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.
​
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.
​
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

Deschutes County Historical Society Hosts
Rededication of Brandis Square at noon on May 10, 2019
 
(Bend) –The media and the public are invited to a rededication of Brandis Square May 10, 2019 at noon. The short ceremony will celebrate the replacement of the memorial plaque, which went missing in 2006.
 
Brandis Square is located downtown Bend at the corner of Newport and Wall Street, next to Bank of America. Brandis Square was originally dedicated to former Mayor Richard William Brandis in November 1976, with a 16-foot blue spruce planted in his memory by the Bend Garden Club. In 1985, Art in Public Places added the sculpture water fountain to the square, paid for partially with engraved brick sales, which adorn the plaza. In 2006, during road and bridge improvements, the plaque memorializing Richard Brandis went missing.
 
Brandis was a pharmacist and owner of Brandis Thriftway Drug in downtown Bend for many years, and served as mayor of Bend 1953-54.
 
The rededication is also a part of Historic Preservation Month events and activities celebrating preservation of local history and heritage sites. A full schedule of events for the month is available on the Deschutes Historical Museum website at www.deschuteshistory.org/historic-preservation-month/.
 
For images or interview requests, please contact Kelly Cannon-Miller at 541-389-1813.

Local families, students and community members are invited to join Bend-La Pine Schools’ staff members as they March for Students on Wednesday, May 8 in Downtown Bend. Hundreds of staff members are expected to join in this afternoon event that will include music, ice cream, and camaraderie in support of an end to the decades-long state disinvestment in public education.

“We want to send a message to our state lawmakers that the time to invest in education is now,” said Janelle Rebick, teacher and president of Bend Education Association. “To fulfill the promise of an excellent public education for each and every student, our elected officials must allocate adequate and stable funding for K-12 schools.”

Rebick said appropriate funding will provide students and staff with the resources that they need to be more successful - from smaller class sizes to increased health and safety services, more learning time and a more well-rounded education.
MARCH FOR STUDENTS – DOWNTOWN BEND

• 2:30 p.m.- Families are invited to park and walk alongside staff from one of the three rally points: Bend Senior High School, Highland Magent School, or the northwest parking lot at Shops at The Old Mill District
• 2:45 p.m. – Community begins to gather at Education Center, across from the library in Downtown Bend, walking groups begin to arrive from rally points
• 3:15 p.m. – Speakers begin
• 3:45 p.m. - March begins through Downtown Bend, The route will leave the Education Center, walk down Bond Street, turn on Oregon Ave, and return to the Education Center at 520 NW Wall Street.
• 4:30 p.m. - Event concludes

“We hope families and community members will join us in Bend and La Pine as we stand together in support of students and schools,” said Lori Diggs, president of OSEA. “Our students deserve better and we look forward to walking alongside our community as we collectively raise our voices and awareness in support of adequate and stable funding."

Tonight is the May Downtown Bend First Friday Art Walk, and Downtown is the only place to be!  We've got art in all it's mediums - painting, sculpture, live music  - and, we've got craft cocktails and award winning meals.  
Head into Downtown Bend tonight - click here to learn about where to park, and remember that all parking is free after 7pm.  We also recommend riding your bike, carpooling or taking an uber to help keep congestion to minimum.   

Join us in celebrating Historic Preservation Month at the Old Bend Post Office building at 777 Wall Street in downtown Bend. Learn about the building’s history from the Deschutes Historical Museum staff, visit the Tin Can ID station, type a note on a vintage typewriter, and learn about tintype photography from Analogue Tintypes. The first six people to sign up will get a FREE 4 x 5 tintype portrait.

Sign-ups for the free portraits will start at 4:45 pm the night of the event inside the lobby.

Presented by the Preservation Month Planning Committee, the Bend Chamber of Commerce, and Compass Commercial.

Handmade Glass art created by a local artist. Aaron Duccini has been creating glass art since 1999.

Best known for her large, vibrant figure paintings, Sheila’s work explores the fluid relationship between figure and environment: how each continuously informs and affects the other. At the heart of this exploration lies the notion that we both form – and are formed by - all we have seen and experienced.
When she is not in the painting studio, Sheila can be found teaching yoga, searching for her lost keys and exploring the wonders of the Northwest.

Tequila tastings tonight for First Friday at Karen Bandy Studio! Come check out new cold wax paintings and new jewelry too! I have lots of pearl drops in stock, and will help you create your personal look, your personal amulet. For more info please read my blog here.

Putnam was a featured artist at The 1 Moto Show in Portland in February. To create five flashy, graphic motorcycle-themed images, he first drew with an ink pen on paper, overlaid the resulting image with gold foil and then added more definition with ink. The next step involved cutting out the image and attaching it to a 14 square-inch board with gels and resins. To achieve a weathered look, he beat the boards with chains and even scorched them. The resulting images include creatures—a lion and a dragon among them—wearing motorcycle helmets. Another depicts a set of handlebars intertwined with flowers and a snake.

“All of us have a journey. I’ve had a lot of tragedy. But I’m surrounded by beautiful people, and it’s been very healing to be in this place,” the 39-year-old artist said of Bend.

While in Downtown you might see the streets filled with local community members wearing Red for ED in support of Public Schools, Teacher, Students and Administration. The #RedforEd movement advocates for students across Oregon state.   You can join them by wearing red to First Friday Art Walk and posting your pictures with the hashtags: #redfored #IamBendLaPineSchools #DowntownBend.  For more information, click here: https://www.bend.k12.or.us/district/news-events/news/2019/04/join-us-march-students-may-8

Come check out Bend native and jewelry designer, Cassidy Root, debuting her "Bend-y," geometric, eclectic & collapsible, 3D jewelry for May's first friday artwalk!

Thank you Deschutes Brewery for donating our beer! We will be serving a new Bohemian Pilsner, "Da-Shootz!"

Join us at the Pub for the Bend First Friday Art Walk, and welcome Emily Hoy as our artist of the month. Emily will be at the Pub Friday evening talking about her journey in art, along with some tasty beer samples.

A little more about Emily:
My inspiration is rooted in the Ohio landscape of the forests and streams of my childhood. My father a naturalist and mother an artist, I grew up loving these 2 worlds and using both as inspiration in my work. I eventually moved out west after studying Graphic Design in college to work for Volcom. It cultivated my love for Actions Sports and collage art even more. I was hired as Volcom’s first ever female Graphic Designer in 2003.

Please join us on this First Friday for an open reception at the Gallery. Enjoy the talented artwork of Sue Lyon-Manley, Eleanor Murphey, John Runnels, and all of our other amazing artists. ​

Sunstone & Spirits! Oregon Spirit Distillers will be serving up mini cocktails from 5:30 to 8:00 until supplies last. ​

We are changing things up for First Friday in May by featuring two new local small businesses to Bend we think you should get to know:

The Haven - The Haven is a completely new kind of work and social space, designed by women for everyone. With 11,000 sq ft of varied work space overlooking the Deschutes River, small business owners, entrepreneurs and remote workers will find their dream space and community.
As part of First Friday at OutsideIn, The Haven will donate 10% of any memberships sold towards our Fellowship Fund. The Haven will also be raffling off a one-month Flex Membership ($199 value). Come meet the Founder and Executive Director, ask questions, and enjoy some wine.

Forever Free Cryotherapy - Forever Free Cryotherapy is a wellness facility with a vision to help people maintain an active outdoor lifestyle in Central Oregon. Services like cryotherapy, infrared saunas, and compression therapy, help combat the wear and tear from all the intense fun under the sun. Try out their newest service, Cryofacials, during this upcoming First Friday!

Stop by Foot Zone during First Friday and be one of the first people to get your hands on a new 2019 Food and Farm Directory, hot off the press! Meet the High Desert Food & Farm Alliance crew, snag yourself a "Get Local!" t-shirt in the latest colors or a lovely tea towel just in time for Mother's Day, and most importantly, acquire your very own copy of Central Oregon's go-to guide to local farms, ranches, restaurants, food trucks, and the finest purveyors and supporters of the local food scene. You'll want to have it at hand all year long!

Annual end of the season party / sale! SnoPlanks will bring down all of their boards and have a massive sale with deals that you don't want to miss! Beyond just the sale, it's always an epic party with an amazing group of people.

Live music with Dive Bar Theology will be from 5:30-7:30 outside, with the outdoor kegerator flowing. Mark down this date!

First Friday May 2019 plans entail Cinco de Mayo inspired goodness!

We are, of course, serving complimentary 100% agave tequila margaritas ––radical mixer to be announced–– with the colorful company of Bend native and Seattle-based jeweler designer, Ariane Harris of Dutch+Bow.

Geometric brass shapes hand cut, druzy crystals, precious gemstones, silk tassels, dreamy malas, and African brass bead details are the beginning of this wonderful woman's designs. You'll want more than one, and with her constant reinvention, your collection will easily grow.

Ariane's designs cover the white butcher papers inside Found and have since day one with her playful Tropicana fringe earrings that come in all colors. We are so pleased to be hosting her for an official artist exhibition on May 3, 2019 for First Friday from 5-8pm. Come meet her and shop for spring! ​

FUZZY LOGIC!!!

"Fuzzy Logic" is a live, interactive, variety show, for geeks and nerds! Produced and hosted by local Bend nerds, ready to share their passions and interests with you, as long as you are ready to share yours.

Our guest panel of experts, professionals and comedians will teach and entertain you. Everyone attending will get a chance to interact with the show and the guests. From audience trivia, to the Q&A with our panel of specialists, everyone will get a chance to play along.

Tres Chic Lingerie is celebrating 7 years in Bend next month for First Friday!

Come on down to enjoy 50% off the Sales Rack, plus 20% off corsets. Refreshments will be provided by Caboost Kombucha during the event :)

We also have DJ SinSay curating music all evening from 4-9pm and live painting by Ayla Heffernan!

No cover, just good times and good vibes ♥

??? The biggest event on May 5 in downtown Oregon, Cinco de Mayo Weekend Celebration.??? Come enjoy authentic Mexican food, the best local beer, award-winning margaritas,? contests, surprises, gifts, and a total celebration.

Do not miss the live performances of:
- Dina and The Rumberos
- Son of Trees

Help us celebrate May Walk and Roll Challenge month this Friday May 3 at the Starbucks from 5-7pm. Free coffee and cookies, plus safety goodies from Commute Options and Drive Less Connect! Read more about Walk and Roll Challenge month. https://www.commuteoptions.org/may-is-walk-and-roll-challenge-month/

1st Friday ArtWalk with music from Greg Botsford.

May 3, First Friday, CJ Neary will be releasing his first album with THE CJ NEARY BAND. CJ wanted a big venue with room for dancing and that is what he got, Crows Feet Commons is hosting this FREE show for ALL AGES, sponsored by Mountain View HEATING, Pahlisch Homes, Tumalo Cider and Immersion Brewing.

CJ Neary has been said to play music with “ the charisma, charm and soul of one who has played for MANY lifetimes.” CJ launched his professional career with multiple national titles in fiddle and jazz music (categories age 18 and under), a Grand Ole’ Opry Performance, several TED talk/performances, a commercial, and sitting in with some of the biggest musical heavy weights in the nation.

CJ brings his passionate, fervent voice to the table with The CJ Neary Band, playing and singing many of his original songs and also exploring R&B, Funk, Jazz, Rock and Blues. With seasoned players Richard Taelour and Aaron Moore plus super talented Bend High's Logan Anderson backing CJ up, this is going to be a show to remember!
cjneary.com

I am not recalling the last time we had the band at Dudley’s- we’re taking care of that unfortunate oversight this Friday 1st Fri art walk downtown and Honey Don’t at Dudley’s Bookshop- I’m getting excited just typing that! ​

Its that time of the month... Vanderwalls and Weez-It @The Capitol

Join us for live music at BBC! Music will play from 6:00-8:30 inside our bar area. If the weather permits, musicians might play outside on our beer garden. ​

Join us for our Glitteratti Party! We are collaborating with Wild Folk Apothecary and Par Avion Tea to bring you gorgeous glitter filled drinks and bites along with beautiful art from local artist Morgan Miller and more. ​

Come join Willow and Thistle in Downtown Bend for some bubbles, glitter, and fairy fun!

Please join Stellar Realty for a First Friday Event to remember! Enjoy the amazing artwork of our very own Stellar agent- Tricia Huggin while listening to the live band- The Bucklys (which happens to include Tricia's talented hubby!) What an event this will be! As always our parking lot will be open for guests. Stop by, sip, look and listen!

More on our featured artist and band:
TRICIA HUGGIN

The strong, black lines and bright colors are a continuing theme in the work of Tricia Huggin. Influenced by the beautiful Oregon scenery and artists such as Matisse, Gauguin, and Van Gogh, Huggin found inspiration from the contrast of dying junipers and pines and the vibrant Oregon summer sky. She is best known for her depiction of poppies and the haunting, sculptural trees. Huggin is a mother of three and formerly a children’s clothing designer living in Bend, OR. “Art fulfills my need to create,” she says, “or better said by Picasso…”

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life…”

THE BUCKLYS

The Bucklys, a rock/soul trio based in Bend, OR, craft a rich sound, blending genres and crossing musical boundaries. Powered by the songwriting and imagination of longtime surfer and guitarist, Bill “Huggy Bear” Huggin, The Bucklys feels like sticking your toes in the sand on the perfect beach day. The vibe is relaxed, the sound is rock ‘n roll, and the feel is just right.
Bill is joined by drummer John Cashman and bassist/trumpeter Marc Saccoman. The musicianship is solid, the feel is groovy, ethereal, and sometimes gritty.
“The group is a prime example of the power trio – in which every member is firing on all cylinders – no slouching here.” ~Bend Bulletin October 2017

Come on out to J Dub for a chance to try a great beer for a great cause! Wild Ride Brewery will be in the house from 6 to 8p tasting out Brenna A Amber and NW Hidden Trails Hazy Pale Ale. The Brenna A Amber Ale was created to raise awareness and funds for ALS research and hopeful eradication! May is ALS Awareness Month so we welcome Wild Ride and encourage donations to great cause! As with every weekend, expect awesome food specials, amazing cocktails and all you can eat fish and chips! Cheers!

Please join us Friday, May 3rd at our Downtown Bend Showroom (821 NW Wall St, Bend, OR) from 5 – 8 PM, to enjoy the artwork of Dominique Kongsli.

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

“Forest Feast” by DOMKO will be on display.

“Forest Feast” documents the experience of living in Bend, through pattern, color, and light. Gold, silver, and copper leaf dot Dominique’s paintings, and usher in a sense of the spiritual and divine presence found in nature in its purest form. Figures presented in her decorated aspen tree paintings are on a quest to find love. Vistas of Bend including Mount bachelor, Brokentop, and sisters mountain can be found amongst bright floral paintings. Enjoy the spirit of the trees as they are personified with markings and symbols, sharing their timeless beauty as totems reimagined and adorned. ​

Crochet book sale & signing, downtown Bend at the First Friday Art Walk with Wool Town Bend!

Meet local author Salena Baca and learn more about her latest book: Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast & Fun Projects! You can view projects from the book, talk about yarn, and learn more about this exciting crochet book!

Come enjoy a beautiful central Oregon Spring night at First Friday in Bend. Pink Pom will be all set up inside Birkenstock with the classic styles as well as many new! ​

Dear Bend Community,
 
My name is Mindy and I am the Executive Director of the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA).  I’m writing this personal letter to you because I wanted to share with you why the Bend Cares program is close to my heart.
 
I come from a long line of entrepreneurs.  Both my parents owned small businesses and both my sets of grandparents owned small businesses.  I understand in a very real way the narrow line that many small business owners walk.  The difference in a good day or a bad day of sales might mean the difference between top ramen for dinner or meat and vegetables for dinner.  The difference of a good week or a bad week might decide if a child of a local business owner can afford to play sports or go to camp.  The impact of a bad season of sales for a small business owner might mean that a family looses their home, or has to borrow money from a family member.  Owning and operating a small business is about as ‘real’ as it gets.  You are not guaranteed a paycheck; you put in long hours and a tremendous amount of time and effort.  It’s not easy and it’s not for the faint of heart.  The circumstances and culture surrounding a small business can have a negative or positive impact on the business itself and weather or not it succeeds.  Some of these external circumstances can include things like parking availability, customer discomfort in front or around your place of business, safety concerns, or traffic.  As a business owner, it can feel frustrating at times when your business (and family) bears the impact of these things that are out of your control.
 
When I was a child, my family came upon some hard times.  My mother lost her business and she had a difficult time finding sustaining work.  Off and on for years we went to the food bank a lot, and the church brought us food.  We struggled to get by.  I remember being in elementary school and being embarrassed to pull out my packed lunch because I thought the other kids would somehow now that it was donated food.   Things got worse.  My sister, mother and I lived out of our car.  I got ready for Jr. High School in the back of a Ford Escort. 
 
As an adult I struggled to put myself through school, and I’ve managed to open and successfully run 3 different small businesses.  I’ve worked incredibly hard, and I have also been very lucky.
 
Two of the things that I am most passionate about right now in my life are entrepreneurship and (what I like to call) the ‘power of one’.   This power of one, to me, represents the immeasurable impact that one person can have on the world.  The power isn’t in huge organizations or billions of dollars – the power is in each of us.  In the way you greet someone, how you steward nature, where you spend your money, where you give your time, the degree of authenticity that you bring to your everyday life, how you treat others who are different than you.  It all matters.  You can’t go a day without impacting the world around you.
 
This is why I love the Bend Cares program – it involves two of my innate passions.  Care for small business owners, and care for community members experiencing hardship.  The Bend Cares program recognizes the need for local small business owners to have clean, safe storefronts and streets and it also recognizes the need for each of us to give responsibly to those experiencing hardship in our Bend community. 
 
There is a saying that I love… “If you are up right now, enjoy it, because you will experience being down again in your future.  If you are down right now, be patient, there is another up in your future.”  We all experience ups and downs.  We are all so much more similar than we are different.  I believe that when I am up, it is my job to help those that are in a down swing, and when I am down, it is my honor to accept help from those that are up.  Bend Cares offers a way to give and get help, and that is why I adore this program.
 
Thank you so much for reading my letter and allowing me to share my story with you.
 
Mindy Aisling
Executive Director
Downtown Bend

One of the experiences that did not feel in-alignment with the culture of  a family-friendly Downtown, was the encroaching occurrences of aggressive panhandling within the Downtown Bend Economic Improvement District (EID).   

Understanding the clear research showing  that panhandling is not effective at ending homelessness or hunger in communities, and under the advisement of the Downtown Livability Committee, the DBBA proposed to Bend City Council the Bend Cares Program as an informational campaign to drive donors and their donations to organizations that best serve the specific needs of individuals needing services.  ​​

The Bend Cares program will encourage generous individuals to donate to organizations and programs that provide holistic and ongoing services throughout the community for individuals in need.  Donors will be able to easily give using their smartphones.  Information on housing, meals and other assistance will be provided to those in need.  ​​

If you've been to Downtown Bend recently, you might have seen the Bend Cares banners, posters, and customer cards.  All of these materials are designed to bring awareness to the Bend Cares campaign and encourage donors to give to our local organizations.  The photos on the materials are photos of the local Bend citizens who volunteer at the organizations supported by the Bend Cares program.  We want to celebrate those who are 'giving back' to our community, and encourage other to do the same.  Photos were taken by Joshua Langlais, best known for his A Community Thread work.

If you'd like to get involved with the Bend Cares project, you can donate now, like our Facebook Page, join our Livability Committee, Volunteer for the project or, if you are a business or organization, you can become a Signature Business! 

A Bend Cares Signature Business is a business that has entered into the collective Bend Cares partnership and joined the Bend Cares mission.  You can find more information about the Bend Cares program when you visit this businesses, and you can find a list of these businesses on the Bend Cares website (click here)

For more information, please visit www.bendcares.org, or email us at downtownbend@gmail.com.  

In addition, please feel free to read this person letter from our DBBA Executive Director, Mindy Aisling.