As I walked around Downtown Bend this morning checking on the icy conditions within the Downtown Economic Improvement District (EID), I was overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude for all of the love-in-action I saw for our community.  

The City of Bend, Oregon had already sanded the streets of Downtown, multiple building and business owners were out making sure the sidewalks and alcoves of their stores were ready for customers.   I arrived in my own office (predawn) to find my staff already out spreading ice-melt on all of the sidewalks in Downtown Bend.

I am continuously proud of the work that the Downtown Bend Business Association does.  From snow and ice removal to advocacy at City Council  - and everything in between, it feels good to be part of an organization that is committed to the success of the community.

This morning was a good example of just what makes our community so special.  Regular, everyday citizens working together to insure our community is safe and ready for commerce. 

Written by Mindy Aisling, Executive Director, Downtown Bend Business Association

The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) partners with local artist, photographer, Miguel Edwards
Downtown Bend is growing and so is the Downtown Bend Business Association. As part of this growth, the vision and branding for Downtown are transforming. The DBBA is excited to announce Miguel Edwards as the new Downtown Bend photographer. Edwards is helping the non-profit showcase the history, vibrancy, shops, restaurants, and services in Downtown Bend to a larger community.
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“We are incredibly lucky to live in a City with a thriving Downtown,” says Aisling, Executive Director of the DBBA, “Downtown Bend is the heart of our community – and it has been for over 100 years.  Photos that document and celebrate our history, culture, and vitality are a great asset for not only Downtown Bend but for our entire Bend community.”​

The decision to bring on Edwards comes from the request by Downtown Bend business and building owners. He has gained recognition recently from designing and building the cauldron for the Opening Ceremony of Special Olympics USA Games last summer in Seattle. The Cauldron “Hope Rising” will be featured at Oregon Winterfestin February. Miguel has worked with the Cities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Seattle, and Bellevue… to name a few. This December the book, Art in Seattle’s Public Spaces by Miguel Edwards and Jim Rupp with University of Washington Press hits the shelves (and Amazon). This month Edwards’ photograph is the cover image for Western Home Journal’s first Winter Book.

“I am thrilled to be spending time investing in the culture of Bend.” says Edwards, “Ever since I was in high school I wanted to live in a place like Bend.  To be asked to help grow and illustrate this wonderful place in its’ best light is really a great honor”

The DBBA is a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend.  For more information,or to make a donation, please email downtownbend@gmail.com.
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For more information on Miguel Edwards:
​https://www.bendbulletin.com/entertainment/finearts/6339478-151/qa-with-artist-miguel-edwards
https://www.bendsource.com/bend/letters-to-the-editor/Content?oid=6260900
https://www.geekwire.com/2018/miguel-edwards/
http://www.migueledwards.com/
http://migueledwardsphotography.com/

The Downtown Bend Business Association is pleased to announce Bend Premier Real Estate as the presenting sponsor of the annual Bend Oktoberfest, to be held on Sept 21st and 22nd.

Bend Premier Real Estate’s Lynnea Miller states, “We are extremely pleased and excited to be part of such a worthwhile event. Not only is it worthwhile, it’s a blast! The fact that Bend Oktoberfest fundraising provides so much for our Downtown makes it a really unique Bend event.”

This annual Bend Oktoberfest is a traditional German harvest celebration of food, fun, and brews. The event spans two days with a Family Fun Zone, Live Music, Weiner Dog Races, Tricycle Races, outrageous games, face painting, contests, giveaways & more. 100% of the proceeds go to the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA)- a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend. Oktoberfest is the DBBA’s largest fundraiser of the year and it is produced by the DBBA to directly raise funds to help beautify Downtown Bend & stimulate its economy.   To learn more about this event, visit www.bendoktoberfest.org

About Bend Premier Real Estate
Bend Premier Real Estate is the only company in Bend to have been selected to join Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate, the most elite and largest luxury real estate network in the world. Brokerages with this distinction provide the highest level of customer service and demonstrated marketing excellence in luxury real estate. Through this alliance, our Luxury Properties are now featured on LuxuryRealEstate.com’s award-winning website, which attracts over 200 million potential buyers and more than 4 million page views in more than 190 countries each month with more than 12 billion dollars in active luxury real estate listings across the globe. Additionally, BPRE is now associated with the largest network of luxury real estate professionals with nearly 3900 offices and over 130,000 agents.
To learn more about the Bend Premier Real Estate, visit: https://www.bendpremierrealestate.com/

​About the DBBA
The Downtown Bend Business Association is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation. It is governed by a volunteer board of directors, composed of business and building owners in Downtown Bend.. Its board meets monthly and lends its expertise to the operations of the DBBA and the organization’s impact on the City of Bend. The DBBA’s mission is to increase the vitality of Downtown Bend. You can learn more about the DBBA at www.downtownbend.org.

On Sept 21st and 22nd, The 14th Annual Bend Oktoberfest will take over Irving and Oregon Avenue in Downtown Bend for a good cause.  Whether you are a visitor or a local, Downtown Bend grabs a special place in your heart.  With its rich history, unique stores, award-winning restaurants, and dynamic events – Downtown Bend is the heart of Central Oregon.  If you are visiting in the summer, you can relish in the delight of quaint storefronts, overflowing flower baskets, and incredible outdoor dining experiences – in the winter you can sit in one of our cozy cafes, find distinctive gifts, and bask in the magic of our holiday lights & decorations.  This is all possible because of the Downtown Bend Business Association.

The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) is a local nonprofit that is dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend.  The DBBA provides the cleaning, decorations, flowers, events, banners, marketing, advocacy and growth planning for the Downtown Bend Economic Improvement District (EID).

Our Bend Community loves Downtown with such wholeheartedness, that every year they put on Bend Oktoberfest to raise funds for Downtown Bend.  With donations from all the local breweries, sponsorship from businesses citywide and almost 300 volunteers, Bend Oktoberfest not only raises necessary funds for Downtown Bend – it offers the community a fun way to celebrate together with silly games (like the chicken dance or bratwurst toss), feats of strength (like the hammerschlagen), and (of course) the much anticipated Weiner Dog Race.
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The great news is that you can join the Bend Community in making Bend Oktoberfest a success & raising funds for Downtown Bend.  Here is how: First and foremost, you can attend the event on Sept 21st & 22nd, with the knowledge that every beer you drink or chicken hat that you buy is raising funds for Downtown Bend.  Second, the DBBA is still in need of volunteers for this year’s Bend Oktoberfest.  Each volunteer receives a free Oktoberfest stein, a free beer token, a free bratwurst, and huge thanks from the staff and board at the DBBA.  To learn more about the event, or to sign up to volunteer, visit www.bendoktoberfest.com.