Oregon WinterFest returns to Redmond Fairgrounds with live music, local vendors and apple blooms

Sunday is third, final day of event

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The 2023 Oregon WinterFest, dubbed by organizers as "the Northwest's largest winter celebration" has returned to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds and Expo Center this weekend.

During a Saturday walk-through, you could observe tons of different vendors, many local and some from outside the area. A few businesses caught the eye of NewsChannel 21.

Six Stix Gourmet Pretzels, a dipped-pretzel company that hails from Oregon City, offers over 200 flavors of dipped pretzel sticks, including bacon ranch jalapeno, dill pickle, and fruity pebbles. The fan-favorite flavor in Central Oregon? Animal cookie.

Six Stix owner Dynasty Potter said, "These are not all of our flavors -- we have over 200 flavors. We range from sweet to spicy to alcohol-flavored. I'm more of a sweet person, just don't ask my ex! So yeah, we get creative in the kitchen. We do the Smith Rock Harvest Fest over here. Animal cookie seems to be our most popular flavor over here."

But perhaps their most famous offering is their caramel apple blooms, and you can fill the inside with your favorite candy and nuts, and top it off with whipped cream.

Right across the way from Six Stix was something else you may have never seen before, Freeze-Dried Candy.

Freeze Dried Candy "volunteer" and husband of the owner, Charles Green, says freeze-drying candy was never something he intended to do.

After his wife bought a freeze dryer in 2020, the family tried freeze-drying natural foods for active-duty soldiers facing food insecurity. After unsuccessful attempts at a number of different foods, Charles' kids suggested something else.

"So my wife had to figure out something with the freeze dryer that would help us out with what we're trying to do, which is help soldiers out," Charles recalled. "So she started with the freeze-dried candy, as our kids suggested candy is the best way to go."

If you're more into savory than sweet, "We're the Wurst" is a local sausage supplier based in Redmond that also serves smoked fish, has you covered.

We're the Wurst owner Matthew Fidler told KTVZ Saturday, "I get to meet new customers. I get to make customers for life. I'm of the opinion that if you try my product, you'll agree that it's superior. And that's the goal -- find those customers, make them, retain them."

If you're not feeling hungry just yet at the fest, Ablis CBD offers drinks with all the medicinal benefits of marijuana, and no THC. Event staff member Mackenzie Schonback had high praise for the Bend company.

Schonback said, "They are a local company, locally owned. They source everything as local as possible, they hire locally. It's an established Bend family."

Last but surely not least, if you're feeling a bit spicy (or a lot), Newks Hot Sauce, based in Portland, also popped up at WinterFest on Saturday, offering five different flavors of hot sauces.

The founder and owner of Newks, Jake Newcomb, said that a trip to Mexico after being laid off due to the pandemic inspired him to launch his own business.

"I was coming back from a trip from Mexico, inspired by a lot of the street food and sauces there, made a flavor, got it launched via Kickstarter, got into some farmers' markets, -- and then, within a couple years, we are here."

You have one more chance to check out the ice carving, light art, fire pit and sculptures and of course, food and beverage vendors. 

Oregon WinterFest opens for its third and final day on Sunday at 11 A.M., wrapping up at 5 o'clock.