friday 13
Opening Day, Mt. Bachelor Bike Park
OUTSIDE—Bend's cycling community has long debated whether to carve rideable downhill trails out of Mt. Bachelor's loose, volcanic hillside. We rode the trails last month and are here to tell you they're damn fun. Enjoy opening day, and return on Saturday for a BBQ, music and clinics. 10 am-4 pm. Mt. Bachelor, 13000 Century Dr. $19-$29.
saturday 14
Spamalot
THEATER—In one of the most extravagant local theater productions of the year, Stage Right Productions has organized a full-scale staging of King Arthur farting in your general direction! This hilarious musical tribute to the classic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail features a cast of 22 local actors, more knights of the round table, more cows used as weapons and more man-eating rabbits. Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St. 8 pm. $24-$29. (Note: Starts Friday and runs through Sept. 21.)
saturday 14
Nacho Ordinary Fundraiser
FOOD—Get it? It's like the joke about the cheese that's not yours—nacho cheese! But this Central Oregon Locavore fundraiser is no joke. A few of Bend's top chefs are squaring off in a nacho competition and they're using all local ingredients. You eat their creations. Also, drink beer and dance. 7 pm. Central Oregon Locavore, 1216 NE First St. $25. $10 for dance party only, beginning at 10.
sunday 15
Dana and Susan Robinson
MUSIC—The happy Appalachian minstrels are bringing their guitars, banjos and old-timey ballads to a private outdoor house concert—but, good news! You're invited! Happy hour and dinner starts at 4 pm (bring a dish to share). The music starts at 5:30 pm. Windance House Concert, email [email protected] for directions. $15-20 suggested donation.
sunday 15
Boycott Circus Cruelty
PROTEST FILMS—Once the main draw for circuses, elephants in captivity more recently have inspired cries for boycotts. With the circus coming to town, protests include this double-feature screening: One Lucky Elephant (6 pm), a touching story about an orphaned elephant, and Apology to Elephants (8 pm), a well-produced piece of investigative journalism, narrated by Lily Tomlin. Volcanic Theater, 70 SW Century Dr. Suggested donation $10.
tuesday 17
Monty Python's Life of Brian
FILM—In conjunction with the live production of Spamalot, the Tower will show Monty Python's Life of Brian, the 1979 comedy about a young Jewish man who is born on the same day as, and next door to, Jesus Christ and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah. Whomp, whomp! 7 pm. Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St. $9.
wednesday 18
Water Tower
AMERICANA—Like the hipster Soggy Bottom Boys, the young quartet of Water Tower (formerly Water Tower Bucket Boys) busked on streetcorners in Eugene before recording a string of four solid bluegrass albums stuffed with loose-string guitar chords, slap-bass, hopping fiddles, joyful harmonicas and hickory-voiced crooning. 7-10 pm, McMenamins, 700 NW Bond St. Free.
thursday 19
Avery James and The Hillandales
MUSIC—A driving guitar, crashing drums, a plucky bass line—this three-man Bend band, fronted by Avery James Graveman, is rockabilly at its rocking-est. Long Tall Eddy, opens. 9 pm. Volcanic Theater Pub, 70 SW Century Dr. Free.
thursday 19
5Point Film Fest
FILM—Although there is a certain irony in sitting on your duff watching movies about other people doing spectacularly kinetic and daring stunts, it is well worth sitting still for a moment to catch the touring 5Point Film, a collection of majestic, giddy, beautiful and epic short films about surfing, skiing, climbing and biking adventures. 6-9 pm. GoodLife Brewing biergarten, 70 SW Century Dr. $10.
thursday 19
William Akin on the Zombie Invasion
PRESENTATION—There is only one legitimate kind of zombie—the slow, limb-dragging, brain-hungry Romero zombie. But, from their West African origins to their 28 Days Later sprinting varieties, zombies have developed into symbols of societal collapse and social upheaval. Author William Akin discusses. Nerd level: 100. 6 pm. East Bend Public Library, 62080 Dean Swift Rd. Free.
