects have already been completed, and when they’re all in place, we’ll ideally have a city that’s more hospitable for ridership — provided that people decide to do so. We hope safer streets will ultimately encourage ridership in a major way.

However, individuals need to make choices and understand that collectively, each of us has an opportunity and obligation to change our habits and to work toward the common goal of reducing emissions and greening the planet. Not all of this is on governments or global leadership. We all have a part to play.

And before you turn to the tired argument that China is in no position to change its habits and get on board with addressing climate change, so there’s no point in us doing it either, ask yourself how many products you bought from there today. ...`

MAAS, TABITHA JOHNSTON, LAUREN HOFFMAN, LAURA ACEVEDO, COURTNEY MCLAUGHLAN, KELLI SMITH & LINX ALEXANDERSON

ADAIR’S REVERSAL

On July 26, it seemed Central Oregon had a big win on its hands as the County Commissioners voted to approve Central Oregon LandWatch’s proposal to limit the kind of luxury destination resort development that has so adversely impacted the region.

But on August 9, Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair singlehandedly triggered a reversal of their previous approval, completely ignoring the overwhelming opinion of Deschutes County residents that Central Oregon is beyond new destination resorts.

Sitting here in north Idaho, I watched this with great sadness. In the 1980s, I raised my voice for Oregon lands as President of the Sisters Forest Planning Committee. Over the years my voice fell silent, until decades later, LandWatch worked for a solution that benefited the majority of Deschutes County residents, wildlife and the land.

The Commissioners’ initial decision made me, sitting more than 300 miles away, sit up and take notice, inspired me to raise my voice and spread the word of their far-reaching decision.

And then Adair’s reversal. Isn’t this the same person who voted in favor of removing farmland protections to build million-dollar homes adjacent to Lower Bridge? When a decision is made that represents the prevailing sentiment of Deschutes County residents and supports widespread benefits for the region’s future, well, it just seems mighty odd that one person has the power to reverse all that.

If I were back in Central Oregon, I’d sure remember this reversal if I saw that name come up on the ballot again.

—Mark Goddard, Moscow, Idaho

TURN DOWN THE BASS

Perhaps it is the new stage with its giant sound-reflecting steel beams that is causing the music at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater to be so much louder throughout the community than it had been back in the beloved Les Schwab days. But concert-goers who pay absurd amounts of money for reserved seats and drinks deserve to have the music loud, so we seem to be at an impasse pitting residents’ comfort against tourist dollars — and we all know who wins in those conflicts.

I live 4 miles from the amphitheater. One night as my windows were rattling, I went outside and I could barely hear anything! The obvious conclusion is that it is not the volume of the music coming through the air that is the problem; it is the volume of two particular instruments that send sound waves through the ground and up the walls of houses that is the problem. Those instruments are the bass guitars and bass drums (the mic-amplified ones struck with foot pedals).

Therefore, a painless and logical way to keep concert-goers 100% happy while not annoying residents who do not appreciate the thumping night after night is to simply decrease the volume of the bass guitars and bass drums. If the Hayden Homes / Old Mill / Live Nation greed-mongers will DECREASE ONLY THE BASS VOLUMES, their treasure chests will still fill with gold and diamonds, and we Bend residents can again enjoy our homes and neighborhoods on summer evenings.

—Eddie Kinnamon

RE: TO INCREASE COUNCILOR PAY, WE COULD DECREASE THEIR NUMBERS. OPINION, 8/10

The argument is not to eliminate elected representation. The idea is to achieve a greater sum by changing the equation that better serves our city.

Five well-paid representatives is greater than seven volunteers, who have to pay their rent through other occupation. I say we deserve a higher expectation that comes from a leaner and better compensated Board.

So legal council, tonight, at the council meeting, tells us we cannot get what we want from this committee, if we want to talk about anything but council compensation. If we are to consider larger options, we must create a charter review committee.

We need to give the smaller council a huge raise, but there must be conditions.

Offering this competitive wage, ten thousand per month I propose, needs to come with strings.

They want a raise. I want to give it to them. BUT AS with any employer, we must set conditions. It’s time for us to get what we want, while giving them what they need. It’s time to ask for that charter review committee, in place of this compensation committee that is already set only to talk about their rai$e.

—Ron Boozell via bendsource.com

RE: IN THE MATTER OF THE PEOPLE VS. KNOPP, MORE POLITICAL GYMNASTICS

Sen. Knopp and his colleagues who walked out are in an ironic situation. For years, Republicans have decried judicial rulings by “activist” judges, Now, Sen. Knopp is going to look for just such a judge. Voters were clear, there was no ambiguity in their intent.

—Paul Monheimer via bendsource.com

Letter of the Week:

Maybe judges are not so activist after all? Come on in for your gift card to Palate, Paul.

—Nicole Vulcan

Bridge 99 Brewery

People’s Right to Property

The local branch of Ammon Bundy-linked right-wing group purchased a “home” for the organization in Terrebonne

By Jack Harvel

English philosopher John Locke argued the three inalienable rights are life, liberty and property. People’s Rights Oregon 5, the local branch of the national right-wing activist group formed by Ammon Bundy, asserted the third of those rights this past week when it closed on a 2.75-acre property in Terrebonne.

is frequently referred to as a “home” for the group. When the property was pitched to the organization in February, it was explicitly tied to PRO5 activities.

“The property becomes a community center. A place where PRO5 members and the community can come together, hold events, parties or whatever the

communications. Since June the group has held occasional events at the property and helped landscape it. The original goal was to raise $500,000 for the down payment on the $1 million property, but during negotiations the down payment was reduced first to $350,000 and on July 8 Soper announced via his Vimeo account that it was reduced again to $200,000. At that point they’d gotten about $160,000 in funding.

“Our goal is $40,000, we need to raise $40,000 more dollars by the end of July. It’s a lot of money, but if Donald Trump can raise $3 million in a night and Ron DeSantis can raise $10 million in a weekend you would think that something like this that’s a good cause, we can raise $40,000,” Soper said on Vimeo.

The property includes two rental homes, RV spaces and a former schoolhouse that more recently was converted into the Lone Pine Military Museum. BJ Soper, the area assistant for PRO5, said the property has no affiliation with PRO5 and will be owned and governed by the Lone Pine Legacy LLC, which is made up of people who paid $1,000 for a share of the company. However, in internal communications on the PRO5 weekly newsletters, the Lone Pine property

imagination can come up with,” the PRO5 newsletter stated on Feb. 9 when it first pitched the sale of the property. “The idea is to create a viable fund that our members can buy into that can be left to a beneficiary down the road of the shareholders choosing.”

The Lone Pine Legacy Project seeks to “generate property and wealth that can be left behind to the next generation of patriots that will have to pick up where we all left off,” according to PRO5’s internal

Soper said in an email the property will be used as a church and community center, and that the types of events it attracts will be up to the board of directors of Lone Pine LLC. Previously, ideas about classes, music festivals and guest speakers have been tossed out in internal PRO5 communications.

The broader PR network claims to have 60,000 members across 16 states. Locally, PRO5 claims 2,500 members in Deschutes County, but that many are inactive. The PR network is often characterized as a militia. Bundy organized armed standoffs in Nevada and Malheur County, Oregon, before forming People’s Rights. Soper, who was present at the standoff in Malheur, also has been

involved with militia groups like the Central Oregon Constitutional Guard and Pacific Patriot Network.

Last year Scott Stuart, current Deschutes County GOP chair and active PRO5 member, denied that the organization is a militia. The group does host firearms training, but more often asks supporters to speak at public meetings, get involved with the local Republican party and host predominantly conservative guest speakers. The local chapter has gained institutional power in the Deschutes GOP, and other members won the vice chair, secretary and treasurer spots.

“The property becomes a community center. A place where PRO5 members and the community can come together, hold events, parties or whatever the imagination can come up with.”

—PEOPLE’S RIGHTS OREGON 5 NEWSLETTER

People’s Rights Oregon 5 bought this 2.75 acre property in Terrebonne as a future “home” of the organization.

Courtesy aslksldklsk

Medicare Disadvantage

St. Charles may not accept Medicare Advantage this fall, noting roadblocks to coverage and national scandals in the program

By Jack Harvel

On Aug. 14 St. Charles announced it may stop accepting Medicare Advantage Plans as early as this fall after the hospital system conducts a review. In Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties, about 26,000 people are on Medicare Advantage plans, which is over 40% of total Medicare enrollees.

Medicare Advantage plan has not had a solid contractor relationship with a post-acute care provider.”

Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Mark Hallett said this problem occurred recently at St. Charles Cancer Center when three specialists had to call a Medicare Advantage insurer to approve a scan that

engaged in similar tactics as the larger insurers that are under investigation.

Other local health care providers have a totally different view of Medicare Advantage.

“I have worked around the country, in different agencies and partners with different health care companies. And I was really surprised when I got here with how collaborative Medicare Advantage plans are in the state of Oregon,” said Justin Sivill, the executive director of Summit Health.

actually need to change in the contract. We need a bit more detail and we haven’t been able to get them to sit down and share that with us,” Vandehey said.

St. Charles said it’s considering the change due to patient care, access and affordability, and encouraged Central Oregonians to consider switching to traditional Medicare coverage during open enrollment this fall. Medicare Advantage plans are funded by the government but are managed by private insurers. They’re also much more flexible with benefits and fee structures.

Few non-pediatric doctors opted out of Medicare in 2020, but Medicare Advantage insurers negotiate payment rates and form networks with health care providers like most private health insurance plans. Insurers have “preauthorization” to approve or deny care for patients. St. Charles officials said the additional administrative hurdle is wasteful and can impact patient care.

“One part of the equation is getting care at the time care has to be administered. Another aspect is on the opposite side of when a patient needs to be discharged,” said Matt Swafford, chief financial officer at St. Charles. “Oftentimes, you’ll have a situation where a patient won’t be able to be discharged to a post-acute setting because the

would confirm if a patient’s cancer had metastasized. With a standard Medicare plan, it would’ve been ordered and completed without incident.

“Denials and preauthorization problems pretty much come with the territory of Medicare Advantage,” Hallett said.

The program can also be costly for hospital systems. The Center for Health Care Quality and Payment Reform noted that 600 rural hospitals are at risk of closure due to poor reimbursement of Medicare Advantage Plans.

In St. Charles’ announcement, it mentioned that some of the nation’s biggest insurers that offer Medicare Advantage Plans have been accused of fraud by the U.S. Justice Department, or they engage in practices of over-diagnosing patients to get more money from the federal government. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission estimated overdiagnosis led to $12 billion in taxpayer dollars to insurers. A former government health official guessed overbillings were more than double of that in a 2021 study.

St. Charles officials chose not to comment when asked if local providers

Fire in Juniper Creek

Over 100 acres northeast of Sisters are on fire after igniting this weekend

By Jack Harvel

The Juniper Creek Fire ignited on Sunday about 16 miles northeast of Sisters and quickly grew to over 100 acres. On Monday evening, the Oregon Department of Forestry said the fire was 75% contained and that firefighters are doing mop-up operations — which consist of cooling the fire’s perimeter by extinguishing hotspots and removing unburnt material. Over 100 personnel are attending to the fire, including one helicopter, five dozers and 10 fire engines.

“Our firefighters did an outstanding

job placing dozer line around the fire last night, and we’re building off that progress to establish containment so we can get back to readiness,” said ODF administrator Chase Duncan in a press release. “We had a lot of partners provide initial attack and support, from our federal partners at the Forest Service and [the Bureau of Land Management], to Lake Chinook RFD, Jefferson County Sheriff’s, and private contractors. This has been an incredible team effort on behalf of the public.”

Sivill said during the post-pandemic staffing crisis there was a significant concern with insurer authorizations at Summit, but that it was quickly addressed after meeting with insurers.

“We sat down with the payers and were able to figure out a way to work out with their staff, a very significant improvement in our workflows,” Sivill said. “Nobody likes authorizations. And I would say that there are plenty of them that are completely unnecessary. But when it comes to the most expensive part of health care, it is the hospital. And plans are always going to focus in that area, on unneeded utilization.”

Insurance is typically cheaper for younger people, and Sivill fears that if people move away from plans they’ve been on for several years, they’ll face higher costs to receive similar benefits — either through monthly premiums or when accessing care through standard Medicare.

PacificSource accounts for 15,000 of the region’s 26,000 Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Its Oregon Market President Jeremy Vandehey said St. Charles raised concerns about Medicare Advantage plans this summer, but only as high-level concerns.

“We haven’t seen details behind it and get to the level to see what we

The fire led to a Level 3 (go now) evacuation notice for the Three Rivers Subdivision and the area west of 590 A road, but it was reduced to a level 2 (be set) notice on Monday at 1 pm. Central Oregon’s smoke is mostly coming from two different fires to the west. The Lookout Fire in the Willamette National Forest is over 12,000 acres and is 5% contained. Southwest of that, the Bedrock Fire grew to over 30,000 acres and is 35% contained. Both fires have contributed to Central Oregon’s poor air quality when the winds blow east.

The Juniper Creek Fire near Sisters quickly burned southeast before becoming active on all sides due to heavy winds. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Fire officials ask that the public avoid traveling in the area to allow responders and equipment easier access.

St. Charles isn’t the first hospital system to raise concerns about Medicare Advantage plans. The Mayo Clinic withdrew most Medicare Advantage plans from its network last year, and a hospital in St. Joseph, Missouri, signaled that it may stop accepting them. But in those communities, there’s more than one hospital nearby that may remain in-network. The decision could kill the entire Medicare Advantage market if St. Charles follows through.

“We basically have to submit a proposal to the federal government each year for how we will run the plan and how much it will cost and who’s on our network. We’ve done all that for 2024. One of the things we have to do in that process is show them that we’ve got an adequate network that usually requires you have to show them you’ve got a hospital in-network,” Vandehey said. “So, when they’re saying, we’re not going to contract with Medicare Advantage plans anymore. Really, no Medicare Advantage plans can be offered.”

The hospital system has made no immediate decisions on Medicare Advantage Plans, and people can still access care under them. St. Charles only listed four providers that it’s evaluating continuing care: PacificSource, Humana, HealthNet and WellCare.

“We don’t want to mislead people into going into another plan and then have the same situation occur. So right now, we’re calling attention to the issues that need to be addressed. And working with the plans that are currently listed in the press release,” Swafford, St. Charles CFO, said.

“Nobody likes authorizations. And I would say that there are plenty of them that are completely unnecessary. But when it comes to the most expensive part of health care is the hospital. And plans are always going to focus in that area on unneeded utilization.” —JUSTIN SIVILL

Dr. Cochran • Dr. Westbrook • Dr. Kinnear

Cuthbert • Dr. Nicol

Desventaja de Medicare

Es

Por / By Jack Harvel

El 14 de agosto, St. Charles anunció que podría dejar de aceptar el plan de cobertura de Medicare Advantage tan pronto como llegue este otoño, después que el sistema hospitalario lleve a cabo una revisión. En los municipios de Deschutes, Jefferson y Crook, alrededor de 26,000 personas tienen cobertura de Medicare Advantage, lo que representa más del 40% del total de personas afiliadas a Medicare.

St. Charles dijo que está considerando el cambio debido a la atención al paciente, al acceso y a la disponibilidad, y anima a los habitantes del Centro de Oregon que en este otoño tomen en cuenta cambiarse a la cobertura típica de Medicare. Medicare Advantage es financiado por el gobierno pero es administrado por aseguradoras privadas. También son mucho más flexibles con las prestaciones y los costos.

En 2020 algunos doctores que no ofrecen servicios de pediatría optaron por no participar en la cobertura de Medicare, pero las aseguradoras de Medicare Advantage negocian las tarifas de pago y crean redes con proveedores de atención médica tal como la mayoría de los planes de seguro médico privados. Las aseguradoras tienen la “autorización previa” para aprobar o negar el cuidado al paciente. Los representantes de St. Charles dijeron que la barrera administrativa es irresponsable y que puede afectar la atención del paciente.

“Una cara de la moneda es recibir la atención médica en el momento debido. Por lo contrario, es cuando el paciente necesita ser dado de alta,” dijo Matt Swafford, director financiero de St. Charles. “A menudo, se encontrará en una situación en la que no se podrá dar de alta al paciente para ingresar a un centro de cuidados médicos intensivos porque el plan de Medicare Advantage no ha establecido una relación sólida con el proveedor de cuidados intensivos”.

El director médico, Dr. Mark Hallett, dijo que este problema ocurrió recientemente en Centro de Cancerología de St. Charles cuando tres especialistas tuvieron que llamar a una aseguradora de Medicare Advantage para aprobar un escáneo que confirmará si el cáncer del paciente presentaba metástasis. Con un plan estándar del plan de Medicare, se habría ordenado y llevado a cabo sin incidentes.

“Las denegaciones y los problemas de las autorizaciones previas prácticamente vienen junto con el dominio de Medicare Advantage,” dijo Hallet.

El programa también puede ser costoso para los sistemas hospitalarios. El centro para la calidad de atención médica y la reforma de pagos señaló que 600 hospitales rurales están en riesgo de cerrar debido al mal reembolso de Medicare Advantage.

En el anuncio de St. Charles se mencionó que algunas de las principales aseguradoras más grandes de la nación que ofrecen el plan de Medicare Advantage han sido acusadas de fraude por el Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos o se involucran en ejercer más de los diagnósticos debidos de los pacientes para obtener más dinero del gobierno federal. La Comisión Consultora de Pagos de Medicare calculó que los diagnósticos conllevaron a $12 billones de los contribuyentes para los costos de las aseguradoras. En un estudio de 2021, un exfuncionario de salud del gobierno supuso que la facturación excesiva era más del doble.

Los funcionarios de St. Charles optaron por no ofrecer comentarios cuando se les preguntó si los proveedores locales se involucraron en tácticas parecidas a las de las aseguradoras más grandes que están bajo investigación.

Otros proveedores de atención médica locales tienen un punto de vista totalmente diferente sobre Medicare Advantage.

“He trabajado en todo el país, en diferentes agencias y con socios de diferentes compañías de atención médica. Y cuando llegué aquí me sorprendió ver lo colaborativos que son los planes de Medicare Advantage en el estado de Oregon,” dijo Justin Sivill, director ejecutivo de Summit Health.

Sivill dijo que durante la crisis de personal, después de la pandemia, hubo una gran preocupación con las autorizaciones de las aseguradoras en Summit, pero que rápidamente se abordó el problema después de reunirse con las aseguradoras.

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posible que St. Charles no acepte Medicare Advantage este otoño debido a los obstáculos a la cobertura y a los escándalos nacionales en el programa.

Laurel Brauns

Local Dungeons and Dragons Player Turns to TikTok to Grow Community

A content creator shares videos about her experiences with a niche — and male-dominated — hobby

By Julianna LaFollette

In 2020, Diana Fajer decided to post her very first TikTok. She was growing bored at home and had come up with several ideas for short videos that people online could relate to. She’d wait until all of her roommates were out of the house to post her informative videos online. Now, with over 160,000 followers, Fajer consistently creates videos about a particularly niche subject.

To most people, Fajer is a normal 24-year-old living in Bend. She has a 9-5 job working remotely in medical sales and you can often find her out and about, grabbing drinks with friends. Fajer, however, devotes her free time to playing and discussing her favorite tabletop game, Dungeons and Dragons.

Fajer is a Dungeons and Dragons content creator. Her account hosts a variety of different videos, mostly revolving around the fantasy game that she enjoys playing. Her initial hope in creating videos was to help young women, like herself, learn how to play Dungeons and Dragons and build a community

of online gamers, something that she didn’t have growing up.

Fajer was born and raised in Portland. As we sat outside of Avid Cider, a taproom she frequents, she told me she was a quiet, reserved kid who struggled finding friends with common interests. Most of them were online — that is, once she was able to meet people online.

Growing up in a strict household, she was always intrigued by video games but didn’t start playing until she was much older. As soon as she started showing interest in participating in the gaming world, her father shut her down. She wasn’t allowed.

It wasn’t because her parents were super religious or against violent video games, like many parents are these days. “Girls don’t play video games,” her father sternly told her. He repeated this sentiment anytime she would bring up a desire to participate.

She would frequently walk over to her neighbor’s house, who was an older boy who played Xbox. Fajer would make

her way to the corner of his room and sit in silence as she watched him play adventure games; jumping on buildings, killing evil villagers and completing quests given to him by the medieval characters.

It wasn’t until she was older that she decid ed to go against her father’s wishes and finally enter the virtual world. She waited until she had enough money saved up and bought herself an Xbox. As she got more into video games, she got a gaming computer. She was intro duced to D&D by people she met through online servers and from then on, was hooked.

What is D&D?

When people hear about Dungeons and Dragons, they typically remember their fathers talking about playing “back in the day” or see young boys playing it on shows like “Stranger Things,” a TV show set in the ‘80s.

It’s a fantasy tabletop game that lets players’ imaginations run wild, involving an intense and complex world. People play characters who wander through an imaginary world, meeting people and doing quests.

“Instead of having a video programmed for you, it’s someone sitting across from you at a table saying, ‘This is what’s in front of you, what do you want to do?’ It’s very open ended,” Fajer said.

The person sitting across from the players, guiding them through the game, is called the Dungeon Master. As the official DM for every D&D game she plays, Fajer is the world builder, the narrator, all of the side characters and also the judge or referee. She even describes to players what each situation or room looks like, since there are very few visuals.

“I’ll just be like, ‘You entered a dungeon. Here’s everything that’s in it.

There’s a desk to one side, there’s a skeleton named Manacles on the wall.’ All of those explanations come from me.” Fajer describes her role as a means of call and response. When a player wants to do something in the world, like put a curse on a different character, it’s Fajer’s job to either welcome or deny that action. Almost immediately after learning how to play D&D, she favored being a Dungeon Master over being a player. She enjoys occupying her free time with dreaming up new storylines, or creating new characters that can help players get more enjoyment and fulfillment out of the game. “The idea, [of D&D] at its heart, is group storytelling,” said Peter Askew, a D&D player and the owner of the local game shop, Modern Games.

The game, according to Askew, has become more inclusive and accepting since he was a kid. Celebrities and YouTubers over the years have brought attention and a new community of players to the game, bringing a fresher and more diverse perspective.

In addition to carrying D&D-related accessories, Modern Games hosts biweekly D&D games on Sundays. While the D&D scene in Bend is not necessarily extensive, Askew said there’s a growing community. People looking for more information about the game, or looking for players, can watch a game on a Sunday or join the Bend D&D Discord or Facebook channel.

A male-dominated space

Fajer plays the game with a group of like-minded men and women she met on the internet. Her videos, which are constantly growing in popularity, revolve around giving people tips on playing Dungeons and Dragons, how to be a Dungeon Master and funny anecdotes

about what she’s going through in her life as a “gamer girl.”

One of Fajer’s followers and friends she met through TikTok, Shayne Colli (they/them), noted some of the aspects of Fajer’s online persona that set her apart from typical D&D content creators.

“She brings femininity to the table in a way that is very rarely seen,” Colli said. “I feel like sometimes in D&D spaces or male spaces, when you enter as a woman, you, in some way, concede a portion of your femininity to fit in, and I feel like she did not do that at all.”

Askew at Modern Games sees the D&D community as something that’s broadened over the last decade, but could still use some work. “Twenty-three years ago, D&D was almost exclusively a boy’s club,” he said. Hosting game nights at his shop, Askew still notices a gender divide in the gaming world. He’s often impressed if 10% of the players are female, because that’s still a big jump from when he was a kid.

He’s hopeful that the game will continue to draw in more diverse crowds over time. “You get much more dynamic storytelling when you don’t just have a bunch of guys sitting around a table.” He noted that most of the women he does see playing D&D locally are often there accompanying their D&D playing boyfriend or husband.

According to Fajer, there are many benefits to creating game-related content on the internet. She meets people she’d never run into in real life and has been told she’s helping people in the gaming world. However, the gaming industry is one that is predominantly male, and TikTok gaming creators are no different. While Fajer is arguably one of the most popular female D&D creators on TikTok, her position sometimes comes with unfavorable circumstances.

Initially, Fajer attempted to gear her content toward women with similar interests. However, that’s been a lot harder than she thought, since most of her followers are male. “If you look at my analytics, it’s like 60% male, but it used to be like 80%,” she said. A lot of her online interactions, she said, are also with men.

Fajer, referred to by several of her male followers as “Dungeon Mommy,” is frequently forced to deal with unpleasant comments, she said, with men often commenting on her looks or send messages declaring their love for her. Fajer admitted that the excessive comments and messages can get creepy at times, but knowing that it comes with the territory, she doesn’t let it bother her too much.

Because of her growing popularity, Fajer has had to change a lot of things in her life to maintain her privacy. She once received a message, letting her know the sender had found her address. After this incident, she decided to conceal her last name, creating a fake one to display on all of her social media accounts.

In her videos, she has to stay vigilant

to not show anything that may identify her or give out her location, concealing her company logo and never filming near a window. She had to tell her parents about her TikTok, which she never had any plans of doing, to ensure that they were made aware of any odd callers or scammers that may attempt to reach out.

Real life vs Online

Aside from the oddities that come with being a TikToker, Fajer still finds joy in talking about and playing her favorite table-top game. She told the Source Weekly that Dungeons and Dragons is half of her personality, a side that very few people actually see in real life. It’s not a secret, she said; she just doesn’t think it’s relevant to people. “It’s not like you follow your friends or family on it [TikTok],” she said.

Fajer described being a TikToker as living two separate lives; one on the internet and another in real life. “As soon as I step out of my apartment, it’s like, ‘oh shit. . . I’m in the real world.’” She feels more comfortable talking about the subject of gaming with people she knows are open to the conversation, and she’s certain that the people who follow her are.

“It’s just easier,” said Fajer. “I don’t feel like I’m bothering anyone. When I’m sitting down for dinner with friends, it’s a little harder to interject myself into the conversation.” She said she feels like the things that interest her don’t interest anyone in her “real life.”

Fajer has made many meaningful connections through TikTok. Many

of her “genuine” followers have been around since she started making videos back in 2020. She feels almost obligated to not only be a person who women in the gaming world can turn to, but someone who people feel connected with.

Colli, the fellow gamer, first saw Fajer in a D&D TikTok video that came across her page. They followed Fajer and started messaging her. Before long, the two became friends, playing virtual games together and talking about their mutual love for D&D. Colli believes Fajer’s genuine connection and openness with her audience is a medium for her to communicate about her interests — a safe space.

Colli admitted that before moving to Austin, Texas, a city they said has a large gaming community, they, too, would turn online to talk about their hobbies and day-to-day life. When you’re only talking about a whole aspect of your personality online, Colli said, it can make life feel divided.

Fajer’s camaraderie and love for her TikTok audience is something that makes up a lot of her personality. Her online presence has always allowed her an outlet to talk about her hobbies and interact with others who have similar interests. Her TikTok has not only given her the ability to continue that, but it has also given that opportunity to other young women.

In addition to continuing TikTok, Fajer hopes to eventually bring more of a D&D presence to Bend. She hopes to see more interest in D&D game nights and potentially create and expand the community, providing information, resources and tips to prospective players.

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Our newest OB/GYN, Tara is honored to provide personalized, compassionate care for women and believes in a holistic approach, both emotional and physical. A great addition to our team of providers, Tara is passionate about low- and high-risk prenatal care, pelvic pain, endometriosis, sexual health, family planning, gender-affirming care, and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. She will be welcoming patients in September 2023 and looks forward to caring for women in both Bend and Redmond. Call for your appointment or to learn more today!

SOURCE PICKS

THURSDAY 8/24

FRIDAY 8/25

SATURDAY 8/26

REBELUTION: GOOD VIBES SUMMER TOUR 2023

RHYTHMIC ROOTS OF REGGAE MUSIC

Enjoy “roots reggae music” played by Grammy nominated band, Rebelution. Catch their good vibes and breezy soulful music this summer. Sat., Aug. 26, 5 pm. Hayden Homes Amphitheater 57250 Overlook Rd., Sunriver. $39.50

SUNDAY 8/27

CRACKIN UP COMEDY: SEAN REILLY

CLASSIC COMEDY

Sean Reilly was named a finalist in Cap City’s “Funniest Person in Austin” competition in 2022. After finding a larger audience through his expanding social media presence, Reilly performed at the inaugural comedy festival at The Riot in Houston. Enjoy food, beverages, and countless laughs. Thu., Aug. 24, 8-10 pm. General Duffy’s Annex. 404 SW Forest Ave., Redmond. $15.

FRIDAY 8/25

DIERKS BENTLEY: GRAVEL AND GOLD TOUR

GRAVEL, GOLD, AND GUITAR STRINGS

Dierks Bentley is an American country singer/songwriter. With 18 of his songs reaching No. 1 on the country music charts throughout his career, fans of classic country can rest assured his concert will be one to catch! Fri., Aug. 25, 7 pm. Hayden Homes Amphitheater, 344 SW Shevlin Hixon Dr., Bend. $60.50.

FRIDAY 8/25

LATE NIGHT PLANT SHOPPING AND DRAG SHOW

FERNS AND FABULOUS FASHION

Enjoy the intimate and artistic experience of Central Oregon’s newest semi-professional theater. Check out the themed drag show before shopping for a plant or two, as a portion of the sales will be donated to a local beneficiary. Fri., Aug. 25, 7-10 pm. The Greenhouse Cabaret. 1017 NE 2nd St., Bend. $20

SATURDAY 8/26

SUCKER PUNCH

THREE-PIECE COUNTRY ROCK

Wickedly talented trio, Sucker Punch, is a country rock cover band that pays homage to icons like The Allman Brothers, The Black Crows, ZZ Top and many more. Head out and listen to their soaring harmonies and impressive guitar solos. Sun., Aug. 27, 6-8 pm. River’s Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd, Bend. Free.

MONDAY 8/28

KIDS PADDLESPORTS

ADVENTURE CAMP

ADVENTURE TIME

For those kids, ages 8-15, who want as many water activities as they can handle! Tumalo Creek’s four-day adventure camp will include paddle boarding, whitewater rafting, and kayak sailing. Book now. Mon., Aug. 28, 9 am-4 pm. Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe, 805 SW Industrial Way, Bend. $595.

TUESDAY 8/29

MAMA’S BROKE WITH DREW HARRISON

EURO-AMERICAN PUNK FUSION

Close harmony duets, commanding vocals and twinkles of Americana stand side-by-side with the ghosts of Eastern European fiddle tunes and ancient a cappella ballad singing, melding into an unusually accessible dark-folk sound. Come out and enjoy these punk festival regulars. Fri., Aug. 25, 7-10 pm. The Belfry. 302 East Main Ave., Sisters.$20.

JOBE FORTNER

BLUE RIDGE SOUL

Touring since 2015, singer/songwriter Jobe Fortner is set to perform in a beautiful outdoor setting. Fans of country, gospel and Southern rock can relax and enjoy the hymns and harmonies of Blue Ridge soul music. Sat., Aug. 26, 6-9pm. John Gray Amphitheater. Sunriver. $39-$45

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND

READY TO ROCK

Grammy award-winning funk-laced jam band, Dave Matthews Band, electrifies the stage with every chance it gets. Whether it’s for classic love songs like “Crash into Me,” or poignant political power ballads such as, “Don’t Drink the Water,” fans of mid-’90s pop are sure to not be disappointed. See them live Tue., Aug. 29, 7pm. at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, 344 SW Shevlin Hixon Dr., Bend. $115.

Courtesy Mama's Broke Instagram

Courtesy Sean Reilly Instagram

Courtesy Jobe Fortner Facebook

Courtesy Greenhouse Cabaret Facebook

Courtesy Dave Matthews Insta FRANKIE MORENO

S SOUND

Latinx Punk n’ Roll Cumbia-influenced, Latin-rock trio Machetres plays for the first time in Bend, continuing activism for social justice

By Doone Lupine Williams

You may have seen little yellow flyers around town that have graphics with polaroid pictures of two volcanoes and the word “MC3.” Well, one volcano is Mt. Bachelor and the other is the Izalco volcano — which is about an hour away from Armenia, El Salvador: the hometown of Lilo González, founder and lead singer/guitarist of Latin rock and cumbia trio, Machetres (ma-che-tres: a slang term for a machete tied to a G3 rifle).

González was born in El Salvador during the civil war. He fled at two years old with his family to seek refuge in the United States. He grew up in the ‘80s bouncing between the neighborhood of Echo Park in Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. González returned to El Salvador to complete middle and high school just before the signing of the peace accords. When González returned to DC at 18 years old, Machetres was born.

In ’98, The Washington Post pegged the band as, “Cutting Edge Latino Punk.” Teenagers at the time, the band’s first show in ‘97 was opening for Fugazi, the acclaimed Washington, D.C.- based art-punk band, at its 10th anniversary celebration that also served as a fundraiser for the Latin American Youth Center in D.C. (also known as the Wilson Center). Machetres quickly made its way into the D.C. punk scene, supporting grassroots organizations, social justice and Latinx youth.

Bassist Paul González joined in 2003. In 2018, the band graduated from its iPad drum machine and brought on drummer, Ryan Bukstein. Bukstein and

Lilo González met through working together at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles and their similar interests in music. When COVID hit, each member veered to different states.

After 26 years (for González) of offand-on touring on the East and West coasts, Machetres has its first and rare Pacific Northwest performance in Bend at McMenamins Old St. Francis School.

All proceeds will be donated to the local Latinx nonprofit, Vámanos Outside.

“We always like to support local causes with our shows,” said Bukstein.

Activism and fundraising are no

new passions for the roots of Machetres — as Lilo González’s father, also Lilo González, was a widely respected and celebrated Cumbia musician, bandleader, songwriter and performer, and most notably known for his activism and impact in the refugee community in Washington, D.C.

González told the Source Weekly, “I’m looking forward to sharing our music and stories with the folks in Bend. It’s always a blast to play live, especially in a place where not many people know you.” He jokingly added, “...that would be a lot of places for us.” On the

band’s yellow flier you may have also noticed the word “MC3” — the name of the band’s new 7” inch single with two new songs, “WORM” and “POWER,” released earlier this year. “POWER” is out now on Bandcamp with all proceeds benefiting RAICES and its work to reunite separated immigrant families.   Performing original music in both Spanish and English, Machetres' music deals with the complex experience of refugees. “Our first record, ‘Machetres’ included many songs we had written as teenagers and it has that vibe. We did it pretty fast, 12 songs in three days. ‘Sopa de Res’ was done 10 years later. . . The songs on this single are all in Spanish and are a lot more personal. A window to what was happening in my life at the time.”

In June, Machetres reunited to play a run of shows on the East Coast which included a feature performance at the famed Inner Ear Studios celebration show— in Washington, D.C.

“We’ll always have a whole set list prepared but that usually goes in the trash by the second song. By that time, we usually get a sense of the crowd and play it by ear. Sometimes it doesn’t go as planned but when it does it’s pretty rad.”

Needless to say, bring your dancing shoes.

Machetres: Cumbion y Rockon

Wed., Aug. 30, 6-9pm Father Luke’s Room, McMenamins 700 NW Bond St., Bend Free (suggested donation to Vámanos Outside) All Ages

L-R Lilo González (lead guitar/vocals), Paul González (bass) and Ryan Bukstein (drums) at El Velorio, a annual Day of the Dead experience in Los Angeles.

El Velorio ®

CALENDAR

23 Wednesday

Bend Brewing Company Ghost of Brian Craig An evening with Ghost of Brian Craig, solo acoustic musician with a unique and captivating rock sound. The music is infused with the rich combination of the American southwest sounds with the cultural influences of the Pacific Northwest. 5-7pm. free.

The Yard at Bunk + Brew Jongleur Gems

An evening of song swapping and storytelling from some of Bend’s favorite musicians. Please join from in the “Yard” for a great night featuring David Liabraaten and “Fluffalove” comprised of Jongleurs Kye Kennedy and Nancy Terzian. 7-9pm. Free.

Cabin 22 Trivia Wednesdays Useless Knowledge Bowl Live Trivia Game Show! It’s not your average quiz night. Team up to win gift cards. It’s fun and free to play, with Locals’ Day featuring Crater Lake and local craft beer specials. Get here this week! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Corey’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Sing your heart out at Corey’s! Grab friends and drinks for some Coreyoke. 9pm-Midnight. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy Open Mic Sign-up 7:30pm. If you’ve ever wanted to try stand-up comedy, this is where you start! 8-10pm. Free.

Crosscut Warming Hut No 5 Eric Leadbetter Relax with a pint and enjoy great local music! 6-8pm. Free.

Deschutes Brewery Public House Head Games Trivia Night Eat. Drink. Think. Win! Head Games multi-media trivia is at Deschutes Bend Public House every Wednesday. Win prizes. Teams up to six. 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater Pink Martini featuring China Forbes In 1994 in his hometown of Portland, Thomas Lauderdale was working in politics, thinking that one day he would run for mayor. Like other eager politicians-in-training, he went to every political fundraiser under the sun… but was dismayed to find the music at these events underwhelming, lackluster, loud and un-neighborly. 7pm. $45-$85.

JC’s Bar & Grill Trivia Nite with Trivia Girl Compete with your peers and test your knowledge of current events, music and other random categories while enjoying 75 cent wings! Also, JC’s trivia separates themselves from the rest with a physical challenge! 7-9:30pm. Free.

Kobold Brewing / The Vault Taphouse

Trivia Night Trivia Night at The Vault! Come test your knowledge and drink top notch local beer!

6:30-8pm. Free.

Kobold Brewing The Lair Trivia Come join for trivia night and enjoy quality craft beer and food! 7-8:30pm. Free.

M&J Tavern Open Mic Night Downtown living room welcomes musicians to bring their acoustic set or turn it up to eleven with the whole band. Bring your own instruments. Goes to last call or last musician, which ever comes first. 21+.

6:30pm. Free.

Northside Bar & Grill Accoustic Open Mic with Derek Michael Marc Head down to the Northside Bar and Grill Wednesdays to catch local artists perform live. 7-9pm. Free.

Seven Nightclub & Restaurant The CO Show The CO Show is a free comedy showcase! Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm! Central Oregon Comedy Scene and Karaokaine productions have teamed up to bring this show to you! It’s co-hosted with multiple hosts, co-produced for Central Oregon! 8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Hannah Juanita, Moose Wilson and Scott Yoder Hannah Juanita was named one of the five females creating the future of country music by Grammy.com Glitter-folk balladeer SCOTT YODER has honed his eccentrically informed and uniquely enthralling live act through a lifetime of touring. Adorned in mascara and bell bottoms, Scott Yoder invites you away to his entranced dimension of charmed fantasy. 6-9pm.

Worthy Beers & Burgers Game Night at Worthy Beers & Burgers Join every Wednesday for Mario Kart, Amazon Luna games, card games and board games (feel free to BYO games). Grab your friends, grab a drink and let’s play! 6-9pm. Free.

Worthy Brewing Andy and Renee Join for live music from Andy and Renee! 7-9pm. Free.

24 Thursday

The Ballybogs and Friends Grab a pint, relax and enjoy live music by an amazing group of artists that brings the best Irish trad music in Central Oregon. Every Thursday at The Cellar. 6-8pm. Free.

Austin Mercantile Live Music Every Thursday Join at Austin Mercantile for live music every Thursday. Offering a light happy hour menu — daily flatbread, chili, charcuterie, soft pretzels and more! 4:30-6:30pm. Free.

AVID Cider Co. Taproom Last Call Feud Night Another fun weekly game night at Avid! Wrangle your teammates and join the host and other groups as everyone competes to name the most popular answers to survey questions. No abstract trivia knowledge needed for this game! Lots of prizes and laughs to be had. 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Bend Elks Lodge #1371 Bingo Bingo at the Elk’s Lodge. Win cash prizes. 6-9pm. $23.

Bridge 99 Brewery Trivia Thursdays UKB’s live trivia game show is like no other. Team up to compete for gift card prizes! Brews, ciders, mixed drinks, pizzas and food truck options. Indoor and outdoor seating. 6-8pm. Free.

Corey’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Sing your heart out at Corey’s! Grab friends and drinks for some Coreyoke. 9pm-Midnight. Free.

General Duffy’s Annex Crackin

Up Comedy: Sean Reilly Sean Reilly is a standup comedian based out of Austin, Texas. He is performing in the 2023 Moontower / Just for Laughs comedy festival and the inaugural comedy festival at The Riot in Houston. He was named a finalist in Cap City’s “Funniest Person in Austin” competition in 2022. 8-10pm.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater Dierks

Bentley: Gravel and Gold Tour Frederick Dierks Bentley is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. 7pm. $60.50.

High Desert Music Hall Alex Dunn Live at

High Desert Music Hall A special night of Folk and Americana with special guest: Alex Dunn who uses his own personal blend of folk/americana to reflect on the many lives he’s led. Lounge opens at 4 pm for happy hour. Show starts around 5:30pm. 5:30-7:30pm.

River’s Place Live Music with The Hasbens

The Hasbens, a local 5-piece band playing funky, psychedelic jams, are back at River’s Place! Enjoy food, beer and live music outside. . Free.

River’s Place The Hasbens Funky, psychedelic jam band that has not only one, but two dudes named Ben. 6-8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Jason Dae West and Guests Jason Dea West is an American troubadour who sings what he lives and lives what he sings. Wests’ poignant lyrics are brilliantly blended with vintage country, folk, blues and timely sensibilities. 7-10pm.

Silver Moon Brewing Trivia on the Moon

Come down to Silver Moon Brewing for a night of trivia! Teams are welcome to show up in groups up to 8 people. Silver Moon also offers seating reservations for $20 donations that all go to F*Cancer! If you would like to reserve a table please contact the Trivia on the Moon Facebook page. 7pm. Free.

Sunriver Brewing Eastside Pub Sunriver Brewing Eastside Pub Music Series: Doc Ryan

Enjoy live music from Doc Ryan with award-winning beer and great food at Sunriver Brewing’s Eastside Pub. 6-8pm. Free.

The Capitol Open Decks: 10 Live DJs 10 live DJs. Open format. 30-minute sets. Hosted by “Its Fine” & SoMuchHouse at The Capitol in Downtown Bend. Fourth Thursday of every month, 8pm-1am. $5.

The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse Suttle

Lodge’s Thursday House Band Sisters-based musician Benji Nagel showcases his talented friends every Thursday all summer long! Pull up a chair on the Big Lawn, grab some dinner and soft-serve from the Boathouse, and enjoy some of Central Oregon’s favorite musicians. 6-8pm. Free.

Worthy Beers & Burgers Karaoke Night

Sing your heart out at Karaoke Night Downtown at Worthy Beers and Burgers every Thursday! 7-10pm. Free.

25 Friday

AVID Cider Co. Taproom Music on the Patio: Speedway Sleeper Summer cider sipping time at Avid Cider Co. with the annual summer Music on the Patio series. Enjoy cider, seltzer, slushees, beer and non-alcoholic beverages and the new small bites menu while enjoying the sounds of local musicians. All ages are welcome. See you on the patio! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

The Belfry Mama’s Broke with Drew Harrison Mama’s Broke has spent the past eight years in a near-constant state of transience, pounding the transatlantic tour trail. They’ve brought their dark, fiery folk-without-borders sound to major festivals and DIY punk houses alike, absorbing traditions from their maritime home in Eastern Canada all the way to Ireland and Indonesia. 7-10pm.

Bend Poker Room Friday Night Poker Tournament Come on in for the Friday night poker tournament! $80 entry with unlimited rebuys for the first hour and an optional add-on for $40 at the first break. Patrons pay a $10 entrance fee. No money bet in any game is collected by the Bend Poker Room. 6-11pm. $80.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Locals Comedy Showcase Join for this Friday night Locals Comedy Showcase featuring some of your favorite local comedians. Enjoy some amazing food from Craft’s tasty menu. 21+. 8-9:30pm. The Domino Room Phases Fashion Show

An extraordinary fashion show music eventshowcasing festival, gothic, fantasy, ravewear, urban and streetwear, from local designers and creators. Featuring music from: The Black Lotus, Chauncy, Chapstick Radford. Sponsored by Top Shelf Medicine. Also featuring Central Oregon’s own DJ CoD. Raffles, and swag giveaways. 8pm. $15.

Hardtails Bar & Grill Stage 28 Karaoke

Come out for a night of Stage 28 Karaoke with your host Miss Min! What’s your go-to karaoke tune? Come to Hardtails for a fun Friday night and sing your heart out! 8pm-Midnight. Free.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater

Dierks Bentley: Gravel and Gold Tour Frederick Dierks Bentley is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. 7pm. $60.50.

Alex Dunn is a Seattle-based singer/songwriter blending Northwest folk and hard country rock. See him live at High Desert Music Hall on Thu., Aug. 24, 5:30-7:30 pm.

Courtesy Alex Dunn Facebook

House Concert House Concert with Use’ta

Do Enjoy an outdoor house concert in a beautiful rural setting on the east side of Bend. Bring your own drinks, snacks and chair. No dogs. Use’ta Do is a local roots-country and bluegrass band with an inherent sense of fun. RSVP recommended. 7-10pm. $20 suggested.

Immersion Brewing Barrel Room 90’s Party! A ‘90s party with a live DJ spinning all the hits on vinyl! Join in the Barrel Room. 21+. See you there! 8pm-1am. Free.

Big E’s Sports Bar Karaoke Night Central Oregon’s most fun karaoke venue! Karaoke is hosted by A Fine Note Karaoke Too and DJ Jackie J. Delicious food and drink and a friendly staff. Come join the show where you are the star! 8pm. Free admission.

Silver Moon Brewing Live Stand Up

Comedy with Cameron Peloso Cameron Peloso is a young hot, ethnically ambiguous comedian and writer who was recently voted first by Willamette Week’s Funniest Person In Portland. 7-10pm.

Silver Moon Brewing 12th annual Michael

Jacks-A-Thon In honor of the king of pop and non-stop epic dance hits, they throw MJ his annual birthday party, the 12th annual Michael Jacks-A-Thon with DJ Raider Mystic. 8pm. $10. The Barrel Room at Immersion Brewing Back To The ‘90s Head to the Barrel Room at Immersion Brewing for a “Back to the ‘90s” Party! There will be a Vinyl DJ set by Sorski! ‘90s attire is encouraged! 9pm-1am.

Thump Coffee - NW Crossing Thump

Music Series Join Fridays for live music, amazing pizza and a variety of drinks at our York Cafe location (549 NW York Dr.). Pizza and drinks start at 6pm. Music starts at 7pm. Check social channels for more information on who is playing. 6pm. Free.

Volcanic Theatre Pub Andrew Rivers

Andrew’s very personal and fun storytelling comedy, combined with his exemplary work ethic has earned him high praise from some of the best comedians in the business. 8-11:59am. $20.

Worthy Brewing Beloveski and Friends

Join for live music from Beloveski and Friends! 7-9pm. Free.

26 Saturday

60390 Zuni Rd Invisible Thread First Anniversary Party! Celebrate one year anniversary with another house show!! An intimate evening of art, music, and community. Light food + drink provided while supplies last. 6-8:30pm. $20.

Bend Boarding Babes Launch Bend Boarding Babes Summer Concert Paddle Series Bend Boarding Babes Summer Concert Paddle Series! Make friends, paddle and listen to tunes on the Deschutes! All levels welcome! Be sure to join the group for all Bend Boarding Babes events and details: www.facebook.com/groups/bendboardingbabes. 5:30pm. Free.

Bridge 99 Brewery Stage 28 Karaoke Come out for a night of all ages Stage 28 Karaoke with your host Miss Min! What’s your go-to karaoke tune? 6pm. Free.

Campfire Hotel Diva Drag Brunch Featuring the best of the best from Portland along with all of your local Bend favorites. They’re bringing everyone together for an outrageous afternoon of fun. Brunch is available from Juice Easy located in the Canteen (the restaurant inside the Campfire). 11am. $25.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy

at Craft: Eric Oren Eric Oren and his comedic work have been seen on NBC, TruTV, The Onion and more! Eric’s ridiculous energy seems to be the right fit for any audience. Taking his act to The Worldfamous Comedy Store, Laugh Factory Chicago, Zanies and countless others, he has honed an ability to bring people up to his unique speed. 21+. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. 8-9:30pm.

Crux Fermentation Project Superball at Crux Fermentation Project Get ready to rock and have some beverages with rock group Superball! 4-6pm. FREE.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy

at Craft: Eric Oren Eric Oren and his comedic work have been seen on NBC, TruTV, The Onion and more! Eric’s ridiculous energy seems to be the right fit for any audience. Taking his act to The World Famous Comedy Store, Laugh Factory Chicago, Zanies and countless others, he has honed an ability to bring people up to his unique speed. 21+. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. 8-9:30pm.

Crux Fermentation Project Superball at Crux Fermentation Project Get ready to rock and have some beverages with rock group Superball! 4-6pm. FREE.

General Duffy’s Waterhole The Steeldrivers General Duffy’s Waterhole is excited to host The Steeldrivers as part of their 2023 Summer Kickin’ Concert Series in Downtown Redmond! Presented by Subaru of Bend. All ages welcome! 4-10pm. Tickets start at $45.

GoodLife Brewing Good Life Sweet As! Fest

Good Life Brewing is celebrating its Best Of win with a summer party! The Sweet As! Fest will have live music, games, giveaways and more. Enjoy $4 pints, $7 growler fills and case specials. 4-9pm. Free.

Hardtails Bar & Grill “In The Pink”

Outstanding Tribute to Pink Floyd! In the Pink is a Pink Floyd tribute very much rooted in the original vinyl releases of the albums. Twenty-first century technology has allowed In the Pink to develop a live sound that is very close to those recordings, offering audiences the aural experience they grew up with. 8-11pm. $20 (plus fees).

Hayden Homes Amphitheater

Rebelution: Good Vibes Summer Tour 2023 The “roots reggae music” band Rebelution, formed in Isla Vista, California, is bringing radiant energy to Bend this summer. The reggae rockers came together to create feel-good, rhythmic, breezy music with elements of rock and soul. 5pm. $39.50.

High Desert Music Hall Micah and Me

Made up of three musician dads — Aaron, Ryan and Oscar — Micah and Me combine clever originals and upbeat covers with updated takes on classic kids’ standards to create an irresistible dance party that will have kids partying hard (and napping hard when they get home)! 11amNoon. Free.

John Gray Amphitheater at SHARC Jobe Fortner Jobe Fortner, a singer/ songwriter from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Dahlonega, Georgia, is set to perform at the John Grey Amphitheater, hosted by the Sunriver Owner’s Association. Jobe’s musical background includes singing hymns in church with his family and being influenced by southern rock and his mountain upbringing. 6-9pm.

M&J Tavern Lore Uprise 3-piece experimental rock that embraces all that is alternative while leaving their own stamp of authenticity on everything. 9pm. FREE.

Maragas Winery Maragas Winery Live Blues & Jazz Live blues and jazz on Saturdays. Seating inside winery and outside on the patio and lawn. Visit the website for more details. 1-4pm. $20.

Northside Bar & Grill The Substitutes Longtime local band playing pop songs from the ‘70s through today. 8-11pm. Free.

River’s Place Strive Roots Listen to up-beat reggae ska and down-tempo hard rock built to inspire the mind, move the body and feed the spirit. Part of the 10 -year anniversary party they are throwing for Oblivion Brewing! 2:30-4:30pm. Free.

River’s Place The Cutmen Instrumental funk and soul jazz group with a horn section. Part of the party they are throwing for the 10-year anniversary of Oblivion Brewing! 6-8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Aging With Laughter Experience an uproarious comedy extravaganza tailor-made for the early birds! Join for a delightful evening where you can kick back and indulge in tasty cocktails and delectable food, setting the stage for an unforgettable night. 7-8:30pm. $15.

Silver Moon Brewing Aging with Laughter! A a comedy show for those of us who like to be in bed by 9:30! Come and get a cocktail, some food and settle in for a night of laughter. All new performers, other than Carl Click, who will be closing this show. 7-8:35pm.

Silvermoon Brewing Aging With Laughter! Aging With Grace? Nope, Laughter! Finally a Comedy show for those of us who want to be in bed by 9:30. Doors open at 6 pm show begins at 7 pm. Five locally aged comedians. Come early for a dinner and a cocktail. 7-8:30pm. $15-$20.00.

Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill “The Heat Is On” A Dinner Cabaret Silent Echo Theater Company presents “The Heat Is On,” a Dinner Cabaret, celebrating heat in all its variations. Doors open/dinner service begins at 6:30 p.m. 7:30-9:30pm. $20/online, $25/door.

The Capitol International Dog Day Comedy Night What better way to celebrate your favorite furry friends than a night of comedy for a cause! A portion of all ticket sales will go directly to the Pet Enrichment Fund at Brightside Animal Center. This dog and pet-themed exhibit of stand-up comedy is sure to be exactly what you need to howl with laughter on a Saturday night! 7-8:30pm.

Worthy Brewing DJ Colonel Join us for free live music from DJ Colonel! 7-9pm. Free.

27 Sunday

The Astro Lounge Local Artist Spotlight Sundays This is a chance to listen to Central Oregon’s newest and upcoming local artists. They have earned their spot to perform a two-hour show, changing weekly, every Sunday. Support local top notch talent! 7-9pm. Free.

Cascade Lakes Pub on Reed Market Sunday Spins with DJ Welter Weight on The Brew Deck Get your chill on at The Brew Deck atop the new east side location of Cascade Lakes Pub on Reed Market. Local talent, DJ Welter Weight, will be spinning some of the freshest tracks while you sip a drink, mingle with friends and groove into the sunset with Cascade Lakes. 6-8:30pm. Free.

Corey’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Sing your heart out at Corey’s! Grab friends and drinks for some Coreyoke. 9pm-Midnight. Free.

The Domino Room SoMuchHouse: Hans Glader and the SMH Crew Los Angelesbased DJ & producer Hans Glader is breaking down the UK Garage doors in the U.S .one track at a time with his respected West Coast perspective on the UKG sound. Noon-2am. $10.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater Sylvan

Esso At the beginning of 2022, Sylvan Esso packed up and headed west. Cramming the contents of a recording studio into their Prius, Nick Sanborn and Amelia Meath drove from their home in Durham, North Carolina,to Los Angeles, where they set up a makeshift studio in a small rental house on the east side and did something that surprised them: they wrote a song. And then another. 7pm. $39.50.

Maragas Winery Maragas Winery Live Jazz Live Jazz on Sundays. Seating inside winery and outside on the patio and lawn. Visit the website for more details. 1-4pm. Free.

Midtown Ballroom/Domino Room/

Annex SoMuchHouse: HANS GLADER Bend

Debut Electronic music producer and DJ Hans Glader brings his own native California feel-good perspective to the UKG sound. 10pm-2am.

River’s Place Trivia Sundays at Noon Trivia Sundays at Noon, with UKB Trivia, at River’s Place. This is no ordinary contest, this is a live trivia game show. Bring your bunch and win gift card prizes for top teams! Indoor and outdoor seating available. Great food and drink options available. Noon-2pm. Free.

River’s Place Sucker Punch Listen to crisp, three-part harmonies, soaring guitar solos and improvisation. Classic songs are covered with style while paying homage to The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, ZZ Top, Government Mule, The Black Crows, The Band and many more! 6-8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Not’Cho Grandma’s Bingo Silver Moon is partnering with the YOUNI Movement to guarantee the best bingo experience in all of Central Oregon! Not’Cho Grandma’s Bingo is the OG of bingo, high energy bingo that promises to entertain from start to finish! 10am. Free/GA, $10/early entry.

Silver Moon Brewing Open Mic at the Moon

Get a taste of the big time! Sign-up is at 4pm! Come check out the biggest and baddest open mic night in Bend! 5-8pm. Free.

Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill Summer Sunday Nights at the Saloon Join us for Summer Sunday Nights at The Saloon on the patio! Free every week, and all ages are welcome. 6-8pm. Free.

28 Monday

The Astro Lounge Musician’s Open Mic

Designed for musicians that create and make music, originals or covers. Pros to first-timers all

welcome. Very supportive hosts and great listening audience. Guitars can be provided. Hosted by the Harris Blake Band. Nancy Blake and Danny guitar Harris. 8-11:45pm. Free.

Bevel Craft Brewing Schitt’s Creek Trivia

This show became an instant classic! Come join as Bevel goes through all the seasons of this ground-breaking and hilarious show! Themed attire is always encouraged and appreciated! Teams of 6 people max! Top three teams win Bevel gift cards! 6-9pm. Free.

Bridge 99 Brewery Trivia Mondays UKB’s live trivia game show is like no other. Team up to compete for gift card prizes! Brews, ciders, mixed drinks, pizzas and food truck options. Indoor and outdoor seating. 6-8pm. Free.

The Yard at Bunk + Brew Bunk and Brew

Open Mic Monday Please join on Monday evenings from 6-8pm for Open Mic Monday in the Yard at Bunk and Brew. Guaranteed 3 songs/15 minutes. Covers or originals. Minors welcome. Food and beverage on site. Sign up at 5:30pm. As the evenings warm up we will go till 10pm. 6pm. Free.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School

Karaoke Night It’s a magical, mystical and musical night at McMenamins in downtown Bend every Monday night this summer. A Fine Note Music and DJ Jackie J present Karaoke Night in Father Luke’s Room. It doesn’t matter if you’re a shower singer or a seasoned professional! 6-10pm. Free.

On Tap Locals’ Day Plus Live Music Cheaper drinks all day and live music at night, get down to On Tap. 11am-9pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Beertown Comedy

Open Mic Enjoy Beertown Comedy Open Mic every Monday Night at Silver Moon Brewing!

Sign-up starts at 6:30pm and closes at 7pm, when the show starts. They have 15, five minute spots available. 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Comedy Open Mic

Comedy open mic every Monday at Silver Moon Brewing in the Green Room. Sign-ups at 6:30pm. Presented by Tease Bang Boom Productions. 7-8:30pm. Free.

The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse Suttle

Lodge’s Big Lawn Concert Series: Megan Alder & The Woods Hailing from the Columbia River Gorge, Megan Alder is a vocal powerhouse performing upbeat swing and Americana music. She delivers her original songs with raw grit and soul, eads her band with fearless flat picking. Grab a

beer at the Boathouse, bring a chair and enjoy the music! 6-8pm. Free.

Worthy Brewing Head Games Trivia Night Eat. Drink. Think. Win! Head Games multi-media trivia is at Worthy Brewing Co. in Bend every Monday. Win prizes. Teams up to six. 7-9pm. Free.

29 Tuesday

AVID Cider Co. Taproom Last Call Trivia Get ready to stretch your mind with Last Call Trivia! Grab your team (or come join one), and head to Avid Cider for an array of categories and themes, while sipping on your favorite beverage. Free to play and prizes to win! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

The Belfry Kruger Brothers An intimate evening with The Kruger Brothers. In an ever-expanding body of work, Jens Kruger (banjo, vocals), Uwe Kruger (guitar, lead vocals) and Joel Landsberg (bass, vocals) personify the spirit of exploration and innovation that forms the core of the American musical tradition. 7-10pm. Cascade Lakes at 7th Street Live Music with Olivia Harms Come to the 7th Street Pub in Redmond for a free live performance from Olivia Harms. Open to all ages, enjoy this performance on the patio with a cold one in hand. 6-8pm. Free.

The Commons Cafe & Taproom Storytellers Open Mic StoryTellers open mic nights are full of music, laughs and community. Ky Burt is the host. Sign-ups start at 5pm sharp in the cafe, and spots go quick. Poetry, comedy and spoken word are welcome, but this is mainly a musical open mic. Performance slots are a quick 10 minutes each, so being warmed up and ready is ideal. 6pm. Free.

General Duffy’s Annex Tuesday Night Trivia in Redmond Genuine UKB Trivia is no average quiz night, it’s a live trivia game show! Meet up with your pals and team up this week! Win stuff! 6-8pm. Free.

Hayden Homes Amphitheater Dave Matthews Band

Since crashing into the pop and funk-laced jam scene in the mid-90s, Grammy award-winning Dave Matthews Band has dazzled dedicated fans with electric live performances of favorites “Ants Marching,” “What Would You Say,” “Satellite” and “Stay (Wasting Time),” among others, for decades. They gave a stellar performance in 2021, and Hayden Homes is amped to welcome them back to the stage for another night

of eclectic summer fun. 7pm. $115.

Silver Moon Brewing The Secret Beach

Through songs that blend the personal and universal, the Secret Beach encourages and delivers some spectacularly great music. 7-9pm. $5.

Worthy Beers & Burgers Head Games

Trivia Night Join for live multi-media trivia every Tuesday night. Win prizes. Teams up to 6 players. 7-9pm. Free.

Worthy Brewing Mark Ransom and Friends

Join for live music from Mark Ransom and Friends! 7-9pm. Free.

30 Wednesday

Bledsoe Family Winery Wine and Music!

Featuring Eric Leadbetter! Join for wine and live music, featuring Eric Leadbetter! His music is very unique and original, with ghostly echoes of the golden ages of rock. And it should be, since he draws his musical inspiration from these eras by listening to a vast collection of classic vinyl. 4-6pm. Free.

Cabin 22 Trivia Wednesdays Useless Knowledge Bowl Live Trivia Game Show! It’s not your average quiz night. Team up to win gift cards. It’s fun and free to play, with Locals’ Day featuring Crater Lake and local craft beer specials. Get here this week! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Corey’s Bar & Grill Karaoke Sing your heart out at Corey’s! Grab friends and drinks for some Coreyoke. 9pm-Midnight. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy Open

Mic Sign-up 7:30pm. If you’ve ever wanted to try stand-up comedy, this is where you start! 8-10pm. Free.

Crosscut Warming Hut No 5 John Shipe

Relax with a pint and enjoy great local music! 6-8pm. Free.

Deschutes Brewery Public House Head

Games Trivia Night Eat. Drink. Think. Win! Head Games multi-media trivia is at Deschutes Bend Public House every Wednesday. Win prizes. Teams up to six. 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

JC’s Bar & Grill Trivia Nite with Trivia Girl Compete with your peers and test your knowledge of current events, music and other random categories while enjoying 75 cent wings! Also, JC’s trivia separates themselves from the rest with a physical challenge! 7-9:30pm. Free.

The Latin Community Association invites all to its free Fiesta! Enjoy live music, traditional folklórico dances, tacos and games at Sam Johnson Park in Redmond on Sun., Aug. 27, 12-6 pm.

Courtesy Latino Community Association Facebook

Kobold Brewing / The Vault Taphouse

Trivia Night Trivia Night at The Vault! Come test your knowledge and drink top notch local beer! 6:30-8pm. Free.

Kobold Brewing The Lair Trivia Come join for trivia night and enjoy quality craft beer and food! 7-8:30pm. Free.

M&J Tavern Open Mic Night Downtown living room welcomes musicians to bring their acoustic set or turn it up to eleven with the whole band. Bring your own instruments. Goes to last call or last musician, which ever comes first. 21+. 6:30pm. Free.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School

Machetres Machetres (ma-che-tres ) plays a unique mix of punk, hard rock and cumbia. Hailing from LA and Washington D.C. via El Salvador, this is a rare opportunity to see them live in the Pacific NW. 6-9pm. Free.

Northside Bar & Grill Accoustic Open Mic with Derek Michael Marc Head down to the Northside Bar and Grill Wednesdays to catch local artists perform live. 7-9pm. Free.

Seven Nightclub & Restaurant The CO Show The CO Show is a free comedy showcase! Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm! Central Oregon Comedy Scene and Karaokaine productions have teamed up to bring this show to you! It’s co-hosted with multiple hosts, co-produced for Central Oregon! 8pm. Free.

Worthy Beers & Burgers Game Night at Worthy Beers & Burgers Join every Wednesday for Mario Kart, Amazon Luna games, card games and board games (feel free to BYO games). Grab your friends, grab a drink and let’s play! 6-9pm. Free.

Worthy Brewing Pete Kartsounes Join for live music from Pete Kartsounes! 7-9pm. Free.

MUSIC

Downtown Bend: All Ages Ukulele Party Aaron, from the band Micah and Me, brings 30 ukuleles (you are welcome to bring your own) for this hands-on workshop. Adults please come out! They need adults! No experience necessary. This is a high energy ukulele class with rock ‘n’ roll endings after each song. Ages 10-100 work best. Aug. 27, 11am-Noon. Downtown Bend Public Library, 601 NW Wall St., Bend. Contact: 541-312 1062. elsah@deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

Jah Yogi & The Frets This week, they are dipping into the reggae and good feeling summertime vibes with Jah Yogi and the Frets. Aug. 30, 6-8pm. Bevel Craft Brewing, 911 SE Armour St., Bend. Contact: 541-972-3835. holla@bevelbeer.com. Free.

Localized Thursday Kick off the weekend with localized on the back patio of Immersion! A local vendor, local beer and a local musician playing every Thursday all summer long. Stay connected on Instagram: @immersionbrewing. Thursdays, 5-10pm. Through Sept. 7. Immersion Brewing, 550 SW Industrial Way, Bend. Free. Micah and Me Celebrate the end of summer with a kids’ dance party! For over 9 years, Micah and Me has been entertaining and inspiring kiddos and their caregivers with catchy toe-tapping songs and energetic live shows in Portland and across the Pacific Northwest. Aug. 26, 11amNoon. High Desert Music Hall, 818 SW Forest Ave, Redmond. Contact: 541-312-1032. lizg@ dpls.lib.or.us. Free.

Stacie Dread and Mystic This week, they welcome the duo of Stacie Dread and Mystic. A blend of soulful powerhouse vocals, passionately inspired melodies, acoustic guitars, drums, bamboo flutes, freestyle raps, folk, reggae, rock and a lot of love! Aug. 23, 6-8pm. Bevel Craft Brewing, 911 SE Armour St., Bend. Contact: 541972-3835. holla@bevelbeer.com. Free.

Sunday Brunch and Karaoke Wake up right with brunch and karaoke! Sundays, 10am3pm. General Duffy’s Waterhole, 404 SW Forest Avenue, Redmond. Free.

DANCE

4th Saturday West Coast Swing Dance

Smooth and luscious, this isn’t your grandma’s swing! WCS is done to hip-hop, dirty blues, acoustic or late night R&B. Fourth Saturday of every month, 7-11pm. Through Oct. 28. Sons of Norway Hall, 549 NW Harmon Blvd., Bend. Contact: 541-410-0048. salsavictoria@yahoo.com. $15 lesson and dance, $10 just dance.

Adult Ballet Come learn or rediscover the art of ballet on Tuesday nights! Adult Ballet is an open-level class for adult learners and dancers. Tuesdays, 6-7pm. Through Aug. 29. Academie de Ballet Classique, 162 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-382-4055. dance@abcbend.com. $10/registration fee, $92/session.

Argentine Tango Classes and Dance

Join every Wednesday for Tango classes and dancing! Your first class is free. Tango 101 Class from 6:30-7pm, no partner needed! All levels class from 7-8pm. Open dancing from 8-9:30pm. Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30pm. Sons of Norway Hall, 549 NW Harmon Blvd., Bend. Contact: 541-7283234. tangocentraloregon@gmail.com. $5-$10.

Country Swing Dance Lessons Come join for partner country swing dancing! They have beginner, advanced and circle dance lessons. Check the Cricket Instagram to find out which it is this week! Come with a partner, or come single and they’ll find you one! See y’all there! Every other Thursday, 7-8pm. Through Dec. 30. CrossEyed Cricket, 20565 NE Brinson Blvd., Bend. Contact: 541-382-4270. Free.

Dance Meditation with Shiv Dance Meditation with Shiv is a unique movement mediation to create space for you to freely dance. Join on Saturday afternoon for some sun and movement in Bend. Saturdays, 1-2pm. Through Sept. 9. The Juniper Preserve, 65600 Pronghorn Club Drive, Bend. Contact: activities@juniperpreserve.com. $25.

Fantasy/Pre-Primary Ballet Class

Children are delighted to dance through all of the magical places while using their newly learned ballet steps. Ages 5-6-years-old. Thursdays, 3-4pm and Thursdays, 3-4pm. Through Aug. 24. Academie de Ballet Classique, 162 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-382-4055. dance@abcbend.com. $10/registration fee, $92/ session.

FEED YOUR HEAD - FINALE SHOW A night filled with exhilarating dance performances! Styles include: Cabaret, Chair, Pole, Hip-hop, Jazz, & More. FEED YOUR HEAD. 18+ After party to follow. Aug. 26, 7-10pm. Silver Moon Brewing, 24 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-6992087. modelcitizensdance@gmail.com. $25-40.

Line and Swing Dancing Lessons Line and swing dance lessons every Thursday night at The Cross-Eyed Cricket! Thursdays, 7-9pm. Cross-Eyed Cricket, 20565 NE Brinson Blvd., Bend. Free.

Little Leapers Ballet Class Little Leapers is a “Grown Up and Me” curriculum for children aged 2 to 3 years that captures the joy and wonder of special "firsts:" dance outfit, dance class, dance friend! Tuesdays, 4-4:30pm and Tuesdays, 4-4:30pm. Through Aug. 29. Academie de Ballet Classique, 162 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-382-4055. dance@abcbend.com. $10/ registration fee, $78/session.

FILM EVENTS

VHS Night: Green Card (1990) Tin Pan Theater has a VCR!! For the month of August we bring you our favorite Classic Comedies from the late ‘80s/early ‘90s on VHS at Tin Pan Alley right next to San Simón. Reserve your seat at tinpantheater.com Aug. 23, 8:30-10:30pm. Tin Pan Theater, 869 NW Tin Pan Alley, Bend. Contact: 541-388-3378. doone.williams@bendfilm.org. $15-$25.

ARTS / CRAFTS

4th Friday Artwalk in Sisters Visit the art galleries of Sisters. Meet artists and enjoy beautiful art, good company, music, demonstrations, plus sponsor food venues for during and following the art walk. The Sisters Arts Association was formed in 2015 by a group of artists and supporters. Fourth Friday of every month, 10am-7pm. Through Dec. 22. Downtown Sisters, Hood Avenue., Sisters. Contact: 541-719-8581. events@sistersartsassociation.org. Free. 9th Street Village Makers Market Join for the 9th Street Village Makers Market hosted by Bevel Craft Brewing, Cultivate Farms and DIYcave featuring five rotating local artisans each week, alongside demos by DIYcave, nonprofits, food carts and craft beer. Every Sunday. Rain or shine. Family friendly! Sundays, Noon-4pm. Through Sept. 24. Bevel Craft Brewing, 911 SE Armour St., Bend. Contact: 541-972-3835. holla@bevelbeer.com. Free.

Art Viewing Visit Sagebrushers Art Society in beautiful Bend to see lovely work, paintings and greeting cards by local artists. New exhibit every 8 weeks. Visit Sagebrushersartofbend.com for information on current shows. Wednesdays, 1-4pm, Fridays, 1-4pm and Saturdays, 1-4pm. Sagebrushers Art Society, 117 SW Roosevelt Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-617-0900. Free.

Contemporary Realist Open Gallery and Studio A Contemporary Realist, David Kreitzer paints in the tradition of the old masters, and is known for his raking light and tranlucent water paintings. The Kreitzer Gallery and studio are filled with master stunning images in oils & watercolors. Fridays-Sundays, Noon-6pm. David Kreitzer Fine Art Gallery and Studio, 20214 Archie Briggs Rd, Bend. Contact: 805-234-2048. jkreitze@icloud.com. FREE.

Last Saturday Art Walk! Come down to the Old Iron Works Arts District to listen to live music from Joel Chadd, get a flash tattoo from Scorpio Moon and delicious cocktails and natural wine from Cafe Deschutes! Check out featured artist Sheila Dunn, as well as all the iron works artists. Aug. 26, 5pm. Old Ironworks, 50 SE Scott St., Bend. Contact: 541-728-4427. alicia@mudlakestudios.com. Free.

Sisters Farmers Market Join for opening day of the Sisters Farmers Market in the heart of downtown Sisters! Sundays, 10am-2pm. Through Sept. 24. Fir Street Park, Sisters, Sisters. Contact: 541-904-0134. sistersfarmersmarket@ gmail.com. Free.

PRESENTATIONS + EXHIBITS

Bend Ghost Tours Join for Ghosts and Legends of Downtown Bend Tour and hear all about Bend’s permanent residents! Wednesdays-Sundays, 7:30-9pm. Downtown Bend, Downtown Bend, Bend. Contact: 541-350-0732. bendghosttours@gmail.com. $25.

Know Architecture: The Wonder of Gothic Architecture Explore the gothic cathedrals of Western Europe. Aug. 24, 6-7pm. East Bend Public Library, 62080 Dean Swift Road, Bend. Contact: 541-312-1032. lizg@dpls.lib. or.us. Free.

Know Architecture: The Wonder of Gothic Architecture Sisters Firehouse Explore the gothic cathedrals of Western Europe. Aug. 24, Noon-1pm. Sisters Firehouse Community Hall, 301 S Elm St, Sisters. Contact: 541-3121032. lizg@dpls.lib.or.us. Free.

Third Thursday Open Mic at the High Desert Music Hall Spoken word open mic night for all poets, storytellers and writers. This is an in-person program. Join us at the High Desert Music Hall for a spoken word open mic night the third Thursday of the month. All writers and readers and word-lovers invited to attend and read. Every third Thursday, 6-8pm. Contact: 541312-1063. paigef@deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

THEATER

Late Night Plant Shopping & Drag

Show Come catch a themed drag show followed by some late night plant shopping, all for a cause. Each of the four nights donates a portion of sales to a local beneficiary. See website for more details. Plant shopping is free. Drag show is ticketed. Fri, Aug. 25, 7-10pm and The Greenhouse Cabaret, 1017 NE 2nd St., Bend. Contact: 541-699-2084. info@thegreenhousecabaret. com. $20.

WORDS

“Mixed Bag”

An Evening of Storytelling

Silent Echo Theater Company presents “Mixed Bag,” an evening of storytelling. Dinner and drinks are not included in the ticket price. Doors open/dinner service begins at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 24, 7:30-9pm. Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill, 190 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters. Contact: 310-710-2874. silentechotheatercompany@gmail.com. $15/ online, $20/door.

August Lit Trivia Take a break from the August heat and play trivia with the booksellers at Roundabout Books! Teams of 2-6 people! $10 per team, 10 team limit. Aug. 24, 6:30-7:30pm. Roundabout Books, 900 NW Mount Washington Dr., #110, Bend. Contact: 541-306-6564. julie@ roundaboutbookshop.com. $10.

Mystery Book Club Please join in-store or on zoom for Mystery Book Club. The group will discuss The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers. Wednesdays, 10:30am. Roundabout Books, 900 NW Mount Washington Dr., #110, Bend. Contact: 541-306-6564. julie@ roundaboutbookshop.com. Free.

Out of This World Book Club Please join for Out of This World Book Club. We will be discussing All Systems Red by Martha Wells. Aug. 28, 6-7pm. Roundabout Books, 900 NW Mount Washington Dr., #110, Bend. Contact: 541-3066564. julie@roundaboutbookshop.com. Free.

Writers Working: How to Elevate Your Writing Career Discover the seven steps to elevate your writing career. This is an online program. Register to receive the Zoom link. This workshop breaks down seven steps for defining your niche and promoting your published work. Rachel Werner is a teaching artist for Hugo House and The Loft. Aug. 29, 5:30-7:30pm. Contact: 541312-1029. laurelw@deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

Writers Writing: Quiet Writing Time Enjoy the focus of a quiet space with the benefit of others’ company. This is an in-person program. Masks are recommended at all in-person library events. Bring personal work, read a book or answer emails. Come when you can, leave when you want. Free, open network WiFi available. Tuesdays, 1:304:30pm. Deschutes Public Library-Downtown, 601 NW Wall Street, Bend. Contact: 541-312-1063. paigef@deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

ETC.

Adored Tattoo Boutique Grand Opening Event This event will include $100 flash tattoos, permanent jewelry, tooth gems, a raffle, a merch sale, treats and more fun! Aug. 26, 10am-4pm. Adored Tattoo Boutique, 550 SW Industrial Way #125, Bend. Free.

Intro to 3D Printing

This is an adult beginner’s course for 3D printing and design in Tinkercad. Come see the 3D printers at DIYcave, learn how they work and find out why 3D printing is so revolutionary! Wed, Aug. 9, 7-9:30pm and Wed, Aug. 23, 7-9:30pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 541-388-2283. makeit@diycave.com. $139.

OUTDOORS / ATHLETIC EVENTS

4-Hour Basic Skills Kayaking Class A great launching point for the aspiring life-long kayaker. Expect to learn comprehensive safety, basic paddle strokes, maneuvering and simple rescues. Every other Saturday, 10am-2pm. Through Sept. 9. Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe, 805 SW Industrial Way Suite 6, Bend. Contact: 541-317-9407. tumalocreekbend@gmail.com. $125.

With a sound that pays homage to the ‘60s and ‘70s, Eric Leadbetter and his band carry on the golden age of rock. Catch the show at Crosscut Warming Hut No. 5 on Wed., Aug. 23, 6-8 pm.

Courtesy Eric Leadbetter Facebook

AVAILABLE AT

Basic Skills Standup Paddleboard

Class A great launching point for the aspiring paddleboarder, Tumalo Creek’s basic skills standup paddleboard class will prepare participants to confidently explore the region’s flat and moving waterways. In the basic skills standup class you will learn basic paddle strokes, maneuvers, balance, and safety. Fridays-Sundays, 10am-Noon Through Sept. 10. Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe, 805 SW Industrial Way Suite 6, Bend. Contact: 541-317-9407. tumalocreekbend@gmail.com. $85.

Bend Adult Volleyball Bend Hoops adult open gym volleyball sessions offer players a chance to get together and enjoy some competition. To sign up, go to meetup.com and RSVP. Bring exact change. Sundays, 7-9pm and Saturdays, 7:30pm. Bend Hoops, 1307 NE 1st St, Bend. $10.

Cascade Classic Bend Rugby, sponsored by Deschutes Brewery, hosts its annual rugby tournament; The Cascade Classic. A full day of rugby action with teams from all over the PNW. Check out their socials for updates! Aug. 26, 9am-6pm. Pine Nursery Park, 3750 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend. Contact: joinbendrugby@gmail.con. Free.

Cascade Lakes Canoe Tour with Wanderlust Nothing says summer in Bend like paddling on the beautiful Cascade Lakes! With the sun shining above, hit the water, breathe in the crisp mountain air, and begin your canoeing adventure. Saturdays, 7am-12:30pm. Through Jan. 1. Juniper Preserve, 65600 Pronghorn Club Dr., Bend. Contact: 866-320-5024. activites@ juniperpreserve.com. $130.

Central Oregon Six-Pack

of Peaks

The Central Oregon Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge is a self-paced hiking challenge up six iconic peaks in beautiful Central Oregon. Explore new mountains, test your limits and level up your outdoor experience, all while helping support outdoor nonprofits. June 21-Oct. 31. June 21-Oct. 31. Contact: info@socialadventures.net. $50.

Challenge

opportunities for almost every age. Salvation Army has an emergency food pantry, the groups visit residents of assisted living centers and make up gifts for veterans and the homeless. Ongoing. Contact: 541-389-8888.

experienced players all welcome to join the fun every Tuesday at 6:30-8pm at Big E’s just off 3rd street near Reed Market. Go play with the group!

Tue, Dec. 6, 6:30pm and Tuesdays, 6:30pm. Big E’s Sports Bar, 1012 SE Cleveland Ave., Bend. Contact: 206-707-6337. Free.

Fit & Float Instructor-led, low-impact workout in the park, followed by an optional float down the Deschutes! Meet new friends and enjoy some fun in the sun! Saturdays, 9-10am. Through Sept. 2. Farewell Bend Park, 1000 SW Reed Market Rd., Bend. Contact: 707-309-4589. estellecfitness@ gmail.com. $18.

Volunteer, Feed the Masses! At Family Kitchen, the mission is to serve anyone who needs nutritious meals in a safe and caring environment. They have tons of volunteer needs - servers, cooks, shoppers, and more. Groups and teams wanted! Monthly or quarterly opportunities! Visit familykitchen.org/volunteer to fill out a volunteer interest form. Mondays-Sundays. Family Kitchen, 231 NW Idaho, Bend. Contact: tori@familykitchen.org. Free.

Board Game Social Club Join every Thursday for Board Game Social Club! Come in and join other gamers in the game library. See you there! Thursdays, 6-10pm. Through Dec. 1. Modern Games, 550 SW Industrial way #150, bend. Contact: 541-639-8121. hello@moderngamesbend. com. $5.

Spoon Bending! Nerd Night presents

Hawaii Wildfire Relief! A portion of proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross Hawaii Wildfires Relief Fund. 3 new beers, a pig roast, raffle, live music, and entertainment will be right here at Immersion Brewing! Aug. 26, 4-8pm. Immersion Brewing, 550 SW Industrial Way, Bend. Contact: 541-633-7821. kate@imbrewing.com. FREE.

SEASONAL EVENTS / MARKETS

Apero Hours at Lone Pine Coffee

All levels welcome. Find the Redmond Oregon Running Klub on Facebook for weekly run details. Thursdays, 6:15pm. City of Redmond, Redmond, Or., Redmond. Contact: rundanorun1985@gmail.com.

Redmond Running Group Run

Sit Spot Community Gathering And Meditation: A Mini Forest Bathing

Experience Need a midweek pick-me-up?

This experience focuses on coming together and enjoying the peace of the forest. It includes sensory opening meditation, a solo “sit spot”, a core forest bathing invitation and an optional closing sharing circle. Thu, Aug. 10, 6:30-7:30pm, Wed, Aug. 16, 6:30-7:30pm and Wed, Aug. 23, 6:30-7:30pm. Tumalo State Park, 64120 O. B. Riley Rd, Bend. Contact: mindy@rootedpresence. com. $20.

VOLUNTEER

Bunny Rescue Needs Volunteers

Looking for more volunteers to help with tidying bunny enclosures, feeding, watering, giving treats, head scratches, play time and fostering. All ages welcome and time commitments are flexible — weekly, monthly or fill-in. Located at the south end of Redmond. Email Lindsey with your interests and availability: wildflowerbunnylove@gmail.com. Ongoing.

Thrive Moving Volunteers Support your neighbors by helping them move to their new home. If interested, fill out the volunteer form or reach out! Ongoing. Contact: 541-728-1022. TCOmoving22@gmail.com.

Volunteer with Salvation Army The Salvation Army has a wide variety of volunteer

Volunteering in Oregon’s High Desert with ONDA Oregon Natural Desert Association is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting, defending and restoring Oregon’s high desert for current and future generations. ONDA opened registration for its spring 2023 stewardship trips. For more info, visit its website. Ongoing.

Volunteers Needed for Humane Society Thrift Store Do you love animals and discovering “new” treasures? Then volunteering at the HSCO Thrift Store is a great way to combine your passions while helping raise funds to provide animal welfare services for the local community. For more information visit the website at www. hsco.org/volunteer. Ongoing. Humane Society Thrift Shop, 61220 S. Highway 97, Bend. Contact: 541-241-3840. abigail@hsco.org.

GROUPS / MEETUPS

AARP Driver Safety Course Refresh your safe driving skills, and you may save money on car insurance! This course is for those 50+. Call today to register: 503-676-3653. Fourth Thursday of every month, 8:45am-4pm. Bend Senior Center, 1600 SE Reed Market Road, Bend. Contact: 503-676-3653. m.griffin.aarp@gmail. com. $20/AARP members, $25/all others.

Bend Pinochle Club Plays Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. All skills and ages welcome.Learn how to play. Come early for snacks. Single deck on Thur. and Fri, double deck on Wed. Occasional tournaments. Wednesdays-Fridays, 11:30am3pm. Golden Age Card Club, 40 SE 5th St, Bend. Contact: 541-389-1752, during play hours. bendpinochle@gmail.com. $3/single, $7/double.

Bend Ukelele Group (BUGs) Do you play Uke? Like to learn to play? Beginners and

The Skeptical Box of Tricks by Richard Saunders Have you ever wanted to learn how to bend a spoon just like the “psychics”? Join this month’s Nerd Night, the monthly gathering of science enthusiasts, skeptical thinkers and people who want to have fun while learning something new. Don’t miss the fun! Aug. 29, 5:30-7:30pm. Pour House Grill, 61276 Hwy 97, Bend. Contact: 406-939-8283. staff@skeptoid. com. Free.

Tea & Tales Monthly Fantasy Book

Club in Madras Join on the 4th Thursday of each month for the Tea & Tales bookclub event. August pick is: “The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter” by Theodora Goss. Book genre: classical paranormal murder mystery. Bookclub books are 15% off in the shop all month long. Aug. 24, 7:30pm. Black Bird Magical Tea & Tales, 191 S 5th street, Madras. Free.

Wild Women Book Club Come join other women in community as participants dive deep into the untamed feminine psyche. Join in the discussion or just come for a cup of tea and listen! Fourth Wednesday of every month, 6-8pm. The Peoples Apothecary, 1841 NE Division Street, Bend. Contact: 541-728-2368. classes@thepeoplesapothecary.net. $9/online, $10/door.

FUNDRAISING

Bingo Benefiting Shelter Pets in Need

Bring Cash, and your 5 best friends Thursday Aug. 24 at Spider City Brewing for a chance to yell BINGO! Half the pot goes to the winner and half to local nonprofits Furry Freight and RylieMay Rescue Ranch! Win money and help save shelter pets at the same time! Aug. 24, 6-8pm. Spider City Brewing, 1177 SE Ninth St., Bend. Contact: 541-555-5555. $1-$5.

Hawaii Wildfires Relief Fundraiser and Beer Release Please join the Fundraiser for

Roasters Apero Hours at Lone Pine with natural wine and small plates. Fridays, 5-8pm and Saturdays, 5-8pm. Lone Pine Coffee Roasters, 910 NW Harriman, Bend. Contact: www.lonepinecoffeeroasters.com. Free.

Bend Farmers Market A vibrant downtown outdoor market with amazing, local, fresh products from Central Oregon. Wednesdays, 11am3pm. Through Oct. 11. Brooks Alley, downtown Bend, Bend. Contact: bendfarmersmarket@ gmail.com. Free.

Bend Night Market Take a dive into curated vintage, jewelry, arts, food trucks, cocktails, local brews, live music with Amargosa and DJ Greg Garretson spinning tunes. Cornhole and mocktails too! Fridays, 5pm. Through Aug. 25. Deschutes Historical Museum, 129 NW Idaho Ave., Bend. Free.

Edible Adventure School: Tomato

Tales Central Oregon Locavore is teaming up with the folks at Well-Rooted Farms to learn all things tomatoes and do some picking! Registration required. Aug. 24, 8-10am. Well Rooted Farm, 20355 Swalley Road, Redmond. Contact: 541-633-7388. gwen@centraloregonlocavore. org. Free.

Friday Flower Markets with Central Oregon Flower Collective Stop by for a weekly Friday Flower Market with Central Oregon Flower Collective. Every week at Pomegranate! Fridays, 2-5:30pm. Through Aug. 25. Pomegranate Home and Garden, 120 NE River Mall Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-383-3713. hello@ pomegranate-home.com. Free.

Mobile Pantry Pop-Up The Fresh to You mobile pantry is a free grocery store on wheels, bringing fresh produce and meal staples directly to communities around Central Oregon. Aug. 29-1pm. Pine Nursery Park, 3750 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend. Contact: 541-280-5551. lennonl@ neighborimpact.org.

Hailing from Portland, Ore., Pink Martini performs a multilingual repertoire that crosses genres and connects listeners. Live at Hayden Homes Amphitheater Wed., Aug. 23, 7 pm.

Courtesy Pink Martini Facebook

Balance, Focus & Health for Life Take Your First Step

GUNG HO

By Julianna LaFollette

The Return of Pickin’ and Paddlin’

Tumalo Creek’s community event is returning after a Covid hiatus

Seventh

Mountain ReSoRt

Seventh Mountain ReSoRt

After a four-year hiatus, Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe is bringing back its beloved, long-running event, Pickin’ and Paddlin’. The event started as a way to raise funds for Bend Paddle Trail Alliance, an organization that works to enhance river recreation and appreciation. People are invited to celebrate by the Deschutes River with live music, beer and food carts.

river cleanups or draw attention to signage and access points. After paddling, Frank said, everyone always gathered for a barbecue and music.

“We realized that people liked coming out and listening to music on the back lawn and talking about river advocacy and river projects,” Frank said. “So, that’s when Pickin’ and Paddlin’ got going.”

July live MuSic

Live MuSiC

5-8pM. Free. All Ages new OutdOoR StAge [lawn chAiRs welcOme]

5-8pM. Free. AlL Ages new OutdOoR StAge [Lawn ChAiRs weLcOme]

8/26: FOG HOLLER

A statement on Tumalo Creek’s website expressed the organization’s excitement about the upcoming event. “Our last event was amazing! So many smiling faces and dancing bodies that we just couldn’t help ourselves but do it all over again.” This year’s event is featuring three artists for participants to listen and dance to.

The business reintroduced the Pickin’ and Paddlin’ in June with a smaller event. It’s organizing the larger event to give people another chance to enjoy the outdoor music and fun. Each year was well-attended, with about 400-500 people at the 2019 event, according to Keoni Chung, Tumalo Creek’s retail store manager.

WEST COAST ACOUSTIC STRING MUSIC FROM PORTLAND

07/01: SPENCER MARLYN LOOP & EFFECTS PEDALS, FUNK/REGGAE/BLUEGRASS

07/08: SWEET MOTOR

Seattle-based, dance string band, The Warren G. Hardings, is headlining the event with its up-tempo bluegrass music. Sharing the stage is folk rock artist Joel Chadd and Sagebrush Revivals.

SOUTHERN ROCK & BLUES

9/02: LEFT ON WILSON

DANCE TUNES, DEEP JAMS, AND SYNCOPATED RIFFING FROM EUGENE

07/15: HILLFOLK NOIR

GROOVING. RAUCOUS. GENRE - BENDING.

07/22: JAKE ROZIER & THE IMPLICATION FOLK, BLUEGRASS, COUNTRY FROM SPOKANE

9/16: THE GYPSY TRAVELLERS BLUES, ROCK, FUSION BAND

07/26: JACOB JOLLIFF BAND

Tumalo Creek is a locally owned business that offers paddle gear and experiences, from retail and rentals, to tours and classes. Bend Paddle Trail Alliance, its beneficiary, helps fund several important river projects, including the Bend Whitewater Park and multiple river safety campaigns.

In recent years, Tumalo Creek was forced to cancel its event during Covid, hoping to continue as soon as possible. Last year, Tumalo Creek tried to get another Pickin’ and Paddlin’ back on the calendar. According to Chung, the event did not happen since it conflicted with a Hayden Homes Amphitheater concert.

CONTEMPORARY MANDOLIN (FORMERLY OF YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND) BLUEGRASS

9/30: G BOTS & THE JOURNEYMEN

According to Geoff Frank, the owner of Tumalo Creek, the idea started with river volunteering. Tumalo Creek would organize a long river float where participants would conduct

Pickin’ and Paddlin’ will sell beer tickets and offer guests a variety of food truck options. For a sustainable evening, Frank encourages guests to ride bikes to the event and bring a cup for their beverages. The venue will have bike racks in the grass next to the event entrance. Tickets to Pickin’ and Paddlin’ are available for purchase online at Tumalo Creek’s website.

TICKETS AVAILABLE ON BENDTICKET.COM

UPBEAT GROOVES FROM BEND LEGENDS CELEBRATING 10 YEARS AS A BAND

The last big Pickin’ and Paddlin’ event was in 2019. Get ready to pick and paddle again on Aug. 31.

Tumalo Creek Instagram

Tai Chi/QiGong & Wushu/Kungfu ongoing beginning classes

Photo credit: Yuvia Storm

Photo credit: Kevin Kubota

Schilling’s 2023 End of Summer

Join for a fun weekend as they celebrate another great season at Schilling’s! Saturday 5-8pm with Olivia Harms and Sunday 11-1pm with Dive Bar Theology. Aug. 26, 9am-8pm and Aug. 27, 10am-3pm. Schilling’s Garden Market, 64640 Old Bend-Redmond HWY, Bend. Free.

Zorba the Greek Food Truck Pop-

Up Zorba the Greek food truck will be at the Redmond Farmers Market every Thursday from Noon-7pm. They serve three varieties of authentic Greek gyros, a village Greek salad, Greek potatoes, a delicious feta dip and house made baklava. Thursdays, Noon-7pm. Through Sept. 14. Redmond Farmers Market, Centennial Park, Remond. Contact: 541-674-8766. $7-$23

FAMILY + KIDS

All Ages Ukulele Party at the Sisters Firehouse Aaron, from the band Micah and Me, brings 30 ukuleles (you are welcome to bring your own) for this hands on workshop. Adults please come out! Ages 10-100 work best. Aug. 26, 3-4pm. Sisters Firehouse Community Hall, 301 S Elm St, Sisters. Contact: 541-312-1062. elsah@deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

Aloha Friday Fun and Games Build confidence, create opportunities and overcome obstacles. Fridays in Summer 2023. Ages 5-6 (9-11am). Ages 7-9 (11am-1pm). Ages 10-12 (1pm-3pm). Fridays, 9am-3pm. Through Sept. 1. Lava Ridge Elementary, 20805 Cooley Rd, Bend. Contact: 808-333-2708. mailto:%20kanihos@ alohafridayfoundation.com. $25-$35.

Dogs and Lagers The dogs and lagers fest is back and better than ever! Join for a whole lot of very good dogs, deliciously crisp specialty lagers, chill live music and sunshine-y summer days on the Crux lawn. Meet inspiring nonprofit dog organizations and insanely talented dog-friendly businesses! Aug. 25, Noon-6pm and Aug. 26, Noon-6pm. Crux Fermentation Project, 50 SW Division St., Bend. Free.

Fiesta del Sol Celebrate the end of summer with a Latin beat, tacos, games, music, and piñatas in the park. The Latino Community Association invites the whole family to its free Fiesta del Sol at Sam Johnson Park in Redmond. Aug. 27, Noon-6pm. Sam Johnson Park, 521 SW 15th St., Redmond, Redmond. Contact: 541-316-5456. beatriz@latinocommunityassociation.org.

Kid’s Korner Mobile Pantry Kid’s Korner Mobile Pantry is a program of The Giving Plate catering to low-moderate income families with kids aged 1-17. This program is free for qualifying families. Sat, Aug. 26, 11am-1pm and Sat, Sept. 23, 11am-1pm. Oregon Water Wonderland POA Unit 2, 17491 Killdeer Dr., Sunriver. Contact: 541-797-6883. info@thegivingplate.org. Free.

Kids Ninja Warrior Summer Camp (4 day) Drop your kids off this summer at Free Spirit! Your kids will meet other ninja enthusiasts, build important movement skills and have a ton of fun. A great camp for siblings and friends!

Age 6-10. Aug. 28-31. Free Spirit Yoga + Ninja + Play, 320 SW Powerhouse Drive, Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 541-241-3919. info@freespiritbend. com. $215.

Kids Paddlesports Adventure

Camp Tumalo Creek’s paddlesport adventure camp includes standup paddle boarding, kayaking, whitewater rafting and kayak sailing. Ages 8-15. Mon, Aug. 28, 9am-4pm. Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe, 805 SW Industrial Way Suite 6, Bend. Contact: 541-317-9407. tumalocreekbend@gmail.com. $595.

The Art of Falconry Join us as local falconer, Hank Minor, presents an engaging and informative look at the art and practice of falconry. Aug. 30, 3-4pm. Crook County Library, 175 NW Meadow Lakes Drive, Prineville. Contact: 541447-7978. asmith@crooklib.org. Free.

Youth Camp-French Cuisine France has a rich culinary history, from rustic pheasant food to the most technical dishes. Have your child (age 7-17) join in this hands-on camp where they will

learn to make a variety of classic French meals. Aug. 28-31, 11am-2pm. Kindred Creative Kitchen, 2525 NE Twin Knolls Drive, Bend. Contact: 541-640-0350. kindredcreativekitchen@gmail. com. $220.

BEER + DRINK EVENTS

Bottle & Board Mondays Join on Mondays at Bend Wine Bar Take $5 off any white wine and cheese, salami or charcuterie board or $10 off a red wine and board. Tasting room for The Winery at Manzanita. Mondays, 2-9pm. The Bend Wine Bar & Winery Tasting Room, 550 SW Industrial Way, Suite 194, Bend. Contact: info@bendwinebar.com. Free.

Café des Chutes Cocktail Hours Every Friday and Saturday, enjoy relaxing evenings on the patio or in the air conditioned lounge with live music, open mics nights and Grey Duck ice cream! Fridays-Saturdays, 8am-9pm. Through Sept. 30. Cafe des Chutes, 50 SE Scott St., Bend. Contact: 541-668-6114. Free.

Knudsen Wine Tasting Enjoy four fantastic wines with Page Knudsen, owner of The Good Drop Wine Shoppe. $20 tasting fee, members taste free. No reservation needed! Aug. 30, 4-6:30pm. The Good Drop Wine Shoppe, 141 NW Minnesota Ave, Bend. Contact: 541-410-1470. support@gooddropwineshop.com. $20.

Locals’ Night with The Bluegrass Collective Monday is the day to be at Silver Moon Brewing! Come on down and join the local family all day every Monday! Silver Moon offers $3 pints of the core lineup beers and $4 pours of the barrel-aged beers all day. Silver Moon Brewing, 24 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend.

Oblivion Brewing 10-Year Anniversary! River’s Place is hosting a huge party for their friends, Oblivion Brewing! 11am-2pm is a low rider car show, 2:30-8pm, enjoy live music by Strive Roots and The Cutmen. Enjoy 10 beers by Oblivion on draft. Come celebrate this amazing local brewery. Aug. 26, 11am-9pm. River’s Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend. Free.

Suttle Lodge’s Wine on the Deck : Brick House Wines Join every Tuesday this summer for wine made in the Pacific Northwest, poured by some of the best local winemakers and paired with seasonal small plates from their Skip Kitchen. This week, they welcome Brick House Wines. Aug. 29, 3-6pm. The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse, 13300 Hwy 20, Sisters. Contact: 541-323-0964.

Viaggio Bubble Bar! Calling all champagne lovers for a weekend Bubble Bar! Special champagne flight and champagne menu in addition to our regular wine and beer menu. Enjoy our outdoor patio in the bar. Fri, Aug. 25, Noon-9pm, Sat, Aug. 26, Noon-9pm and Sun, Aug. 27, Noon-8pm. Viaggio Wine Merchant, 210 SW Century Drive, Suite 160, Bend. Contact: 541-299-5060. info@ viaggiowine.com. FREE.

Whiskey Tuesdays The Cross-eyed Cricket

Watering Hole is offering exclusive access to a library of top shelf whiskeys every Tue. Oneounce pours for reasonable prices. Come by and try something new, or sip on your favorites! Tuesdays, 11am-11pm. Cross-Eyed Cricket, 20565 NE Brinson Blvd., Bend. Free.

HEALTH / WELLNESS

Bend Zen Meditation Group Bend Zen sits every Mon, evening at 7. Arrive at 6:45pm to orient yourself and meet others. The group has two 25-minute sits followed by a member-led Dharma discussion from 8:05-8:30pm. All are welcome! Learn more and sign up for emails at www.bendzen.net. Mondays, 6:45-8:30pm. Brooks Hall at Trinity Episcopal Church, 469 Wall St., Bend. Contact: bendzensitting@gmail.com. Donations accepted.

Free Female Hormonal Health Class!

Well Nourished is offering a free hormonal health class! Bring a friend and learn to support your hormones naturally with targeted nutrition and lifestyle approaches. Beth Buchanan is a functional nutritionist, specializing in female hormonal health. Aug. 29, 7-8:30pm. Code:541 Cross Fit, 310 SE Railroad St Unit #2, Bedn. Contact: 970-481-7760. info@wnourished.com. Free.

Grief Reframed for Teens Teens need each other now more than ever. Both a grief counselor and licensed mental health therapist are present. Wednesdays, 6-7:30pm. Good Grief Guidance, 33 NW Louisiana Ave, Bend. Contact: 541-223-9955. info@livingundone.com. $50.

Group Meditation Classes Join Amy Kowalski LMT, Cht Tuesday evenings from 5:30-7pm for group meditation classes. Drop-ins are welcome. Tuesdays, 5:30-7pm. Hawthorn Healing Arts Center, 39 NW Louisiana Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-330-0334. info@hawthorncenter. com. $15.

Hatha Vinyasa Yoga with Smarana

Yoga Bend Smarana Yoga Bend is a new yoga studio in Bend! In the Hatha Vinyasa practice we aim to deepen the connection with breath, body and mind. . All levels are welcome! Saturdays, 10:15-11:15am and Mondays-Wednesdays, 8:309:30am. IThe Space, 2570 NE Twin Knolls Drive, Suite 110, Bend. Contact: 305-793-5176. smaranayogabend@gmail.com. First class is free.

Outdoor Yoga Classes Join outside in the fresh air for this all levels adult Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class built around sun salutations and creative sequencing to build heat, endurance, flexibility and strength. Mondays-Tuesdays-Fridays-Saturdays, 9:15-10:15am. Through Sept. 19. Free Spirit Yoga + Ninja + Play, 320 SW Powerhouse Drive, Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 541-241-3919. info@freespiritbend.com. $20.

Paddle Strong

A paddle boarding class beautifully infused with fitness and yoga. Move at a gentle pace on your board as you balance the mind and body. Working on flexibility through movement and postures. Suitable for all skill levels. RSVP at juniperpreserve.com Sundays, 10-11am. Juniper Preserve, 65600 Pronghorn Club Dr., Bend.

Women’s Embodiment Circle This embodiment circle is as a sacred and safe all women’s space to drop into your body, slow down, dissolve stress and anxiety, replenish your life force and come home to you. All ages of women welcome. No experience necessary. Aug. 24, 6-8pm. Tula Movement Arts, 2797 NW Clearwater Drive Suite 500, Bend. Contact: 808482-4212. meghan@ambamethod.com. $30/ early bird, $40/regular.

This contemporary folk female trio was born out of deep friendship and a mutual appreciation of soul nourishing music. See The Cider Janes live at Faith, Hope and Charity Vineyards in Terrebonne on Fri., Sept. 1, 6-9pm.

Courtesy The Cider Janes

CHOW C

Kate Bhatia loves ice cream. “I’ve eaten a lot of ice cream!” she exclaims when I ask her how she learned to make the delectable sweet treat. She tells me how she and her husband/ business partner, Amit Bhatia, seek out small, craft ice cream makers when they travel and how she started making ice cream when she moved to Bend because she was missing the dense, hard-packed ice cream she grew up with in the Midwest.

Bhatia taught herself how to make ice cream by reading books, watching YouTube videos and spending time on Reddit. In the summer of 2022, while on maternity leave from her corporate tech job, she started making small batches of ice cream for herself and her family. She would end up with more pints than they could eat, so she started sharing with friends and neighbors. Then one day she posted about the extra leftover ice cream online and folks noticed.

“People just went crazy for it. I kept making more and more to appease those who wanted it from me. I started an Instagram account and would post my available 50 to 100 pints on Fridays and it would be gone within five minutes.” The best part, Bhatia says, was the people she was getting to know through her ice cream. “They would come to my house and pick up ice cream and we would hang out and chat. It was a beautiful community-building moment.”

Bhatia and her husband had made a pandemic move from Chicago to Bend. “We knew we wanted to eventually have a small business because we wanted a way to plug in to the community we lived in,” she said. But starting an ice cream company that has blossomed so quickly wasn’t planned or expected. The plan was going back to work at the corporate job after her baby was born. Last August Bhatia did indeed go back to that job – for four days.

Duck, Duck, Grey Duck

The story behind a new ice cream company focused on connection, joy and real change

By Donna Britt @donnabrittcooks

notice at her day job and saying out loud, “I’m starting an ice cream business.” Grey Duck Ice Cream was born. It took from last fall until the first of June this year for Bhatia to find a facility and get all the proper licensing and paperwork in place. There is still no physical storefront, but the plan is to have a walk-up window open at the ice cream production facili ty in Bend’s Mak-

Wild Petals Provisions in Brooks Alley downtown.

But honestly, it’s not about ice cream, or so says the perky woman I’m talking to about the Earl Grey ice cream of hers I just ate and couldn’t get enough of. “Ice cream is a means to an end,” Bhatia explains. “And the end is connection, joy and real change.”

Courtesy Grey Duck Ice Cream

“I thought I could do both my day job and make ice cream, along with being a mom of two little ones. But I was mopping up spilled ice cream on the kitchen floor at 2:30 in the morning and realized I couldn’t do all three,” Bhatia confesses. She and her husband had a long talk about what they wanted their life to look like. They reflected on the organic demand for Kate’s ice cream and how they loved the way the community was responding. That led to Bhatia giving

er’s District by this fall, where customers can buy minis, pints and nostalgic push pops. Mean time, Grey Duck Ice Cream tricycles are peddling around town and Grey Duck paddle boards are floating on the river. They’re also at Northwest Crossing Farmers Market on Saturdays and at other events listed on the Grey Duck website calendar. Bhatia is also slowly making her way into retail stores such as

The actual mission statement of Grey Duck is: “We will look to the most in-season ingredients to create ice cream flavors that surprise and delight our community. With a focus on sustainability and impact, we see ice cream as a means to an end, where the end is: connection, joy and real change.” And by real change, Bhatia means building a business that will grow and get big enough to have leverage and help make positive change. She views Bend as a place that is growing and changing and she wants to be a part of that.

For those of us indulging in Grey

Duck Ice Cream, however, it is about the ice cream — at least while we’re eating it and licking every last bit of it off the spoon. There are a handful of core Grey Duck flavors currently always available, including the Earl Grey Cookie as well as Cookies & Cream, Key Lime Pie, Birthday Cake and Chonana Nut featuring caramelized banana ice cream with a peanut butter ribbon and dark chocolate flecks. New flavors rotate in every week; for example, Fennel Orange Curd and Goat Cheese with Fig Jam, which Bhatia says to think of as a cheesecake with goat cheese bringing tanginess, fig jam adding sweetness and a touch of savory coming from a cinnamon streusel.

Oh, and the name Grey Duck. That’s a nod to Bhatia’s Minnesota heritage. As she puts it, “Minnesotans are non-confrontational about everything, except the childhood game which they refer to as ‘Duck, Duck, Gray Duck’ not ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’. You can look it up; it’s a real thing,” she smiles.

Grey Duck Ice Cream greyduckicecream.com IG greyduckicecream

Kate Bhatia has been pedaling/peddling her ice cream around Bend, touting flavors like Birthday Cake and old school push pops.

“Ice cream is a means to an end. And the end is connection, joy and real change.” —KATE BHATIA

C CULTURE We Had to Go Back

Taylor Morden, the filmmaker behind “The Last Blockbuster,” uncovers “Lost”

By Jared Rasic

It’s hard to imagine a more influential show than “Lost.” Maybe “The X-Files” was the first TV show people obsessed about on the internet, but “Lost” was the first that took the audience on such an unpredictable ride that the speculation between episodes and seasons became a huge part of the experience. The term “Mystery Box” was even coined because of the deep well of questions the show continuously raised. “Lost” was a phenomenon that hasn’t been successfully repeated since the show ended in May of 2010 and, even with a divisive final season, it’s a show that still inspires debate and arguments over a decade later. To this day, there’s no other piece of pop culture I’ve written or obsessed about more than “Lost.”

Filmmaker Taylor Morden has already proven he knows how to deconstruct a pop cultural phenomenon with his 2020 documentary ,“The Last Blockbuster” (which, in transparency, I appear in), so it makes perfect sense for him to go back to the island for “Getting Lost,” a documentary focused on the series just in time for its 20th anniversary.

“I first discovered ‘Lost’ like many people did in the early 2000s, when everyone I knew was talking about it,” says Morden. “It was partway through the first season, and I caught a random episode and it made no sense whatsoever. Shortly thereafter I was able to rent the first season on DVD from Blockbuster video and was hooked immediately. The ‘Lost’ online community, the theorizing, the sense of ‘we’re all in this together’ that came from trying to solve the mysteries of the island.... these are things that I’ll never forget. So, that’s what made me want to tell that particular story. Just like with ‘The Last Blockbuster,’ or my Ska documentary, this movie is semi-autobiographical.”

it that the audience would be there for this doc,” says Morden. “That’s always a concern. Seeing it go so well, so quickly, has really reminded us that the ‘Lost’ fan community is one of the best fandoms out there. People who still love ‘Lost’ all these years later have been through a lot with this show. Even making this movie I constantly hear from people who hated the ending. So that has made the ‘Lost’ community pretty strong and tight knit. We are humbled to be a part of it.”

I was one of the few who didn’t hate the ending of “Lost,” instead finding that most people who didn’t like it also

Morden launched an Indiegogo to raise funds to finish the film and in just over 24 hours reached his $42k goal and, as of this writing with 33 days remaining in the fundraiser, has reached almost $55k.

Obviously there are still just as many people still in love with “Lost” as Morden. He launched an Indiegogo to raise funds to finish the film and, in just over 24 hours, reached his $42,000 goal. As of this writing, with 33 days remaining in the fundraiser, he’s reached almost $55,000. “We were skeptical going into

didn’t really follow what happened. Anytime someone would say, “Awww, that’s lame! They were dead the whole time,” that instantly showed me they weren’t paying attention.

“I think ‘Lost’ asked a lot from viewers,” said Morden. “More than a network television show ever had. Most of

the people I know that loved the ending of ‘Lost’ were the ones on the message boards, listening to the podcasts, theorizing, rewatching, etc... they really put in the work. Many of the more casual viewers didn’t like it, which in hindsight is pretty fair. I think general audiences have come around on it partly because new viewers can binge the show, which makes it easier to follow. Do I think we are going to change any minds about the ending? Probably not. Am I willing to explain the polar bears for a thousandth time to try? Definitely.”

Earlier this year, “Vanity Fair” published an excerpt from cultural critic Mo Ryan’s book “Burn it Down: Power, Complicity and a Call for Change in Hollywood,” a revealing exposé on systemic abuse in the entertainment industry. Most of the excerpt was focused on the toxic culture behind the scenes of “Lost,” which, as a diehard fan, I found heartbreaking to read…as did Morden.

“We were well into production when that came out, and we strongly considered just scrapping the whole project,” says Morden. “It seemed in bad taste to honor a show that had put so many people through such a hard time. But after talking with some people from the book and other fans that were similarly

heartbroken, we decided to include this topic in the documentary and address the full story of ‘Lost.’ It’s a tough thing to grapple with, separating the art from the artist, and it happens to fandoms all the time. ‘Lost’ fans seem particularly adept at considering new information and changing their opinions based on these revelations.”

Whether you’re a fanatic, a casual watcher, a disgruntled ex or haven’t seen the show before, “Lost” sparked the cultural imagination like a wildfire. It’s been long enough since it ended that a deep dive into the fandom, the culture and the legacy of the show is needed. It’s time for a reappraisal of the ending and what the series as a whole was trying to say. With “Getting Lost” not only interviewing die-hard celebrity fans but also many people involved with the show itself, it’s looking like Morden, just as he did with “The Last Blockbuster,” is making the definitive look at an iconic cultural phenomenon.

All Photos courtesy of Taylor Morden

Left, Taylor Morden interviews Sonya (Penny) Walger for “Getting Lost.” Top, Taylor Interviews Jorge (Hurley) Garcia for “Getting Lost.” Bottom, Taylor on the set of “Lost” in 2010. The only thing that make this movie better is an appearance by Bend’s own Matty Fox. Mr. Fox, if you’re reading this… the island needs you.

The indiegogo page for the film is located at: indiegogo.com/projects/ getting-lost-documentary#

Extraterrestrial Ideas One genre, endless stories

By Jared Rasic

This weekend I went to two movies that on the surface are both about aliens, but honestly could not have been more different. One is a blockbuster DC Comics movie, while the other is an absurdest arthouse genre bender, yet both are attempting to do different things with a genre that has been pretty stagnant for the last few years. Both are deeply flawed and ridiculous, but absolutely worth exploring.

First I caught “Blue Beetle,” the 14th movie from Zach Snyder’s DC Extended Universe that began with 2013’s “Man of Steel” and will end with this December’s “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” before the entire studio is rebooted as the DC Universe by Peter Safran and James Gunn. That’s right, after “Aquaman” we’ll be getting a new Superman, Batman and all kinds of stuff. Already. I’m actually kinda excited.

“Blue Beetle” was originally supposed to go directly to streaming, but director Ángel Manuel Soto had a vision for the character the studio liked and got behind. I can see why, because there’s something deeply refreshing about “Blue Beetle” and a lot of it has to do with having a charming Latin family as its emotional center.

The plot is focused on a piece of extraterrestrial technology known as the Scarab that gets inadvertently attached to the nervous system of recent college graduate Jaime Reyes, creating a living suit of armor he can summon at will called the Blue Beetle. A different incarnation of the “Blue Beetle” was the first comic book I ever purchased as a kid, so my nostalgia for this character is huge.

While all of the superhero origin

story mechanics are fairly boilerplate, it’s the family at its center that gives the film its heart.

“Blue Beetle” doesn’t do anything different with its super hero origin story center, but it still feels singular for finally giving representation to a great Latino superhero and the family that supports him.

Next was “Landscape with Invisible Hand,” a dark comedy, sci-fi satire about a supposedly benevolent alien takeover of Earth that results in the class divide of humanity becoming even more pronounced and ugly. The aliens are the Vuvv and look like “fleshy coffee tables.” They’re obsessed with the idea of romantic love (their species doesn’t have it), so humans that have been economically destroyed (by the Vuvv’s tech they sold to the highest bidders) can wear a device on their temple that livestreams their every waking moment to the aliens. The Vuvv’s favorite thing to watch: people in love.

It's almost a genuinely great film, but eventually falls apart under the weight of its own ideas, which is a shame. Writer/director Cory Finlay combines high-concept science fiction ideas with a dark view of the class struggle, a satirical deconstruction of America’s obsession with celebrity and influencer-led monetization. So many big ideas on the same plate lead to a few of them slipping onto the ground. Even though neither movie is perfect, one managed to recapture my nostalgia in exactly the way I needed, while the other got the wheels in my mind turning in new and interesting ways.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 16TH 3:00-6:30PM BEND PARK & FLOAT

Support Central Oregon youth with Heart of Oregon Corps. Join us for family-friendly fun and fundraising at Endless Summer Nights!

Tickets are $25. Children 12 and under are free!

“Blue Beetle”

Dir. Ángel Manuel Soto

Grade: C+ Now playing at Regal Old Mill, Sisters Movie House

“Landscape with Invisible Hand”

Dir. Cory Finlay

Grade: BNow Playing at Regal Old Mill

Top, Xolo Maridueña as the “Blue Beetle.” Bottom, Two youngsters get into trouble in “Landscape with Invisible Hand.”

(Top) Courtesy of DC Studios. (Bottom) Courtesy of MGM

OUTSIDE

OFive Hikes in the Old Cascades

Bag peaks or explore historic trails in the Willamette National Forest

By Damian Fagan

Looking for some hikes to spectacular vistas, through old-growth forests, and without the need for a trail permit? Check out these five day-trip hikes near Santiam Pass in the Old Cascades in the Willamette National Forest.

Iron Mountain

Named after the reddish, metallic appearance of the basaltic rock exposed on the mountain’s flank. Formerly known as Pleasanton Butte, this peak has several trail options and a wooden viewing platform at the summit. Hikers often start at the Tombstone Pass trailhead to do a loop hike. The trail passes through forests, open meadows and rocky outcrops which provide habitat for over 300 species of plants.

Views from the summit include nearby Cone and Echo peaks, Browder Ridge and the Three Sisters.

Length: 7.1 mile loop or 2.4 mile round trip from upper trailhead on the Iron Mountain Civil Road

Elevation gain: 1,740 feet

Difficulty: Moderate

Browder Ridge

On the north side of Tombstone Pass sits the massive hulk of Browder Ridge. To reach the summit, there are two trailheads, one from the east and one from the west. Both pass through coniferous forests dominated by Douglas fir and pass through some open meadows that provide great views of the surrounding peaks, as well as Diamond Peak to the south.

The area abounds in wildflowers and is a good place to look for butterflies flitting about the meadows. A side trail leads to Heart Lake.

Trail length: 8.4 miles RT, or more

Elevation gain: 2,100 feet

Difficulty: Moderate or strenuous

Crescent Mountain

Named after the crescent-shaped outline of the mountain, this hike offers some excellent views of the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, Mount Hood and many of the surrounding Old Cascades. The trail passes through old-growth coniferous forests, avalanche paths with vine maple, mountain meadows bursting with wildflowers, and depending upon the season, ripe with huckleberries.

The summit, which once housed a

Forest Service fire lookout, is a great lunch spot and has views that extend from Mount Hood to the Three Sisters.

Trail: 9.3 miles round trip

Elevation gain: 2,200 feet

Difficulty: Difficult

Coffin Mountain Hike

Short but steep, the climb up to Coffin Mountain gets rewarded with excellent views and has an active fire lookout, one of the few remaining in the Willamette National Forest. The trail skirts through some forest, then arcs across an open slope blanketed with blooming beargrass earlier in the season. This meadow is the result of an old forest fire. The summit views are enticing of the surrounding peaks, especially nearby Bachelor Mountain which offers a post-Coffin Mountain hike option (3.8 miles roundtrip and 1,100 feet of elevation gain).

Trail length: 2.8 miles round trip

Elevation gain: 1,040 feet

Difficulty: Moderate

Santiam Wagon Road

If peak-bagging is not your thing, the historic Santiam Wagon Road Trail offers alternative hikes in the South Santiam River valley. Carved out of the dense coniferous forest, this route provided access to eastern Oregon and Idaho for ranchers located in the Willamette Valley and as a livestock, freight and stage coach route.

One stretch of trail is from the Fish Lake Interpretive Site and Remount Depot, located near the intersection of Highway 128 and Highway 20, toward Tombstone Pass. You can almost hear the bellow of cattle or the creak of wagons. Find a turnaround point for the out-and-back hike, as it's 8.7 miles one way. There are multiple sections and entry points along the entire road.

Trail length: 2.2 miles one-way to FR2672

Elevation gain: 100 feet

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Trail Notes

Many of the trailheads require a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass for parking. Dogs must be leashed during summer. Pack for the conditions and remember to be aware of summer thunderstorms.

Damian Fagan

5K Fun Run for Street Dog Hero

People can participate in a day of fun activities in support of nonprofit, Street Dog Hero

If there’s anything that the people of Central Oregon love, it’s dogs. Locals are often happy to participate in an event that includes and benefits dogs, and this year is no different. Street Dog Hero, a foster-based rescue organization, can attest, with its successful ongoing fundraiser, Heroes on the Run 5k.

Heroes on the Run is a family and pet-friendly 5k fun-run, benefiting Street Dog Hero. The event is the organization’s fourth annual fun run. Considered to be its biggest fundraiser of the year, the 5k continues to grow, helping the organization provide services and find homes for hundreds of stray dogs.

According to Kristen Elrod, executive director at Street Dog Hero, the fundraiser raised $75,000 last year.

In addition to the fun run, which allows families and their furry friends to run or walk together for a good cause, the event also has a shorter kid-friendly run. Kids can stay entertained with exciting activities and participants can greet and play with Street Dog Hero alumni and adoptable dogs.

The fundraiser will host local food trucks for anyone needing a bite and the on-site beer garden will offer a cocktail station and various beverages from local breweries. The organization started the fun-run three years ago to create an annual fundraising opportunity and

realized it was a great way to get dogs and families out and about.

Street Dog Hero was founded in 2017 by Marianne Cox. Today, the organization is bringing in and adopting out over 500 dogs a year.

“Our primary focus is to help dogs and the communities that they live in or come from through rescue, education and clinics,” Elrod said.

In addition to rescuing dogs that are in need of help and a home, the organization provides information and services to communities that need it. One of the many important services that it frequently provides are pop-up clinics for dog owners. These clinics, which take place both domestically and internationally, are set in a specific area for two to three days, providing spay and neuter surgeries for little to no cost to pet owners.

With the need to prevent more dogs from living on the street, Street Dog Hero is gearing up to start having local, on-site clinics that provide lower cost surgeries on a monthly basis to those who sign up. The nonprofit, based out of Bend, has recently expanded its operations into Portland.

The Heroes on the Run event will take place at the Athletic Club of Bend on Sept., 10. People can sign up for the event on Street Dog Hero’s website or onsite.

Attendees from last year’s event sipping a drink with their furry friend.

Kristen Elrod

Kristen Elrod

Drink Beer, Donate to Maui Fire Support

Local fundraisers for wildfire victims

By Nicole Vulcan

The deadly fires in Maui this month have prompted businesses all over to create fundraisers aimed at raising funds for fire relief and recovery efforts.

Luau at Immersion Brewing

Over at Immersion Brewing, the staff is planning a big luau-style party for Saturday, Aug. 26. Immersion will release three new beers, and offer a pig roast, a raffle, live music from Beverly Anderson (and other artists TBD) and discounted beer packs. Also available: shaved ice, and a performance by Hawaiian dancers. Among the raffle prizes is a snowboard donated by LibTech, valued at $700.

The new beers on offer include “Single Scoop,” a cream ale with vanilla, “Surf to Summit,” a cold IPA collaboration with Trademark Brewing of Long Beach, California, and Horske Pivo, a Czech-style pilsner.

The event, happening from 4 to 8 pm, is open to all ages and takes place on Immersion’s back patio. A portion of the proceeds go to the American Red Cross Hawaii Wildfires Relief Fund

Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fundraiser & Beer Release

Sat., Aug. 26. 4-8pm

Immersion Brewing, back patio

550 SW Industrial Way #185, Bend imbrewing.com

Free to attend

Donate cans at BottleDrop

Another fundraiser that involves beer-drinking — or any other canned

or bottled beverage, for that matter — is located at Oregon BottleDrop Redemption Center locations. Those with BottleDrop acocunts can donate their account balances to the OBRC Emergency Fund, which will direct the money to Maui United Way. OBRC will match up to $25,000 of total donations received through Aug. 31. People can donate through their online accounts, or can let staff know at redemption centers that they want their account balances donated to the Maui wildfire relief efforts.

BottleDrop Redemption Center Emergency Fund bottledrop.com/maui

Efforts toward helping fire victims in Maui have been ongoing since the Aug. 8 incident that left at least 115 people dead and more than 850 still unaccounted for. In Bend, Worthy Brewing held a “Maui Strong Pint Night” Aug. 16, donating 100% of beer sales to the Hawaii Community Foundation. Bend Pizza Kitchen also held a fundraiser for the same foundation through Aug. 18. And over at Monkless Belgian Ales, the brewery offered its “Monkless 4 Maui” fundraiser Aug. 18, offering food and cocktail specials and donating a portion of sales to the Family Life Center Maui.

Got another event coming that benefits Maui fire victims? Let us know about it by emailing calendar@bendsource.com

Members of the Hawaii Army and Air National Guard assist in recovery efforts.

Courtesy Department of Defense

Crossword “LOOK BOTH WAYS”

THE REC ROOM

Pearl’s Puzzle

By Brendan Emmett Quigley

Difficulty Level

We’re Local!

Questions, comments or suggestions for our local puzzle guru?

Email Pearl Stark at pearl@bendsource.com

© Pearl Stark mathpuzzlesgames.com/quodoku

(eye roll) 34 Malcolm X or Marlon Brando, by birth 38 In ___ of 39 Place for plates 41 Tiny insect 42 Singer’s warm up syllables 44 Peach, alternative 45 Playwright who said “Silence is the most perfect expression of scorn” 46 Point of interest? 47 “___ Mack” (Disney Channel drama) 49 Public hangings? 50 Vomit out

52 Get atop Spunkmeyer’s lap? 54 Plato’s school 56 Hard to pin down

57 More irritated mythical archer? 59 Egg-headed?

63 Ballet student’s

2 Track number?

4 Omit

5 One fry short of a Happy Meal

6 “That’s SUCH a great outfit!”

7 Word said while snapping one’s fingers 8 Messy sandwiches 9 Mr. Hot Stuff 10 Brainy NFL team

Fill in every row, column, and 3x3 box with each of the letters exactly once. HP LAB TICK

“Every year, the bright Scandinavian summer nights fade without anyone's noticing. One evening in August you have an errand outdoors, and all of a sudden it's ______. It is still summer, but the summer is no longer alive.” —Tove Jansson

Whether

StarCycle

ASTROLOGY By Rob Brezsny

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “I don’t believe that in order to be interesting or meaningful, a relationship has to work out—in fiction or in real life.”

So says Virgo novelist Elizabeth Curtis Sittenfeld, and I agree. Just because a romantic bond didn’t last forever doesn’t mean it was a waste of energy. An intimate connection you once enjoyed but then broke off might have taught you lessons that are crucial to your destiny. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to acknowledge and celebrate these past experiences of togetherness. Interpret them not as failures but as gifts.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The amount of rubbish produced by the modern world is staggering: over 2 billion tons per year. To get a sense of how much that is, imagine a convoy of fully loaded garbage trucks circling the earth 24 times. You and I can diminish our contributions to this mess, though we must overcome the temptation to think our personal efforts will be futile. Can we really help save the world by buying secondhand goods, shopping at farmer’s markets, and curbing our use of paper? Maybe a little. And here’s the bonus: We enhance our mental health by reducing the waste we engender. Doing so gives us a more graceful and congenial relationship with life. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to meditate and act on this beautiful truth.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23Nov. 21): I hope that in the coming weeks, you will wash more dishes, do more laundry, and scrub more floors than you ever have before. Clean the bathrooms with extra fervor, too. Scour the oven and refrigerator. Make your bed with extreme precision. Got all that, Scorpio? JUST KIDDING! Everything I just said was a lie. Now here’s my authentic message: Avoid grunt work. Be as loose and playful and spontaneous as you have ever been. Seek record-breaking levels of fun and amusement. Experiment with the high arts of brilliant joy and profound pleasure.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Dear Sagittarius the Archer: To be successful in the coming weeks, you don’t have to hit the exact center of the bull’s-eye every time—or even anytime. Merely shooting your arrows so they land somewhere inside the fourth or third concentric rings will be a very positive development. Same is true if you are engaged in a situation with metaphorical resemblances to a game of horseshoes. Even if you don’t throw any ringers at all, just getting close could be enough to win the match. This is one time in your life when perfection isn’t necessary to win.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I suspect you are about to escape the stuffy labyrinth. There may be a short adjustment period, but soon you will be running half-wild in a liberated zone where you won’t have to dilute and censor yourself. I am not implying that your exile in the enclosed space was purely oppressive. Not at all. You learned some cool magic in there, and it will serve you well in your expansive new setting. Here’s your homework assignment: Identify three ways you will take advantage of your additional freedom.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Though my mother is a practical, sensible person with few mystical propensities, she sometimes talks about a supernatural vision she had. Her mother, my grandmother, had been disabled by a massive stroke. It left her barely able to do more than laugh and move her left arm. But months later, on the morning after grandma died, her spirit showed up in a pink ballerina dress doing ecstatic pirouettes next to my mother’s bed. My mom saw it as a communication about how joyful she was to be free of her wounded body. I mention this gift of grace because I suspect you will have at least one comparable experience in the coming weeks. Be alert for messages from your departed ancestors.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it,” said

the ancient Chinese sage Confucius. Amen! Seeking to understand reality with cold, unfeeling rationality is at best boring and at worst destructive. I go so far as to say that it’s impossible to deeply comprehend anything or anyone unless we love them. Really! I’m not exaggerating or being poetical. In my philosophy, our quest to be awake and see truly requires us to summon an abundance of affectionate attention. I nominate you to be the champion practitioner of this approach to intelligence, Pisces. It’s your birthright! And I hope you turn it up full blast in the coming weeks.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): None of the books

I’ve written has appeared on the New York Times best-seller list. Even if my future books do well, I will never catch up with Aries writer James Patterson, who has had 260 books on the prestigious list. My sales will never rival his, either. He has earned over $800 million from the 425 million copies his readers have bought. While I don’t expect you Rams to ever boost your income to Patterson’s level, either, I suspect the next nine months will bring you unprecedented opportunities to improve your financial situation. For best results, edge your way toward doing more of what you love to do.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Addressing a lover, D. H. Lawrence said that “having you near me” meant that he would “never cease to be filled with newness.” That is a sensational compliment! I wish all of us could have such an influence in our lives: a prod that helps arouse endless novelty. Here’s the good news, Taurus: I suspect you may soon be blessed with a lively source of such stimulation, at least temporarily. Are you ready and eager to welcome an influx of freshness?

GEMINI (May 21June 20): Humans have been drinking beer for at least 13,000 years and eating bread for 14,500. We’ve enjoyed cheese for 7,500 years and popcorn for 6,500. Chances are good that at least some of these four are comfort foods for you. In the coming weeks, I suggest you get an ample share of them or any other delicious nourishments that make you feel well-grounded and deep-rooted. You need to give extra care to stabilizing your foundations. You have a mandate to cultivate security, stability, and constancy. Here’s your homework: Identify three things you can do to make you feel utterly at home in the world.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): On Instagram, I posted a favorite quote from poet Muriel Rukeyser: “The world is made of stories, not atoms.” I added my own thought: “You are made of stories, too.” A reader didn’t like this meme. He said it was “a nightmare for us anti-social people.” I asked him why. He said, “Because stories only happen in a social setting. To tell or hear a story is to be in a social interaction. If you’re not inclined towards such activities, it’s oppressive.” Here’s how I replied: “That’s not true for me. Many of my stories happen while I’m alone with my inner world. My nightly dreams are some of my favorite stories.” Anyway, Cancerian, I’m offering this exchange to you now because you are in a story-rich phase of your life. The tales coming your way, whether they occur in social settings or in the privacy of your own fantasies, will be extra interesting, educational, and motivational. Gather them in with gusto! Celebrate them!

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Author A. Conan Doyle said, “It has long been my axiom that the little things are infinitely the most important.” Spiritual teacher John Zabat-Zinn muses, “The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.” Here’s author Robert Brault’s advice: “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” Ancient Chinese sage Lao-Tzu provides a further nuance: “To know you have enough is to be rich.” Let’s add one more clue, from author Alice Walker: “I try to teach my heart to want nothing it can’t have.”

Homework: Cross two relatively trivial wishes off your list so you can focus more on major wishes. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

dealing with anxiety or seeking to bridge the gap from a lack of positive support in life, the power of a confidential shared experience can create a 'safe haven' for people to connect.

THE THIRD ACT THE SCARLET A AND ESPRIT D’ESCALIER

By Ellen Waterston

Off on an early morning hike, a girlfriend and I encounter three younger friends of mine on the trail. Based on a lifetime of evidence I knew my nervous anticipation of a four-way introduction was the guarantee I’d forget a name. So, I defaulted to a brief if awkward hello to the threesome, and my hiking companion and I then continued on our way. Of course, I immediately thought of all sorts of things I could have said to include everyone, such as, to the threesome, “Do you all know Gretel?” and leave it to them to sort out.

Forgetting names when faced with making introductions I attribute to post-traumatic-introduction-syndrome, not that there is such a thing. But as a kid I was overwhelmed by all the rules and, when tested, rarely got a passing grade.

• Look the person in the eye.

• Use courteous language.

• Use names and titles.

• When introducing someone to a small group, name the group members first.

• The order of introduction is by “rank” based on considerations of age and gender.

And then there are the qualifiers. All other things being equal, the person you’ve known the longest should be named first. In making social introductions, men are introduced to women as a sign of respect. Rank is more important than gender in business settings. Your relatives rank higher than your friends. I mean, come on! I make my case; I’ve always been miserable with introductions. This is not a late-in-life issue.

Or is it? Most of us 65 and older would admit that worries of cognitive decline tiptoe in at moments like this. The fear is that every brain fart (forgive the vulgarity), every instance of forgetfulness is a symptom of the scarlet A, the queen of dementia…Alzheimer’s.

In the U.S., it’s a disease that currently affects nearly 6 million across all ages, 4 million 65 and older. According to Dr. Bradley Hyman, director of the Alzheimer’s disease research unit at MassGeneral, more deaths can be attributed to Alzheimer’s than to breast and prostate cancer combined.

But it’s not all bad news. As Dr. Hyman pointed out during a recent presentation, there are preemptive assessments that detect proclivity for the disease and/or early evidence of it,

and there are improved medications for Alzheimer’s, most effective with early detection. Funding for Alzhei mer’s research is robust. There is even talk of a standardized test in the future.

Oldsters are inundated with sug gested ways to strengthen noggin skills.

Some sound draconian, some silly, others snake oily. But the lat est I recently heard about, fasting two days per month, got my atten tion. Complement ing extensive research being conducted in Europe and Austra lia, a study conducted by USC’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and reported in the Septem ber 2022 issue of “Cell Reports,” found dietary cycles that mimic fasting appear to reduce signs of Alzheimer’s in mice genetically engineered to develop the illness. “Mice that had undergone several cycles of a fasting diet had lower levels of two major hallmarks of the disease: amyloid beta –the primary driver of plaque buildup in the brain – and hyperphosphorylated tau protein, which forms tangles in the brain. They also found that brain inflammation lessened, and the fasting mice performed better on cognitive tests compared to the mice that were fed a standard diet.” And get this, the fasting mice finished WORDLE in two tries and could say hyperphosphorylated fast, three times! Just kidding.

There is another approach, though it has yet to be vetted by rigorous studies in highbrow medical research centers. Let’s call it the “joie de vivre” technique, the French culture’s penchant to give everything a classy and intriguing name that somehow makes any gaffe, frog leg, faux pas or ailment seem chic and desirable rather than, as in this case, the possible symptom of a deadly disease. Forget about the decidedly déclassé moniker “brain fart.” Instead, let’s go with “esprit d’escalier.” The French define it as coming up with the perfect repartee, the exact right thing to say but, sadly, after the fact as you’re headed down the metaphorical stairs or the hiking trail.

To avoid after-the-fact, to get ahead of esprit d’escalier in health and in life, means leading with esprit. Stay up to date on, need I say, names as well as recommended lifestyle changes, tests and, when necessary, medications for what ails us. In the meantime, all the things we forgot to say or didn’t think to say or thought to say too late…say them now, before we descend the ultimate staircase. Allons y!

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OFFERED AT $895,000

PRIME LOCATION 1206 NW ELGIN AVE

Situated on a corner lot, the primary residence is coupled with an additional dwelling off the alley. The main home features single level living with 2 beds and 1 bath. The secondary home features 1 bed, 1 bath, & single car garage. Lots of potential for this property with dual rental incomes, whether it’s remodel or redevelopment. Coveted location near the Galveston business corridor featuring multiple breweries, restaurants and easy access to downtown Bend and the Deschutes River.

OFFERED AT $839,000

Perfect 3 unit investment property in the heart of everything Bend. Close to downtown, the Deschutes river, grocery shopping, retail shopping and all of the best Pubs and restaurants that Bend has to offer. Unit 1 is 2 bed 1 bath on the ground level and has been updated throughout the years. Unit 2 upstairs is 2 bed 1 bath and has been beautifully updated. Also has a great porch with amazing city views. Unit 3 is a detached ADU and is a studio with 1 bath. Great rental history on all of the units and you can’t beat the location. Also potential space for adding additional units. Great opportunity to invest in Bend.

PRICE REDUCED PRICE REDUCED

Beautiful recently updated Chalet home on Bend’s Westside. This 3 bedroom 3 bath features a HUGE primary bedroom with walk-in tile shower and soaking tub. Open floor plan is great for entertaining which boasts 24’ vaulted ceiling, exposed wood beams, and large bay windows. Other primary features are a home theater, loft, sauna, hot tub, and partially finished basement! The home sits on just about half an acre with room for potential ADU, Deschutes river access within half a mile, minutes from Mt. Bachelor, Cascade lakes, & hiking trails.

16561 SW CHINOOK DR, TERREBONNE 97760 • $999,000

PRICE REDUCED

Terry Skjersaa

Principal Broker, CRS Jason Boone Principal Broker, CRIS Greg Millikan Principal Broker

1 033 NW Newpor t Ave Bend, OR 97703 Skjersaa Group | Duke Warner Realty

5 41.3 83 14 26

www SkjersaaGroup com

Unique 3bedroom 3.5bath luxury home on 7.05 acres, boasts beautiful panoramic canyon views, as well as the Cascade, and smith rocks. New flooring throughout, fully remodeled both downstairs bathrooms. This equestrian property features horse barn with 4 12x12’ stalls, insulated & heated tack room w/hot and cold water, 2 6’ sliding doors and 2 overhead doors(rollup door for hay).

2 large pasture pens with heated water stations. Newly built 40x48’ RV shop with pull-through RV access, along with two other shop/garage buildings for storage and more. New well pump installed 2022. The perfect fit for Horse-Owners, Business Owners, & golfers!

19460 SW CENTURY DRIVE, BEND 97702 • $949,000

TAKE ME HOME By Abbie + Rick Sams

Neighborhood Spotlight: Midtown

The neighborhood that blends the past

Nestled in the picturesque city of Bend, Oregon, the Midtown neighborhood has long been revered for its unique blend of urban convenience and natural beauty. With a rich history and a distinct character, Midtown has recently witnessed a wave of real estate developments that are shaping the area’s future while preserving its charm.

Midtown is primarily located within the Orchard neighborhood and lies east of Third Street, north of Greenwood Avenue, including homes on the west side of Pilot Butte, up toward Hollinshead Park. Unlike the more modern neighborhoods that have sprung up, Midtown holds onto a sense of timelessness, with historic homes, larger lots and a very cozy atmosphere.

As Bend experiences growth and an influx of residents seeking its unique lifestyle, the Midtown neighborhood has become a focal point for real estate developers looking to strike a balance between modernization and maintaining the area’s essence.

One of the most significant trends in Midtown’s recent real estate landscape is the emergence of mixed-use developments, blending residential, commercial and retail spaces and creating dynamic hubs that cater to the diverse needs of the community. With walkable streets and strong emphasis on a sense of community, these developments echo the essence of Midtown while offering a modern twist. Locals now have access to a range of amenities, from boutique shops to trendy eateries, right at their doorstep.

Midtown’s commitment to preserving its historical architecture is evident

future

in the trend of adaptive reuse. Developers are repurposing historic buildings, breathing new life into them while maintaining their original charm. This approach not only honors the neighborhood’s history but also adds a layer of authenticity to the evolving urban landscape. Historic homes have been renovated to meet contemporary living standards while preserving their unique character.

The recent developments in Midtown have been guided by a commitment to thoughtful urban planning. Developers are working in tandem with the community to ensure that projects integrate with the existing fabric of the neighborhood. Green spaces, pedestrian-friendly pathways and sustainable design are central to these plans.

The delicate balance between new developments and the preservation of the neighborhood’s identity is a testament to the community’s commitment to its roots.

The recent real estate developments in Midtown have had a profound impact on homebuyers. The introduction of mixed-use spaces and adaptive reuse projects has expanded the range of housing options available. Prospective buyers now can choose between several different options, each catering to different preferences and lifestyles.

The attractiveness of Midtown lies not only in the variety of housing options but also in the neighborhood’s unique blend of convenience and character.

As Midtown continues to evolve, the challenge remains to maintain the delicate equilibrium between growth and tradition.