Summer Events Guide

Yes, blackberries are an invasive species, but they’ve become as synonymous with Oregon as Douglas Firs, crashing rivers and the Cascade Mountains. And we love them.
The sad fact is that blackberries don’t really grow in Central Oregon, but they’re so close it’s only a morning’s drive between you and the taste of those sweet purple berries.

Where can you feel infinitely small yet universally connected? The best place is under a vast night sky of stars. Thanks to Bend’s minimal light pollution, Central Oregon offers some of the best stargazing on the planet and your summer won’t feel complete without some.
When and where to go:
Find moonlight-free nights by checking on the moon’s phases and setting times in a guide like the 2012 Farmer’s Almanac www.almanac.com/moon.

You’ve survived your epic summer and it’s time to celebrate. It’s the excuse you’ve been looking for to bring all your mountain bike friends together with your drinking buddies, your mom’s group together with your book club, and your work friends with your zany college roommates.
Basically, what you want to do here is offer up some great food and some great music. Add booze and, voila, epic party at your place.

It’s your end of summer blow-out and it’s time to pull out the stops. Hiring a live band is a great way to spice up your get together and to start the dance party.

Team Extreme
Options aplenty for you folks, as outdoor activities are what Bend (and its impossibly-fit lycra-clad residents) does best. Assuming you already have the necessary gear, go for a bike ride/run/climb/paddle/SUP together. And look, if you're still in the courtship phase, be considerate and don't drop your date. She or he won't be impressed by how fast or hard you can ride/run/climb/paddle – save the bravado for buddy-time.
Let's say you opt for a run. Incorporate “destination running” (run to a predetermined spot to eat, drink or just take in the view) into your date. A good option is an afternoon trail run that ends at the Taco Stand where you can get a rice, bean and cheese burrito (or, if super dorky and calorie conscious, sub fresh spinach for the cheese) for only $2.50.

Hood River is pretty easy to like.
Like Bend, it provides visitors with a litany of recreational opportunities, fine food and impressive breweries. And it’s beautiful, especially this time of year when many of the orchards begin to bloom – truly of the prettiest towns in our great Republic.
Unlike Bend, Hood River is green and lush and marked by rolling terrain. Such conditions apparently provide viticulturists with the right mix of sun, rain and soil because there is a heap of wineries in the region.

Elk Lake is one of the most popular summer getaways for many reasons, including the fabulous alpine setting and relative proximity to Bend. A trip to Elk Lake is a perfect afternoon getaway for friends and families, and cost effective, too. The sand beach at the far end of the lake is one of the best in Central Oregon and totally free, even if it takes until August for the water to warm sufficiently for human exposure. Bring a picnic and/or barbeque and whittle away the afternoon while the waves calmly lap the shore.

Distance from Bend: 98 miles (About a two-hour drive)
Elevation: 5,190 feet
Sure, we have our own selection of lakes up here right outside of Bend, including the Cascades Lakes, but if you want to get a real getting-out-of-town experience, consider making the relatively short drive down to Diamond Lake. Located just to the north of Crater Lake, Diamond Lake features three well-maintained campgrounds in addition to the Diamond Lake Resort.
On most summer days, you should be able to get down to Diamond Lake in two hours or less and once you do, there is definitely a sensation of being off the high desert, which the thick trees surrounding the pristine lake will help you realize. The lake is open to watersports, something many of the Cascade Lakes prohibit, and the resort features a restaurant and other amenities for you to check out if you want to escape the campsite (there are 238 of them around the lake to choose from) for a bit. Or, if roughing it was really never in the cards, you can enjoy one of the resort's many rooms, which range from suites equipped with Jacuzzis to motel rooms, all of which are more affordable than you'd find in other resorts around the region.

Cornhole, the deliberately titled game featuring “bean” bags and boards, is quickly becoming the summer yard game of choice for many Central Oregonians. It's a great party game that travels well, accompanying everything from backyard barbeques to camping trips. Last year Bend hosted its first cornhole tournament and drew dozens of teams, vying for the title of cornhole king, or queen, as it were. (There is no gender bias in cornhole… ) While many retailers, including the sports “governing” body, the American Cornhole Organization, sell pre-made boards, a new set can cost as much as $250. However, with a little ingenuity, a skill saw, and a few miscellaneous nuts and bolts, you can put your own set together in an afternoon. Below is a quick overview of what you'll need to get started. As you might expect, the Internet offers a wealth of information on the actual construction.

It's well known that Bend is the self-proclaimed mountain biking and craft brewing capital of Oregon. What's less well known is our claim to the title of festival capital of Oregon. Okay, so no one has officially designated us as the festival capital of the Cascades. But someone could. It seems we've got a festival for every season, as well as a beer festival, a wine festival, a balloon festival, a paddlefest, a film festival, a bike festival. And a year-end festival to celebrate all the festivals, okay so I made the last one up, but you get the picture.
While there's plenty of reason to get excited about Bend's festival scene, including great food and music, did you ever wonder if you could do it better if you had the chance? Turns out, there's not much to stop you from trying, at least on a small scale. The city makes the process of getting a festival permit relatively easy and affordable.
Here's a quick Cheat Sheet for you to follow when organizing your own festival.