We are proud to report that there are several areas of alignment between the 2019-21 Downtown Bend Business Association's Goals and the  2019-21 Council Goals and Strategies. One of these aligned goals is to address livability crimes in the Downtown area.  A key step in this effort is increased patrols in the Downtown Economic Improvement District (EID) with Bend Police School Resource Officers during the busy summer season. Earlier this week Bend Police Department officers, City of Bend staff, and the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) took a walk through the Downtown Bend EID.  You can expect to see these increased patrols within the EID in the coming week.

The Downtown Bend Ambassador program has been a vision of the DBBA's Executive Director, Mindy Aisling, since she began working in Downtown 4 years ago.  
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"In a world where people are becoming more and more disconnected, Downtown's across the nation represent community hubs where connection flourishes.  My vision is for our Ambassador program to provide a level of hospitality and kindness that models to our community the welcoming and inclusive characteristics that Bend stands for."  

You will be able to find the Downtown Ambassador booth at the Courtyard between North Soles and Starbucks at 812 NW Wall Street.  Make sure to save the date for our Ambassador Launch Party on July 5th from noon to 1pm.

​It's Friday, Folks, and what a wonderful Friday it is.  First Friday Art Walk is happening tonight in Downtown Bend and you don't want to miss it!

Local food, music, art, beer - and so much more!  View the list below and plan to meet up with friends in Downtown Bend!

Outside In guests for the June Downtown Bend First Friday Art Walk are:

Alpenglow Jewelry- Leanne and her nature inspired Jewelry will be at the store showcasing her vast array of earrings, necklaces and rings. If you can't join us for First Friday, don't worry, we carry a selection of her pieces at the store.

Central Oregon Trail Alliance- Are you a mountain biker? Do you know who plays an intricate role in the quality of the trails you ride on? New to Bend and want to learn more about the mountain biking trails and how you can help? Meet representatives of this non-profit to learn about their programs and how you can get involved!

Time to get jazzy with it!! The Hot Club will be bringing their sweet sounds to the Commons plaza for a fun night of string and horn jazziness. The group is made up of some of the most talented musicians in the area and are sure to entertain. Come grab a patio beer from Immersion Brewing and some food from a local food cart and hang out with us.

Join Wren and Wild as they bring in Affton from Broken Top Candles to share with you her beautifully crafted clean beauty candles, new perfume oils and more. We will also have Julie Tartak from Whole Soul Wellness in house doing Intuitive readings and of course gorgeous cocktails from Alyson at Wild Folk. Wait! There's more but you will just have to show up to see what we have up our sleeve. xoxo, W&W

Tonight at Velvet, The original Oregon folkgrass comes as close to describing Juniper and Gin as any genre can. Juniper and Gin deliver finely crafted songs with excellent musicianship, three part harmonies and real soul. Their sound encompasses bluegrass, folk and old country, melding them into a good ol’ pot of musical stew. Their songs touch on themes of life’s ups and downs with honesty and superb storytelling. Juniper and Gin is one of Oregon's most exciting up-and-coming string bands. You are guaranteed to have a foot-stompin' good time and you may even find yourself singing along to these catchy original tunes.

Join Sage Beauty Boutique June 7th for Downtown Bend First Friday Art Walk with Village Interiors. Wildflower Mobile Boutique will be parked outside and Michelle Bauer Barnett Photography will be offering Mini Head Shot Sessions. Our featured artist is Notions of Lovely! S

Are you ready for a summer SUP on the river? The Haven has these Amenities plus Showers to refresh before coming back to work. They will be at FootZone to get you on board with their various Memberships & Programming! FYI: The Haven is a Title Sponsor for OUTCentralOregon's Bend Pride 5K Run on June 22nd; come learn about details from OCO! Join the festivities FootZoneBend - shop for your summer active wear and enjoy beer/wine with us too!

Join Eclectic Soul for a glass of wine and some beautiful art by young local artist Ella Rosenzweig at our very first "First Friday"! We are so excited to display her fun art at our new store this weekend! 

Ella Rosenzweig captures her passion of the natural world in her paintings including beaches, rivers, mountains, and wildlife. Ella was chosen to represent her school at the Portland Art Museum's The Heart of Portland in 2018. Her art had recently been recognized by staff at William E. Miller Elementary and was featured on a poster for the Miller Student Art Night. She lives in Bend, Oregon amongst the nature she loves most.

Enjoy First Friday Art Walk, meet Solstice and I and talk about our mission! Home made energy balls, lemonade and dog treats for sale ​.

As seen on HGTV artist, Marigny Goodyear returns to Bend for a 3rd year in a row. "A Lovely Mess" is a series of paintings that represent the love, beauty and growth that can occur from going through and understanding trauma and dark times of our lives. By using torn paper hearts, dark and stormy colors, along with bright bursts and calming patterns, I show that every situation that has darkness and complications, also has beauty and light, and vice versa. They are two sides of the same coin.

First Friday June at Found Natural Goods will be extra full of jewelry.

We are, of course, serving complimentary 100% agave tequila margaritas ––radical mixer to be announced–– with the distinct style of Navone Jewelry for the evening.

Cheers to spring!

Pride Month Karaoke is coming back to Bishop Barbershop
Come and join Central Oregon Pride in Downtown Bend for Karaoke on First Friday
This is an all ages event and a safe space for everyone
Donations will be accepted and will be going toward Central Oregon Pride
Hope to see everyone there

Jennifer has been sharing the magic of painting for more than 20 years. Her pieces are largely inspired by nature and the colors and textures she experiences in her outdoor adventures. She often uses alternative methods such as finger painting to achieve desired textures. She wishes to offer new perspective on the wilderness that surrounds us.

Join us, The Oxford Hotel - Bend, Oregon, for #FirstFridayBend! This month we'll be presenting Anne Gibson's "Wandering the Deschutes" exhibit, comprised of paintings of scenes along the mighty Deschutes River.

Anne brings years of artistic experience to her paintings. She captures variations of seasonal beauty on the river: lush scenes of the green foliage and blooms along the Deschutes in spring and summer, barren trees with reddish bark as fall ends, and wintery skies with darkened waters as winter arrives.

After graduation from Tufts University, many years of professional experience at noted institutions (Director of Publication and Marketing at the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts and Senior Designer at Gilbert Design in Providence, RI) brought both rewards and challenges.

A move to Bend further grew her considerable skills, and launched Anne's enhanced painting career; after the study of art history and a career in graphic design, she began studying printmaking and pastel.

In her current series, Anne paints from her “own photos and memories of places I have frequented along the Deschutes that most often bring me joy or peace. Expressing the feeling of place now dominates my impulse to represent landscape.”

Stop by our lobby during First Friday #inbend to meet Anne and view her paintings.

High Desert Art League is celebrating their first show at Layor Art + Supply in downtown Bend. The show runs from June 5 until July 1. There will be a First Friday reception on Friday, June 7. Please join us and check out our latest artwork!

Please join us Friday, June 7th at our Downtown Bend Showroom (821 NW Wall St, Bend, OR) from 5 – 8 PM, to enjoy the artwork of Kristen Riggle.

This event is sponsored by Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty and your hosts for the evening, Sandy and John Kohlmoos, along with co-sponsors Academy Mortgage, who will be serving wine and beer samples.

We will be proudly pouring a keg of "Lil' Squeezy Juicy Ale", donated by downtown Bend's original brew pub, the Deschutes Brewery!

And our June First Friday artist is Weaver Lindsay Wiseman. We love her work! She will be bringing one of her looms with a current project. Come and see and touch her wonderful textiles. She makes zippy bags,, clutches, purses, tea towels, carpets, and much more.

Stop in to say hi to our newest staff members, as we kick off the beginning of our busy summer season. We are ready!

Stop by for wine, snacks, and to visit our featured artists!
Artist: Jen Koistinen - local watercolor artist
Author: To kick off Pride month we have Taylor Brooke Barton.
She is the author of critically acclaimed New Adult titles—FORTITUDE SMASHED and CURVED HORIZON. Her Young Adult debut—THE NINTH LIFE—is being published by Inkyard Press in Fall 2020.
We will also have Forever Free Cryotherapy here to demo their latest technology!

Come join us for our Grand Opening!  Enjoy food and wine, jewelry, and fine art.  The Wooden Jewel will be giving away two $500 gift certificates through a drawing.  We have new and unique art pieces and jewelry all the time, so come in and be amazed!
Come in and hear Tara Snow perform her original songs and your favorite covers!
https://soundcloud.com/tara-ashley-snow

Stroll downtown for First Friday Art Hop and support your local shops while looking and buying some fabulous art. Drink specials all night The Wine Shop And Beer Tasting Bar Bend

Remember we are open until 10:00 pm so make us the last stop on your Art Hop evening!

Every first Friday, visit us inside Ranch Records in downtown Bend to try out our delicious Salsa de Wela!

Home furnishings and design source Village Interiors, in Bend, OR has been named one of Home Accents Today’s Retail Stars for 2019 by editors of the premier trade magazine for the home accents industry.

The Retail Stars list, sponsored by AmericasMart Atlanta and Las Vegas Market, publishes each year in Home Accents Today’s May issue. Members of the home furnishings industry are invited to suggest stores, and retailers are encouraged to submit information describing their businesses. This year’s list was compiled and narrowed down by research analysts and Thomas Lester, Home Accents Today’s business editor.

​Village Interiors, owned by Amber Kerbow is at 750 NW Lava Road Suite 120 Downtown Bend, Oregon.
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The Retail Stars list, now in its 15th year, recognizes independent brick-and-mortar retailers of home accents – including furniture stores, home accessories boutique stores and interior design showrooms – that merchandise creatively, have a positive presence in their local communities and stand out from the competition.

​"Home Accents Today 2019 Retail Stars list showcases some of the best independent home décor and home furnishings retailers in the country," said Lester. "They are rising above the challenges of an ever-changing retail environment and are raising the bar for their innovations in marketing and merchandising strategies, customer service and community contributions. This annual honor recognizes their skills, hard work and dedication, and
should serve as a reminder to us all to support local businesses.”

The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) is hosting a Community Clean up Day for Downtown Bend on Sunday, May 19th from 2 to 4pm.  Volunteers are asked to meet at the DBBA Office at 916 NW Wall Street.  Jobs and tools will be issued at this time (and free cookies, too!).  Participants will meet back at the DBBA Office at 4pm, turn in their tools, and in gratitude for the time and effort put in by volunteers The Capitol, at 190 NW Oregon, is giving out a free drink coupon (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) to each volunteer.

The Capitol is a hip, underground venue offering ample beers, burgers & pizzas plus live music, DJs & comedy.  Open to all ages until 9pm, The Capitol is a great place for couples, families, and friends to meet for great food, games (pinball and video games as well as pool tables!), and excellent cocktails.  

"Community is really important to us," says Edgell, owner of the Capitol, "We believe that when we all work and play together, we find the most joy and connection - which is what we are looking for more of in our lives.  I'm so honored to own an establishment in the heart of Bend, our Downtown, and I am always looking for opportunities to support the community in Bend."

Volunteer jobs include things like sweeping, picking up litter, gardening, weeding, dusting, removing stickers and graffiti, and other various tasks.

“Working together as a community is somewhat a lost value in our society.” says Aisling, the Executive Director of the DBBA, “The days of community ‘barn-raising’ are days of the past.  However, the research is clear that it is through the giving of ourselves, and our connection to others, that we, as humans, find joy.  This is what Downtown stands for: Community. Downtown is the ‘living room’ of Bend, the place where our community and our guest gather. This event is an opportunity for our citizens to join us in sprucing up our ‘living room’ for our summer guests, and we are going to have a wonderful time.  I, personally, can’t wait to clean up with my community on Sunday afternoon.”

Community participants are invited to join DBBA staff and other volunteers at The Capitol immediately following the event for a social gathering, celebrating community connection.

For more information, click here.  To connect with this event on Facebook, click here.

Working in Downtown Bend is an incredible opportunity to contribute to the culture and vibe of the heart of Bend - Downtown!  Did you know that Downtown Bend is the #1 Tourist Destination in Bend, the largest employer in Bend and that by working in Downtown, you automatically become a member of the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) - which gives you all sorts of perks like free tickets to the Downtown Bend Celebration Night, discounted beer at Oktoberfest, discounts a local Downtown shops & restaurants,  the option to join Downtown teams competing in local events, and SO much more!  Downtown is the place for you to bring your unique expression of self to a culture of service to our community. 

Check out the listing below to discover all the places in Downtown hiring for Summer 2019! 

LIVE LOCAL | SHOP LOCAL | SERVE LOCAL | WORK LOCAL | PLAY LOCAL | LOVE LOCAL

916 NW Wall Street - A small nonprofit dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend (Learn more about this association at their website here)
​Job: Maintenance & Operations Staff
​Contact: downtownbend@gmail.com

841 NW Bond Street - A small company contracted through the City of Bend to manage Downtown Parking. (Learn more about this company on their website here)
Job: Parking Attendent
Contact: Apply in person

815 NW Wall Street - The Bend Store offers Bend-themed goods: Drinktanks, SiliPints, mugs, cards, candles. We make Bend magnets, ornaments, bottle openers & key chains on site! Learn more about this company here: https://www.bendstore.com/​
Job postings:

• https://bend.craigslist.org/ret/d/bend-full-time-or-thereabouts-the-bend/6877842888.html 
• https://bend.craigslist.org/ret/d/bend-part-time-the-bend-store/6889708057.html  

700 NW Bond St. - McMenamins is a family-owned chain of brewpubs, breweries, music venues, historic hotels, and theater pubs in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about this company on their website here)

Contact: Applicants can apply online or in person.

550 Franklin Ave - The Ultimate Thai Dining Experience (learn more about this company on their website here) 
Jobs:  bussers and food runners. Experienced preferred but we will train the right people. ​
Contact: Drop off your resume in person

10 NW Minnesota - Healthy, locally sourced, creative meals and smoothies in Bend, Oregon. (Learn  more about this business at their website here)
Jobs: Hiring all positions
Contact: Apply in-person

915 NW Wall Street - Barrio is a Latin-inspired restaurant serving lunch, dinner and happy hour in downtown Bend, Oregon. At Barrio you'll find bold, flavorful tapas, refreshing cocktails, and daily specials. (Learn more about this business at their website here.)
Jobs: Line cooks, dishwashers, host/bussers and food truck cooks
Contact: Drop off your resume in person

937 NW Wall Street - Our style is eclectic as much as it is classic, making the shop compelling for nests of all kinds. (Learn more about this company on their website here)
Jobs: Sales Association
​Contact: Apply in-person

750 NW Lava - Since 1991, Village Interiors has been bringing unique and stylish furniture and accessories to the homes of Central Oregon.
Jobs: Sales Associate
​Contact:

975 NW Wall Street - Handmade Chocolates, Homemade Ice Cream, Caramel Corn
Jobs - Goody’s is hiring, Downtown, Factory and Sunriver. Front Line Soda Fountain positions for the summer. We also have an Assistant Manager position open for the Downtown Store.
Contact: Drop of your resume in-person

939 Bond Street. Spacious local party spot offering a huge liquor selection, an outdoor patio & a snacky bar menu.The Astro Lounge stands as a staple of the Central Oregon nightlife.
Jobs: hiring for a part-time line cook. Two to three maybe four days a week. ​
​Contact: Drop of your resume in-person

You might be wondering about where to park as a Downtown Bend employee - well, we've got you covered!   We have 5 approved parking lots, and permits range from $10 to $50 per month, depending on where you want to park.  Some employers include parking permits as part of their employment package, and others require that you purchase your own permit - so make sure to ask about this at your interview.  More information on employee parking can be found here.

The Wooden Jewel is hosting a grand opening on Friday, June 7th, in their gallery 844 NW Bond Street in Downtown Bend.  You can enjoy live food and drinks with live music by Tara Snow.  

​Their new Bend location, at 844 NW Wall Street, will give them the opportunity to showcase not only their jewelry designers, but also their extensive collection of fine art and wood carvings.

Join them for their Grand Opening!  Enjoy food and wine, jewelry, fine art and live music by Tara Snow.  The Wooden Jewel will be giving away two $500 gift certificates through a drawing.  They have new and unique art pieces and jewelry all the time, so come in and be amazed!

​Raised in the great Northwest, Tara Snow has always been a mountain loving woman who was meant to live a life of adventure in the great outdoors. She enjoys singing soul, blues, jazz, light rock, and even a little folk in between. 

​Receiving a BA in music from UC Riverside gave Tara a whole new found love for the diversity of music and she loves to collaborate with other artists when possible. During her time there, she studied everything from jazz to mariachi and learned about different types of music from all over the world.  These days, playing with her wonderful band brings her incredible joy. They are honored to have played so many different types of gigs together and truly enjoy each fun, new and unique experience that it brings. They truly believe that is what music is all about: having fun, collaboration and connection with other people.

Blind Pilot to play at the Tower Theatre on Saturday, August 3rd followed by an After-Party in the Gallery with the Band.
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May 13th, 2019 (Bend, Oregon) – Following the announcement last week of their summer exhibition of work by the late Oregon artist Royal Nebeker, At Liberty is pleased to announce a collaboration with Nebeker’s son, Israel Nebeker, founder and lead singer of the renowned band Blind Pilot. They will be playing a concert at the Tower Theatre on Saturday, August 3rd. The gallery will host an event for the band and concert attendees immediately following the show.

“For nearly a year I’ve been dreaming of a particular show we have coming up in August, at The Tower Theatre in Bend. I love old Oregon theaters, and Bend’s high desert holds you so well in late summer with the juniper, pine, and sage all drying on its breeze. But this will be a unique night, which is why I’ve been looking forward to it. Opening the night before our show at The Tower and just two doors down from the theater, At Liberty Arts Collaborative is hosting a large show of my father's paintings.
My dad, Royal Nebeker, was one of the Pacific Northwest’s most prominent artists of the past few decades. I wanted these two shows to coincide because the link between his work and my own has always been a strong one. He was my biggest mentor in songwriting and I made Blind Pilot’s first recordings in his painting studio. People have told me that they hear his images in my songs, and my music in his paintings, so it seemed like a fun thing to celebrate with anyone that loves music and visual art, and the links that cross between them.

We’ll play some old and new Blind Pilot songs for you at The Tower, and then you’re all welcome to come join us for an afterparty in the At Liberty gallery where my dad’s paintings are hung. It’s not often we get to invite a whole theater full of people to come hang out with us after a show, and I’m excited for it. I hope to see you there!” says Israel Nebeker of Blind Pilot.

At Liberty is honored to present this first solo exhibition of Royal Nebeker’s work in Central Oregon. Working from Nebeker’s extensive oeuvre, the exhibition will feature a selection of paintings, monotypes, watercolors, etchings and lithographs. At Liberty is working closely with the Nebeker family to bring this exhibition to Bend and is developing extensive programming which will include family members and will highlight Nebeker’s influential art career.

Royal Nebeker was a true visionary and a central figure in the Oregon arts landscape. First and foremost as a gifted and prolific artist, working in many different mediums over the course of his career. His work has been exhibited extensively in galleries in the United States and Europe and featured in museum exhibitions across the country. Nebeker also dedicated himself as an arts educator: as a full time faculty member at Clatsop Community College from 1978 through 2004; and as a visiting artist-teacher and guest lecturer at Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland State University and the University of Oregon, among others. Nebeker was appointed to the Oregon Arts Commission in 2006 and was instrumental in developing programs that provided grants directly to individual artists. Upon his appointment to a second term on the Commission, he told The Oregonian, "It is gratifying to be able to facilitate the growth and development of our many fine artists and arts communities here in Oregon." Nebeker passed away in 2014.

“Royal spent his life equally passionate in developing his work and developing his arts community, as a professor, as an Oregon Arts Commissioner, and as an ambassador on his travels.” says Sarah Nebeker, the artist’s widow. “It brings me great joy to witness Bend’s arts community flourish in recent years, and it would him too. Our family is very excited for this unique opportunity to show his work At Liberty this summer.”

The exhibition title, ‘The Night Window’ refers to a metaphor Nebeker frequently used to describe the intention behind his work. “This process of painting resembles looking through a night window. I peer out, observing and at the same time see the reflection of the interior conditions of my own reality,” said the late Nebeker for an exhibition at the BYU Museum of Art, “It is my intent that as the viewer peers into my painting, he will not only see a visual record of meaning in my life, but will discover the reflection of meaning in their own, as in a night window.”

Nebeker’s work focuses on the figure, examining each relationship within the unique framework of the composition. Using rich colors, bold brushstrokes and recurring motifs, he leads us on an intimate journey examining the spaces between the material and the spiritual. Common themes include personal stories, childhood memories, and vivid dreams which are often combined with song lyrics, poetry, or prose to create deeply powerful and emotional imagery. His work was strongly influenced by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch, the German Expressionists, and by the Vienna Secessionist artists Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and others.

About Blind Pilot:
Blind Pilot is an American indie folk band based in Portland, Oregon. Blind Pilot, which consists of Israel Nebeker, Ryan Dobrowski, Kati Claborn, Dave Jorgensen, Ian Krist and Luke Ydstie, was formed in Portland, Oregon in 2007 when songwriter Israel Nebeker and co-founding member Ryan Dobrowski went on a west coast tour via bicycle.  Eleven years later, Blind Pilot has released three studio albums, 3 Rounds And A Sound (2008), We Are The Tide (2011) and And Then Like Lions (2016) and has sold out concerts throughout the U.S., Europe and the UK since its inception.  The band has performed on Ellen and The Late Show With David Letterman as well as at Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza among others.
About At Liberty: 
At Liberty, located in Bend’s historic Liberty Theater, provides an inspiring and dynamic space for the exploration of arts and culture, through exhibitions, collaborations, and events. For more information on the space, renting the space, or ideas for collaboration, visit: www.atlibertyarts.com.    
Exhibition Calendar of Events:

• Opening Reception: Thursday, August 1st, 2019 from 6–7:30pm
• First Friday Art Walk: Friday, August 2nd, 2019 from 5–9:00pm
• Blind Pilot Concert at Tower Theatre: Saturday, August 3rd, 2019. Doors 6:30pm

Pre-Sale Tickets: Thursday, May 16, General Tickets: Friday, May 17th
​Ticket link: https://www.towertheatre.org/tickets-and-events/blind-pilot_0

• Post-Show Event: Saturday, August 3rd, 2019 immediately following concert @ Tower
• First Friday Art Walk: Friday, September 6th from 5–9:00pm