With a lineup of cast members from many of Broadway’s most popular rock musicals, producer, arranger and host Neil Berg stages the songs and shares the often unknown stories of the music that changed the world forever. This sequel show details rock music’s evolution from its forerunners in the ’40s through the glory decades of the ‘50s , ‘60s and ‘70s, culminating in the ‘80s.

The Central Oregon Youth Orchestra is excited to share a concert of orchestral favorites and popular selections centered around the theme of Transformation. Students of all ages throughout our region will interpret iconic orchestral works by Johann Strauss, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, John Lunn, and others. Wind and string chamber groups will perform a broad sampling ranging from an original student composition to classical and pops favorites. All of the students in COYO will gather onstage for a grand finale: “The Firebird” by Stravinsky. Join us for a fun family-friendly celebration of youth music-making that will pack a few surprises and be sure to inspire.

Join Pollinator Pathway Bend for a plant-filled afternoon celebrating the start of spring! Hear about upcoming Pollinator Pathway events and tips on gardening with native plants. Enjoy light refreshments, connect with fellow plant enthusiasts and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Wintercreek Nursery while browsing the native plants available for purchase. This is a free event, but registration is required and space is limited. Details and registration at pollinatorpathwaybend.org/events.

Meet Oregon author Sandy Grubb and learn about her debut middle grade novel, Just Like Click, set at Black Butte Ranch. Books will be available for purchase and signing! Nick Townley has lived his entire life—all eleven years—at Black Butte Ranch, nestled in the foothills of the snow-capped Cascade Mountains.

Sandy Grubb has been writing children’s stories since she was a child herself, fine-tuning her talents when she became serious about publishing. In 2022, Sandy’s manuscript Just Like Click won the esteemed Kraken Book Prize, recognizing finely crafted middle grade fiction and resulting in a publishing contract with Fitzroy Books, the children’s imprint of Regal House Publishing. The book, releasing in 2024, is a superhero story about friendship, belonging, and self-discovery.

In partnership, Central Oregon Community College, The Environmental
Center, Central Oregon BIPOC, and High Desert Food and Farm Alliance
are proudly presenting  a screening of the documentary Gaining Ground:
The Fight for Black Land followed by a panel discussion on Tuesday,
May 7, 2024 at 6 pm in Central Oregon Community College’s Hitchcock
Auditorium.


This exclusive screening will mark the Central Oregon debut of Gaining
Ground: The Fight for Black Land from Executive Producer Al Roker.
Gaining Ground explores why Black ownership of farmland has dwindled
to alarmingly low numbers and examines the causes, effects, and
solutions to the issues affecting Black land loss.


After the screening, audiences are invited to stay for a discussion
moderated by Marcus LeGrand, COCC’s Afrocentric Program Coordinator
that will include. Dr. Dalton Miller-Jones, retired Professor and
member Restorative Justice and Equity Group.


Free admission and reservations are not required.

Join us for an unforgettable experience at Art Meets Wine in the High Desert on May 4 at the SHARC in Sunriver! Get ready to indulge in tastings from carefully selected wineries representing different varieties and regions of Oregon, Washington, and California.

This all-inclusive event will not only offer exquisite wine from 10-12 wineries but also art, music, and delicious food. Plus, you’ll have the chance to participate in a online auction, raffles, and explore the exciting wine wall.  All this for just $75!

Sprout Film hosts the largest and most diverse collection of films featuring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) on the marketplace. Sprout Film hopes to reinforce accurate portrayals of individuals within this community, help break down stereotypes, and promote a greater acceptance of differences and awareness of similarities. We believe film can inspire, inform, and spark change. Sprout is a nonprofit organization founded in 1979 in New York. They are dedicated to helping people with developmental disabilities grow through challenging, creative, and fun experiences that enhance socialization, self-confidence, and inclusion. For more info visit them at gosprout.org

Join Pollinator Pathway Bend to plant native flowers to support our nocturnal pollinators! Help create a welcoming habitat for moths and other pollinators while enjoying the beautiful surroundings of the Nature Center. No gardening experience necessary! Nighttime pollinator-friendly amber light bulbs will also be available at this event. Details and registration at pollinatorpathwaybend.org/events. The garden is part of the Got Stars, Central Oregon? project funded by Visit Central Oregon. Pollinator Pathway Bend is creating the garden in partnership with Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District, DarkSky Oregon and Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory.

P.E.O. is an international organization that provides educational scholarships, grants and loans to women. Come learn about the organization and the educational philanthropies. Goods will be available for sale with all proceeds benefiting the educational projects.

We are looking forward to sharing stories, movement and a touch of music with 0-5 year olds, geared toward those younger ages. There will be a heavy emphasis on fun, so bring your listening ears and a smile for a fun half hour with Kathy!

Made up of members from Pacific Northwest groups Polecat, Petty or Not and Skillethead, the all-star Jenner Fox Band tells stories of people and places with compassion and respect. They’ve twice headlined Sisters Folk Festival and recently opened for bluegrass and folk group Trampled by Turtles at Hayden Homes Amphitheater.

Please note there are two concerts: April 20th at 7pm at Nativity Lutheran Church and April 21st at 3pm at Sunriver Christian Fellowship.

Mastersingers travels to Italy and the Vatican this summer. The group will preview its “Sounds Italian” program exclusively for central Oregonians at its free spring concerts, April 20-21 in Bend and Sunriver. The concerts feature Italian composers Giovanni Palestrina (Missa Brevis), Tomas de Victoria (Ave Maria), and Claudio Monteverdi (Cantate Domino).

In place of tickets, donations are welcome and will help support the singers’ performances in Italy.

Please note there are two concerts: April 20th at 7pm at Nativity Lutheran Church and April 21st at 3pm at Sunriver Christian Fellowship.

Mastersingers travels to Italy and the Vatican this summer. The group will preview its “Sounds Italian” program exclusively for central Oregonians at its free spring concerts, April 20-21 in Bend and Sunriver. The concerts feature Italian composers Giovanni Palestrina (Missa Brevis), Tomas de Victoria (Ave Maria), and Claudio Monteverdi (Cantate Domino). Additional short pieces include Moses Hogan’s Elijah Rock, Robert Lowry’s How Can I Keep from Singing, and Stephen Paulus’ Pilgrims’ Hymn. Performances will be held Saturday, April 20, at 7 p.m., at the Nativity Lutheran Church, 60850 Brosterhous Road in Bend, and Sunday, April 21 at 3 p.m., at the Sunriver Christian Fellowship, 18139 Cottonwood Road. In place of tickets, donations are welcome and will help support the singers’ performances in Italy.

An Annual Celebration of Earth And Community. Save the Date! The 2024 Earth Day Fair and Parade will take place on Saturday, April 20th. This family-friendly event typically features a lively and inclusive parade through downtown Bend where folks are encouraged to wear costumes to showcase their favorite thing about planet earth. During the fair, food vendors, booths, and performers offer something for everyone. Stay tuned for updates on performances that will take place on Troy Field!

Join us for a special Saturday storytime with Bend author Francine Rockey for her book, To Find Treasure in the Mountains! This event is free. With sturdy shoes and a sense of adventure, three young children hike through the sparkling woods to find treasure in the mountains. No pirate’s map or magic wand required! Outside, there is always something wonderful just around the bend. Is that treasure hidden in a hollow old tree trunk? Does treasure gleam near the lizard with the bright blue belly? Can the feathery flight of a great gray owl hint at treasure? Yes, yes, and yes! Because all steps into the wild lead to nature’s treasures. This lovely picture book highlights discoveries and connections that come from sharing time outdoors together.

He is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and arguably the most famous Hammond B3 player in history.

Thrive Central Oregon connects thousands of Central Oregon community members each year with resources like affordable housing, basic needs, healthcare and more. Our Spring for Thrive event is our annual fundraiser, the We Are Home Film Festival at the Tower Theater April 13, 2024. This year’s collection of short films highlights and honors the many ways we find home and belonging in our world today. You can find out more about the events and our films here. During the event we will be hosting a raffle, and would love to offer great prizes - as all raffle tickets, tickets to the event and donations go directly back into the community! Our event is sponsored by the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace and The Foundation for Affordable Housing, so 100% of proceeds go to our housing assistance fund - providing community members with application fees, rental assistance and deposit help.

Join Bend authors Lucas Alberg and Megan Marie Myers at a special storytime for their new book, Good Morning, Mother Nature. They will read both of their books at 11:00am, then sign books until noon. Say “good morning” with a heartwarming children’s picture book that pays homage to nature and wildlife. Open your eyes, stretch your arms, and gather the kids for a perfect story to begin the day. Good Morning, Mother Nature lets readers of all ages awaken to celebratory text that serves as an ode to the great outdoors. Follow a chickadee at sunrise as it flits through the forest, wishing “good morning” to bears, beavers, deer, and other beloved critters.

Hello, and welcome to Roundabout Books Storytime! ~ Poets & Know It Poems ~ We are looking forward to sharing stories, movement and a touch of music with 0-5 year olds, geared toward those younger ages. There will be a heavy emphasis on fun, so bring your listening ears and a smile for a fun half hour with Kathy!

For over 30 years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been the quintessential American band. The group’s distinctive and powerful sound, influenced by a diversity of musical styles, manifested itself into a unique musical hybrid via such barnburners as “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up”. Co-founder Kim Wilson, the sole original member, still spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation.

The Grand Ole Opry member, multiple Grammy and CMA winner, and chart-topper (“Maybe It Was Memphis,” “Shake the Sugar Tree,” “Mi Vida Loca,” “Queen of Denial”) makes her Tower debut in an audience-pleasing show of country music favorites. Now in the third decade of an acclaimed career, Tillis continues to shine brightly, successfully bridging distinctions between contemporary and classic country.

In partnership, Cultivate Bend, Tower Theatre Foundation, and High Desert Food and Farm Alliance are proudly presenting a screening of the documentary Common Ground followed by a panel discussion on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 6:30 pm (doors at 5:30 pm). Common Ground is the highly anticipated sequel to the juggernaut success documentary, Kiss the Ground, which touched over 1 billion people globally and inspired the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to put $20 billion toward soil health. By fusing journalistic expose’ with deeply personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, Common Ground unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind our broken food system. The film reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us.

Anis Mojgani, Oregon's Poet Laureate, will speak and read poetry at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon. Born in New Orleans to Black and Iranian parents, Mojgani first called Oregon home in 2004. He is the author of five books of poetry including his latest, “In the Pockets of Small Gods.” Mojgani has done commissioned work for the Getty Museum, the Peabody Essex Museum, and the Portland Timbers. He penned the libretto for the opera, “Sanctuaries,” which premiered September 2021. His work has appeared on HBO, National Public Radio, in the Academy of American Poets Poem-A-Day series, and in the NY Times, as well as in such journals as Rattle, Platypus, Winter Tangerine, Forklift Ohio and Bat City Review. His performance credits include hundreds of universities across the U.S. as well as international festivals such as the Sydney Writer’s Festival, Jamaica’s Calabash festival and Seoul’s Young Writer’s Festival. His audiences range from the United Nations to the House of Blues and Portland’s Pickathon music festival. All are welcome at this event!

In partnership with Outback Film, The Onward Project, and COCC, we’re honored to present a debut showing of Dream Boldly: The Grand AdvenChair. This inspiring film features the story of Bend adventurer, entrepreneur, and disability advocate Geoff Babb.

About the film: “A survivor of two strokes takes years to perfect an all-terrain human-powered wheelchair, culminating in a rigorous 4-day expedition down and back out of the Grand Canyon, with a ripple effect on others from its creation—access to nature previously out of reach. Sometimes one bold dream can change the world for many.”

Please join us for this in-store author event. Required tickets are a $5 per person GA or book purchase. Please call 541.306.6564 with any questions. Where the Crooked River Rises by Ellen Waterston There is an otherness to the high desert, something momentous and sacred in the purity of the silence. In this compelling collection of personal essays, award-winning poet and author Ellen Waterston illuminates the people, places, and landscape of Central Oregon's vast high desert. In "Where the Crooked River Rises, " Waterston reveals the blessings and challenges of decades spent as a rancher and town resident in a place that "has been, and remains," her touchstone and crucible. The high desert is Waterston's teacher, and she describes its lessons with grace and care, inviting readers to look at their own lives through a lens of wide-open spaces, sagebrush and juniper, pumice and rabbit brush. Weave Me a Crooked Basket by Charles Goodrich A beautifully unconventional love story.

For 60 years, South Africa’s five-time Grammy Award winners, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has warmed the hearts of audiences worldwide with uplifting vocal harmonies, signature dance moves and charming onstage banter.