Garden Clean Up at Franklin’s Corner Pollinator Garden
2024-05-21 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-05-28 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Franklin’s Corner Pollinator Garden, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
May 21 and May 28
9:00-10:00 AM
No registration. Just show up.
NE 9th and NE Franklin, Bend
Bring weeding tools, shovel, bucket, gloves, hat, sunscreen, water.
Franklin’s Corner pollinator garden is co-located with the community vegetable garden. The pollinator garden demonstrates waterwise landscaping with native pollinator plants. It’s maintained entirely by volunteers.

Happy Hour in the Garden
2024-05-21 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-06-04 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-06-18 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-07-02 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-07-16 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-08-06 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-08-20 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-09-03 16:00 - 18:00 and 3 more dates | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden for our ongoing volunteer work party series. In 2022, volunteers contributed over 200 hours to help keep our learning garden maintained over the growing season. We couldn’t do it without you!
This event is open to all ages and gardening abilities! No experience or tools required. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided for all who volunteer. Each event includes seasonal ongoing tasks as well as special projects as needed throughout the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to pop in for an hour or stay the whole time. No need to RSVP or commit ahead of time. (Pro tip – put the following dates in your phone calendar now – then when it pops up you can decide if it works out for you or not!)
In 2024, Happy Hour in the Garden will once again run twice a month from March through October on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 4-6pm. This schedule throughout the extent of the growing season offers meaningful volunteer experiences for all who come, and deeper care for the garden when it needs it.

Volunteer at Native Plant Giveaways
2024-06-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-06-08 09:00 - 13:00
June 1, 9:00-12:00 PM at Caldera High School (60925 SE 15th St, Bend)
June 8, 9:00-1:00 PM at Hollinshead Park (1235 NE Jones Rd, Bend)
Volunteer to hand out plants or staff the info table by completing this form. We will give away plants to 560 households this year thanks to the City of Bend, Wintercreek Nursery and Worthy Environmental. That means we need a lot of help!
Please note that there was a separate registration for plants and both dates are sold out.

SheJumps x USFS | WILD SKILLS | Junior Wildland Firefighter Day Camp | OR
2024-06-01 09:30 - 15:30
Join SheJumps & USFS Junior Wildland Firefighter for a day camp at Scout Lake Campground on Saturday, June 1st in Sisters, Oregon!

Eggshell Garden Starts at The Environmental Center's Happy Hour in the Garden
2024-06-04 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Make cute garden starts in eggshells and explore a garden!
Stop by the Environmental Center’s Happy Hour in the Garden to plant some eggshell starts, and feel free to volunteer in the Environmental Center’s learning garden afterwards (optional). This is a family friendly event – no experience or tools necessary. Beer and bubbly will be provided!
In 1989, The Environmental Center was born to inspire locals to live lighter on the planet. Their work began with a handful of people and a building in the center of Bend. Today, they’ve grown to become a regional leader in environmental education, engagement, and action. Their team works alongside people of all ages, local businesses, and elected officials to create and advocate for meaningful, lasting change.
Through unique programs and partnerships, the Environmental Center engages as many people as possible in their mission: To embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon.

Juneteenth Central Oregon
2024-06-15 11:00 - 2024-06-16 17:30 | Drake Park, 777 NW Riverside Blvd, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Get ready for the 4th Annual Juneteenth Central Oregon celebration on June 15th and 16th, 2024 from 11am to 5:30pm! Rooted in education, entertainment, and fostering a vibrant and safe environment for the community, this year’s theme, “Jubilee,” marks a joyous celebration of the emancipation of African Americans. Joined by the African and Caribbean Community, our two-day event promises an immersive experience filled with authentic African, Caribbean, and African American cuisine, art, music, and education. Embrace the cultural tapestry through enlightening educational activities, captivating entertainment, and a shared culinary journey that celebrates the diverse heritage of our communities.

2024 Annual Deschutes River Cleanup
2024-07-27 09:00 - 14:00 | Farewell Bend Park, 1000 SW Reed Market Road, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council is hosting the 28th annual Deschutes River Cleanup! Cleanup activities will take place at six different sites on the Deschutes River where volunteers will help pull invasive weeds and remove litter from the river and its streambanks. The cleanup sites are Farewell Bend Park, First Street Trail, La Pine State Park, Riverbend Park, Sunriver, and Tumalo State Park.
You will register for a specific site when you sign up. While much of the work will take place along the streambanks, we are excited to once again have several scuba divers from Central Oregon Diving and Deschutes County Search and Rescue join us this year! We are seeking fifty paddlers to support our divers on the water in the Old Mill District during the cleanup.
One week prior to the event, you will receive an email with specific site details and meeting logistics. On the morning of the cleanup, you will meet your volunteer host at 9:00 am at the site you selected. Please double-check your email to make sure you are going to the correct cleanup location. We encourage all volunteers to come prepared with sturdy shoes, a hat and sun protection, gloves, a water bottle, and snacks.
For all volunteers who register for Farewell Bend and Riverbend Park, please meet your site host at the Farewell Bend shelter at 9:00 am. There will be a brief introduction and thank you to partners and sponsors prior to cleanup activities. If you registered as a paddler, you will be partnered with a scuba diver to assist them on the water. You must bring a whistle, PFD, and a throwable safety device in order to participate on the water.
Thank you to our fabulous event sponsors: Bend Park and Recreation District, Car Stickers, The City of Bend, Confluence Fly Shop, Luno, Mt. Bachelor/Sun Country Tours, Qorvo, REI, SOLV Energy, Tumalo Creek, and Visit Bend!
The volunteer appreciation celebration will take place near Confluence Fly Shop in the afternoon following the cleanup from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. Wrap-up activities will include volunteer acknowledgment, thank you to sponsors, door prize giveaways, beverages, and food. What a wonderful way to celebrate a day of hard work and active stewardship!
The Deschutes River Cleanup is an opportunity for us to come together to steward the Deschutes River and its riparian areas. Recreation in and around the Deschutes River has led to significant impacts to the health of the river and in order to keep our river beautiful and protect water quality for fish and wildlife, the Watershed Council coordinates the Deschutes River Cleanup every year. Thank you for your support as a river steward!
REGISTER HERE

Stream Sampling on Whychus Creek
2024-08-15 08:30 - 16:00, 2024-08-16 08:30 - 16:00 | Creekside City Park, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
Sampling aquatic insects, including mayflies and stoneflies, provides important insights into the health of Whychus Creek. Volunteers meet at Creekside Park in Sisters for a sampling training, then, in teams of two to four, use nets to collect aquatic insect samples from the stream at sites along Whychus. This event is a great opportunity to learn about habitat restoration on Whychus Creek for salmon and steelhead, spend a day along less-visited reaches of the creek, and contribute to knowledge about how restoration actions are changing stream conditions.
UDWC will host our 14th annual Stream Sampling on Whychus Creek event on August 15th and 16th, 2024! This will be our 14th consecutive year collecting aquatic insect (macroinvertebrate) samples to learn about how physical habitat conditions for native trout and salmon and other aquatic organisms are changing alongside stream flow and stream habitat restoration work by UDWC and our partners.
2024 sample collection will focus on the following reaches of Whychus Creek:

Recently restored reaches at Deschutes Land Trust’s Rimrock Ranch Preserve, and at Creekside Park in Sisters;
Older restoration sites including Whychus Canyon Preserve Phase 1, Camp Polk Meadow Preserve upstream reaches, and Whychus Floodplain on National Forest lands upstream of Sisters);
Samples from unrestored, “control” reaches at Whychus Canyon Preserve; and
Samples from Alder Springs and upstream of USFS Road 6360, both affected by stream flow restoration but where no habitat restoration has occurred.

We will collect 18 samples over two days with restoration partners and community volunteers, working in teams of 2-4. You can register for one day or both at the links below:
Thursday, August 15th REGISTER
Friday, August 16th REGISTER

SheJumps x COTA x Trail Sisters of Bend l Trail Work Event l Bend, OR
2024-08-18 10:00 - 13:00 | Swampy Lakes Sno-Park and Trail Head, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Please join SheJumps as they partner with Women of COTA and Trail Sisters of Bend for a day of trail work and learning!
Whether running, hiking, mountain biking, or exercising with our dogs, hitting the trails is an important part of our lives in Central Oregon. That’s why they’re bringing together three amazing women-led groups to learn about trail maintenance and to have a little work party of their own!
When: Sunday, August 18, 2024 at 10:00 am
Where: Please join at Swampy Lakes Sno-Park (Location is subject to change based on conditions or controlled burns. Participants will be notified in advance if the location changes).
Cost: Free! (Suggested donation of $5 to SheJumps)
Details: This event will focus on education about COTA and trail maintenance. You’ll learn about drainage, sight lines, native vegetation, brushing and so much more about the trails we all use.
Timeline of Events:
10:00 am- Meet at Swampy Lakes Sno-Park
~10:05 am- Introductions and Safety Talk
~10:30 am-12:45 pm Learn as we work on trails
~12:45 pm-Wrap up and thank yous
What to Bring: Come ready to work with sturdy/closed-toe shoes, long pants and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Bring work gloves, eye protection (sunglasses or clear lenses), sunscreen/chapstick, water, lunch/snacks and a backpack to carry your things. WoCOTA will provide all tools and hard hats. This will be a fun day of learning, getting dirty, and meeting other trail friends!

Weeding at Franklin’s Corner
2024-08-20 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-08-27 09:00 - 10:00 | Franklin’s Corner Pollinator Garden, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
No registration. Just show up.
NE 9th and NE Franklin, Bend
Parking on NE Larch. Drive east on NE Franklin to NE 10th Street, turn right and proceed one block to NE Larch, turn right.
Bring weeding tools, shovel, bucket, gloves, hat, sunscreen, water. Friends and family are welcome. This is an outdoor event. We’ll cancel if it’s too hot or smoky.
Franklin’s Corner pollinator garden demonstrates waterwise landscaping with native pollinator plants. It’s maintained entirely by volunteers.

Last Happy Hour in the Garden!
2024-11-12 15:00 - 17:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Last Happy Hour in the Garden
Tuesday 11/12
3-5pm (because the sunsets at 4:42!)

Main tasks include:

Spreading woodchips
Cutting back (some) dead plants
Raking leaves to mulch garden beds and planting areas.

We have a few rakes and pruners, but a few more would be helpful, so bring these if you have them. Gloves and beverages provided.

Earth Day Fair and Celebration
2025-04-26 11:00 - 15:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
The Environmental Center is thrilled to host their family-friendly Earth Day Fair and Celebration on Saturday, April 26th, from 11:00am to 3pm. This outdoor event features and celebrates our community through music and dance performances, local food vendors, businesses and nonprofits from across the region, electric cars demonstrations, an activity zone for all ages, and more!
Interested in volunteering? Sign up here!
Earth Day Fair & Celebration 2025 Schedule
11:00am | Welcoming remarks from The Environmental Center.

11:05-11:45am | Join Teafly and the Earth Guardians for a fun, interactive storytelling event celebrating Earth Day! This magical experience invites participants to become living representations of our beautiful planet. Dress up as your favorite part of the Earth—whether it’s the lush forests, the babbling rivers, the majestic mountains, or the vibrant wildlife—and step onto the runway and into the story! Bring your imagination, your costumes, and your love for nature to share in this one-of-a-kind experience!

12:00pm-1pm | Midday will feature performances by Ollin Yolliztli PDX-Traditional Aztec Dancing, accompanied by traditional Mayan drumming led by Maya T’aan Oregon.

1:15pm-1:45pm | Community Singing with Kira Seto. Join Kira Seto of Voices Rising Community Choir in a joyful celebration of our Earth with a participatory singing experience that welcomes the natural voice and unites us all. Through the simple act of singing together, we’ll connect with the gifts and preciousness of our natural world. From soulful to silly, you’ll pick up easy-to-learn songs—from simple pocket songs to polyphonic pieces—all taught by ear in a matter of minutes. Come try it and be delighted by the beautiful sound we can make together! Bring a water bottle and your authentic self. Everyone is welcome—no experience required!

2:00pm-3:00pm | Hokule’a of Central Oregon- ”From the gentle movements of the Hula from the islands of Hawaii to the rhythmic beats of Tahiti. Hokule’a brings the islands to you through dance and live drumming, sharing our history and culture with everyone.”

11:00-3:00pm | Fair featuring an activity zone, electric vehicles showcase, garden activities, free face painting, and local food and vendors.

Earth Day Fair and Celebration
2026-04-25 11:00 - 15:00 | Alpenglow Community Park, 61049 SE 15th St OR 97702, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
An Annual Celebration of Earth And Community.
This family-friendly event will feature a lively and inclusive celebration where people of all ages are encouraged to wear costumes that showcase their favorite thing about planet Earth. The fair will feature food vendors, booths, performers and artists.
