Odds are good you’ve at least thought about a Labor Day Weekend getaway to Bend. Odds are also good you just assumed everything’s already booked up for Labor Day 2015, right?
Au contraire! I have it on good authority that a number of Bend hotels, motels, vacation rentals, and resorts still have available rooms (I’m speculating it has something to do with Portland-area schools starting a week early).
Catch one of the last two concerts of the season at the Les Schwab Amphitheater this weekend!
So jump on the website for your favorite Bend hotel or use our handy Bend lodging page to find a place to stay. Reservations secured, here are a few things you’ll be enjoying in Bend, Oregon for Labor Day 2015.
Catch a concert
Yep, we’ve got two big ones for Labor Day Weekend! Catch Weird Al Yankovic on Friday, Sept. 4 or Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals on Sunday, Sept. 6 at the Les Schwab Amphitheater. Our weather should be perfect for an outdoor concert, and you can still grab tickets here or at the box office on the day of the show.
Late-summer is the perfect time for First Friday Art Walk.
For tips on attending concerts at the Les Schwab Amphitheater, go here.
Stroll First Friday Art Walk
This is a monthly occurrence in Bend when all the shops in historic Downtown Bend stay open late and feature displays from local artists. Sip wine, nibble snacks, chat with the artists, and do a little shopping! Things kick off at 5 p.m. and most stores stay open until 9.
And speaking of art…
This weekend marks the kickoff of the Edward Curtis exhibit sponsored by the A6 gallery. A Seattle artist known for capturing iconic images of native tribes across the American West in the late 1800s, Edward Curtis is the focus of a massive art exhibit that launches this weekend. You can find a full schedule of events here.
Ride the Slide
Full disclosure: I have mixed feelings about this event, given water shortages around the West.
Now’s your chance to try the largest slip-n-slide ever to hit Bend.
But since part of the Slide the City event is focused on water conservation (and since they pledged to recycle the water used in their September 5 event in Bend), I have to admit the idea of riding the largest slip-n-slide ever to hit the asphalt in Bend does sound kinda cool.
The event starts at noon, and you can find pricing and other details here.
Swill suds at Little Woody
Cheers to Little Woody Sept. 4-5!
The Little Woody Barrel-Aged Beer, Cider, and Whiskey Festival is one of my favorite beer events of the year in Bend, and it’s happening from 5-10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, and from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5.
As the name suggests, the festival spotlights brews that have been aged in wine barrels, whiskey barrels, and oak barrels, which adds a unique intensity of flavors to the beverage. It’s held on the lawn of the Des Chutes Historical Society, which is worth checking out even when there’s no beer to be found.
This festival can get a little crowded, so get there early and prepare to sip at a leisurely pace (which is kinda preferable with this sort of beer anyway).
Make a whole weekend of it at Brasada Ranch
Brasada Ranch….now HERE’S the perfect place to spend Labor Day!
Someone at Brasada Ranch must reeeeeally love Labor Day, because these guys went all out this year. Their Labor Day Weekend lineup includes Cowboy Cookouts, live music, a Feast from the Fire event, an All-American BBQ, kids’ programming, and tons of fun on the golf course, spa, and pool with slide.
Go here to learn more about the weekend lineup and to find out about lodging in their Ranch House Suites, Sage Canyon Cabins, or Cascade Cabins.