Tomorrow kicks off the biggest (and best in my opinion) of the Bend seasonal festivals: the Bend Summer Festival! (Additional details here.) Summerfest is going from 5 to 10pm Friday, 11am to 10pm Saturday, and 11am to 5pm Sunday, and takes over downtown with closures on Wall Street, Oregon Avenue, and Minnesota Avenue.

This is Summerfest’s 24th year, and as always it’s completely free to attend, to hang out, listen to all of the music playing on three different stages, and (especially if you’re a kid) participate in some of the activities taking place on the Family Fun Street. Food and drink (including beer, cider, wine, and cocktails) are not free of course, and you may choose to by something from one of the many artists and vendors on hand that turn Wall Street into an outdoor shopping promenade.

This is one of my favorite Bend events of the year (following the 4th of July) and the weather is going to be great for the weekend—in fact, it’s going to be hot, so make sure to wear sunscreen and drink lots of water. Walking around a good portion of the day in the sun on the asphalt and concrete will drain you quickly, so be prepared.

Have a great weekend!