Hooray! You’ve made it to President’s Day Weekend, a chance to get away from reality and break up the winter blues with a 3-day (or more) vacation to celebrate Washington’s Birthday. A chance to switch off the TV, pack a bag, and jump in the car to spend your mini-vacay playing in the snow, exploring the town, or hitting up the next big events.
Here are five things to keep you busy in Bend this President’s Day Weekend.
All hail the season with Winterfest
The state’s quintessential celebration of winter is happening in Bend this weekend with Oregon Winterfest taking place February 15-17, 2019. The festival
is centered around the Old Mill District and boasts three days of live music, tasty food and drinks, and fun activities for the whole family.
Popular events include the Rail Jam (that’s trick skiing and snowboarding for those unfamiliar) and the crowing of the Fire King and Ice Queen, not to mention fire pits, ice sculptures, and a family fun zone.
Go here for ticket info and full schedule of events.
Get an extra helping of Valentine’s spirit
Valentine’s Day hearts are scattered throughout downtown Bend, encouraging visitors and locals to take one and pass it on.
Whether you’re in the doghouse for forgetting February 14 this year, or you already did it up big with your bae, Bend is all about second chances.
It helps that Valentine’s Day 2019 fell on a Thursday, which means lots of local businesses are calling it “Valentine’s Weekend.” Seems like a good reason to celebrate, no?
The Riverhouse is offering a Valentine’s package that’s available Feb. 14-17 and includes handmade chocolates and champagne in your room, along with a single rose on the pillow to greet you. They’ve also got dining specials to go along with it, or you can choose from dozens of other amazing Bend restaurants offering everything from steak to vegan chow (and plenty of mouthwatering goodness in between).
Bonus: You won’t have to fight the crowds who opted to dine out on Valentine’s night.
If you don’t already have a Valentine, Mt. Bachelor and 10 Barrel are looking to hook you up with their Red Chair Speed Dating event from 1-5 p.m. on Friday, February 15. Festivities include beer tastings and a chance to pair up and ride Red Chair with a fellow singleton to see if sparks fly.
And speaking of Mt. Bachelor…
Skiing at Mt. Bachelor is the best way to winter in Bend.
This year, President’s Day Weekend falls smack dab in the middle of the most epic couple weeks of snowstorms we’ve had all season, and if that’s not a reason to hit Mt. Bachelor, I don’t know what is.
But fine, here are more reasons: With gobs of recent snow accumulation, all of Mt. Bachelor’s lifts are now open, giving you access to more than 4,300 acres of skiable terrain.
They’re also offering lift ticket deals like a $10 discount if you buy online.
President’s Day Weekend also boasts unique happenings like the Nokian Tire Scavenger Hunt and a Coca-Cola Floatski. Check out their event calendar for more info.
The shopping’s extra awesome
The Old Mill District offers tons of shopping, dining options, and beautiful sunsets any time of year.
Bend shops are famous for trotting out killer President’s Day Weekend sales, and that’s true whether you’re browsing retailers in the Old Mill District, Downtown Bend, or other fabulous shopping spots like Cascade Village or Bend Factory Outlets.
Besides well-established shops, you’ve got a chance to check out brand new retailers including the new Danner store in the Box Factory. To celebrate their grand opening, they’ll have live music, free food and drink, and a free gift while supplies last. Go here to learn more about it.
Shake your groove thing
I’m not sure whether to thank local music promoters or all the U.S. presidents for the fact that we’re braced for an epic long weekend of live shows in
Catch a show at the Tower Theatre to break the sound of silence with the sound of music.
Bend, but I’m grateful either way.
The Tower Theatre is hosting several great performers, including the Oregon Guitar Quartet on February 14 and the Everly Brothers Experience with Zmed Brothers on February 15.
Heavy metal fans will dig Okilly Dokilly playing at the Volcanic Theatre Pub on February 14, or catch The Dirty Sexy Chocolate Show there on February 15.
If you love wine and music that’s tinged with a bit of Jimmy Buffet soul, head out to Faith, Hope and Charity on February 16 to catch a special performance by Mango Stew.
Looking for more fun forms of entertainment in Bend? Plug in your dates on our Event Calendar and watch the good times roll in.
Trust me, it’s way more fun than watching the news scroll on your TV screen.