I was searching online to find out more about next week’s Day of the Dead Cyclocross Festival and found that while there is an official Facebook page, Visit Bend really has the best online resource for the upcoming event.

Is it a cyclocross race? Is it an art festival? Is it a cultural celebration? Yes!

On October 28, 2011, Bend will play host to the inaugural “Day of the Dead Cyclocross Festival.” This amazing event will include the famous Halloween Cyclocross Crusades, the acclaimed Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show, the third annual Cross Culture Art Celebration, a cultural celebration showcasing the “Dia de los Muertos” holiday tradition, and much more.

In addition to the schedule and details for each of the various aspects of the Festival, Visit Bend also has printable PDF versions of the schedule and the course map available.

The events span Halloween weekend, kicking off on Friday the 28th and lasting through Sunday the 30th. And of course since it’s the holiday weekend there are plenty of Halloween tie-ins as well; many of the events and parties are “costume encouraged”.

One detail I don’t see on the Visit Bend page is about the “Cross Culture: Bike + Art Love” event, which takes place Friday evening (the 28th) in downtown Bend:

Cross Culture matches artists and local businesses for a special event exploring Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the cultural celebration of the lives and memories of the deceased.

The Cross Culture Caminata offers a unique interpretation of the Dia de los Muertos tradition of parading through the streets with shrines and altars. Rather than watching the art move past, participants are invited to walk from one art installation to the next while meeting a talented line-up of local artists hosted by downtown Bend businesses.

Event passports with a detailed map will be available at Visit Bend and all participating locations. Visitors who collect all the stamps will gain FREE entry to the Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show on Saturday or Sunday, October 29 – 30.

Sounds like it’s going to be a fun and busy Halloween weekend!