A new type of cafe in Bend is aimed at families with young children. The Play Theory Cafe is filled with activities for kids to explore, learn and socialize while parents and caregivers enjoy food and drinks from the cafe. The 4,000-square-foot space is located on NE Third Street in Bend next to Bootbarn. It’s an […]
Section Feature
The Third Act
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupรฉry In writing classes and programs there’s a lot of talk about the importance of an author or poet’s voice. Emerging writers are urged to find theirs. Book club groups discuss authors who have […]
Public Input Matters. Sometimes It Even Works.
For a lot of people right now, hope is in short supply. Whether it’s inflation and the price of eggs, the cuts to federal budgets โ and in turn, the looming ones to state budgets, the threats to Medicaid or Social Security or the Veteran’s Administration or the perceived abandonment of the rule of law, […]
Summer Guide 2025
Keep this guide handy to help plan your summer! Kiki with Clichรฉ: Bendโs queer DJ duo, Clichรฉ, prepares for a summer of inclusive local events to find community on the dance floor Same Spirit, New Stage: The 4 Peaks Music Festival Moves Indoors Big Ponderoo: The Sensational Summer Festival in Sisters โGet Innocuous!โ LCD Soundsystem […]
No Man’s Land Film Festival
“You’re so amazing!” “No. I’m an average person with a lot of problems.” The exploration of this sentiment is too often stifled in the pursuit โ and documentation โ of outdoorsy adventure and achievement. Since 2015, however, the No Man’s Land Film Festival, has sought to fix that. The festival visits Volcanic Theatre Pub on […]
Northern and Southern India by Way of Downtown
As someone who has lived and worked in downtown Bend for over 15 years, I can’t tell you how excited I get when a new restaurant opens that reaches beyond the comfort zone of brewery/pub food, steak houses, wine shops, and fine dining. Don’t get me wrong, there is some amazing food downtown that falls […]
The Psychedelic Frontier
Q: “I am a successful, stable, satisfied man in his late 70s who has just been given a terminal diagnosis from an aggressive brain cancer. I am reasonably disappointed with the situation but also feel satisfied with what I have accomplished in my life and accepting that it may be my time to go. I […]
Kiki with Clichรฉ
From summer festivals and Pride events to a weekly queer night at local cocktail bar, Dogwood at the Pine Shed, local DJ duo Clichรฉ is gearing up for a busy summer. The two DJs, Sean Lawrence (Father Sean) and Jonathon Lynch (Daddy Doubtfire), played their first gig together in 2023. According to Lawrence, the group […]
Redmond Advances Long-Awaited Northpoint Vista Development
Redmond is moving forward with a mixed housing development on the northeast side of town, following recent City Council decisions to approve the contracts to start construction. The Northpoint Vista project, a 40-acre site, is situated between NE Maple Ave. and NE Kingwood Avenue and is slated to offer over 400 housing units at a […]
Same Spirit, New Stage: The 4 Peaks Music Festival Moves Indoors
The 4 Peaks Presents Music Festival, a cherished Central Oregon tradition since 2007, looks a little different this year, but the spirit remains the same. While it usually takes place outdoors, 2025’s event will move inside to the historic Tower Theatre in downtown Bend June 20-22. The 4 Peaks Music Festival all began with five […]

