Summer Festival in Bend: LAPC & WOTD

Earlier this month, we went to the local Summer Festival here in Bend, Oregon.

If it’s a summer festival, you might see fairies walking down the street, right? Are those blurry spots behind them spots on my windshield? Nope, I’m pretty sure that’s a cloud of fairy dust. 😉

Fairies in Bend

As the sign says, this festival features music, food, and art. It takes place downtown on three city blocks, plus a couple side streets. It’s estimated that 70,000 people attend this two and a half day festival.

Summer Festival

The art booths have everything from jewelry and landscape art, to pillows featuring an image of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Various businesses feature their products and services in the Bend Business Showcase section.

Summer Festival

There’s also a place for kids to play at this event.

Kid's play area

Musicians play on this stage and in various locations around downtown. You’ll hear a wide variety of musical genres.

Music stage

Hanging baskets, overflowing with colorful flowers, decorate the streets.

Flowers Summer Festival

There are lots of food booths. We enjoyed watching this cook hold various vegetables in his hand and then slice them directly into two enormous woks. It was like watching performance art.

Stir fry cook

I bought a little memento of the Summer Festival from a local artisan at the Branch + Barrel booth. Pretty, aren’t they?

Branch + Barrel earrings

Bend has lots of activities and events, but this is definitely one of my favorites. After months of dealing with the chill of winter and the rains of spring, this festival signals the unboundness of summer.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Unbound

Word of the Day Challenge (WOTD) – Local

24 thoughts on “Summer Festival in Bend: LAPC & WOTD

  1. What a great way to do a summer weekend in Bend. I love the flourishing flower baskets and your nature inspired earrings. And I am just going to believe it is fairy dust.

  2. You’re so right Siobhan, summer DOES feel unbound doesn’t it?! Years ago we visited a Bend street festival although who knows if it was the same one. It was indeed at the height of summer. I remember because our rental VRBO had no air conditioning and it was beastly hot!!! Loved the earrings 😊 and sharing an event that spells summer in the best of ways.

    • Thanks, Tina! Yes, it can get hot here in the summer. I didn’t used to care about AC at rentals, but now I do!

  3. Beautiful day in Bend, Oregon. Summer is amazing. So many experiences when the weather’s nice enough to enjoy being outdoors.

  4. Pingback: Weekend Sky #109 – July 29th – Blog of Hammad Rais

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