Spring Weather Arrives in Time for Bend Festival
The NorthWest Crossing Bend Spring Festival is a kickoff to the season, getting back outdoors and celebrating nicer weather that many Central Oregonians have been waiting for.
Music, food and venues — the event has something for everyone to enjoy spring.
More than 10,000 people usually attend the festival, and this year there were probably even more, with the nice weather.
“It’s just fun and exciting, it kind of brings people together again, brings the community out,” Rebecca Stiehl, lead event organizer, said Sunday. “I think we are all tired with the cold and the winter and the snow and just ready to enjoy music and spend time together and just kind of take in all the wonderful local talents and crafts and artisans and just sharing their work with us.”
Starting off the music concerts on Sunday’s final day was Five Pint Mary.
There were many food vendors and even a kids zone.
Perhaps the most notable part of the festival: All the artists and craftspeople sharing their work. Tents were lined up all along the street with about 50 different artists and vendors this year.
From dog and cat beds, to bicycles to iron furniture, there was a little bit of everything.
Tracy Curtis is an artist who employs recycled items. She designs specialty handbags from reclaimed coffee sacks, and makes jewelry like necklaces from old guitar strings.
“I was really hoping for some spring weather,” Curtis said. “I think everybody wants to get out and just enjoy that first warmth we get, because winter can be a little long sometimes. So I decided to come here and just enjoy, and NorthWest Crossing is a great place to be.”
Curtis was working on a mitten made out of a sleeve from a recycled sweater. She hopes to attend the summer and fall festivals later this year.
Also at the Spring Festival were booths dedicated to bring awareness to living green. They debuted last year at the Bend Summer Festival, and were brought back around this season.
Many local commercial and non-profit organizations were on hand for the community to learn more about what they offer to the green lifestyle.
One of the booths was Turf in the World, specializing in artificial turf that sales representatives say has no environmental problems.
Other local businesses and non-profits at the festival included A Greener Cleaner, Chimps Inc., Habitat for Humanity, Tri-County Climate Control and the Humane Society of Central Oregon, among others.
