Energize Bend Public Comment Workshop
2026-02-04 16:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | 805 SW Industrial Way 5, Bend, OR
In a time when our government has hardly been more dysfunctional, kick off February with a healthy dose of civic engagement 🙂‍↔️
We are working to pass a Climate Pollution Fee with the City of Bend. Join the Energize Bend team to learn about how this fee would be passed, and how to make a public comment. After our workshop, we will go to City Council and make our comments! You can expect pizza, learn what a public comment is, how to write a testimony, and right after the workshop, we encourage you to join us at City Hall and put your new skills into practice! Need more knowledge on Energize Bend? Check us out!
Can’t join us but want to sign the petition? https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/pass-a-climate-impact-fee

Mountainfilm on Tour - Bend: Night One
2026-02-06 17:30 - 21:30 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join us for Mountainfilm on Tour – Bend—an annual fundraiser for The Environmental Center.
Each year, The Environmental Center brings Mountainfilm on Tour to Bend to showcase incredible documentary films, thoughtfully curated for our Central Oregon audience. This film event features stories of adventure, climate change, culture, and resilience from around the world.

Doors open at 5:30pm, films begin at 6:30pm.
Same lineup both nights
All films will be captioned in English.
ASL interpretation will be available both evenings.

BLACK HISTORY EMPOWERMENT RETREAT
2026-02-07 09:00 - 14:00 | COCC Redmond, 2324 NE College Lp, Redmond, OR, 97756 , United States
A student-led retreat — with breakfast and lunch provided — that explores creativity and resilience, wellness, and personal branding/business acumen. Includes a powerful conversation with OSU-Cascades’ Human Development professor Shandell Landon. *Priority registration for students

Moutainfilm on Tour-Bend: Night Two
2026-02-07 17:30 - 21:30 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States

FILM SCREENING: TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM
2026-02-10 18:00 - 20:30 | Wille Hall, Coats Campus Center, Central Oregon Community College, Bend, 2600 Northwest College Way, Bend, OR, 97703, United States
An intimate portrait of Toni Morrison, Nobel- and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, editor and cultural force, from her upbringing in Lorain, Ohio, to the front lines of activism. Stay for a rich discussion led by COCC English professor/Humanities chair Stephanie André

Forged in Fire: The Volcanic Activity that Shaped Oregon’s High Desert
2026-02-11 07:00 - 20:00 | OR
Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series continues as we uncover the dynamic geologic forces that created eastern Oregon’s stunning landscapes. Dr. Ellen Bishop, author, photographer and geologist, will discuss a recent geological discovery linking the formation of Oregon’s high desert rock formations with the Yellowstone hotspot. Come learn more about how iconic high desert sites came to be, including Steens Mountain, the Owyhee Canyonlands and many others, in this photography-rich and visually engaging presentation.

Nature Nights: Caring for Our Rivers and Streams
2026-02-18 19:00 - 20:30 | OR
Streams and their surrounding lands are critical to Central Oregon’s plants and animals, from trees and flowers to elk and the tiniest bugs. This is just one reason the Deschutes Land Trust has a deep focus on caring for and restoring the streams and meadows on lands that we’ve protected. Join our own Restoration Specialist, Jason Grant, as he discusses the importance of streams and floodplains, the efforts the Land Trust and our partners are undertaking to promote long-term strength of those habitats through restoration, what results we’ve seen so far, and how these results inform future projects. Jason will share how our collective work can ensure these essential habitats are thriving long into the future. This presentation is free and ticket sales open one month prior to the event.

VIRTUAL

Everyday Revolution: Building a World of Respect, Ijeoma headshotDignity and Liberation
2026-02-24 18:30 - 21:00 | OR
Join acclaimed author and speaker Ijeoma Oluo for a powerful keynote conversation on transforming the world through everyday action. Drawing from her latest book, Be a Revolution, Oluo will challenge us to reimagine activism—not as a distant ideal, but as a daily commitment to respect, dignity and liberation. This event will celebrate the transformative power of everyday people working toward justice—and invites us all to take part in creating lasting, nonviolent change.

How Water Moves Through Central Oregon: From Snowpack to Streams, Farms, and Faucets
2026-02-25 18:00 | OR
This Raise the Deschutes seminar explores the basics of how water flows through Central Oregon, from precipitation and winter snowpack to rivers, groundwater, farms, and municipal systems. We’ll break down the differences between surface water and groundwater, why timing matters as much as volume, and how seasonal conditions shape water availability across the basin. Designed as an accessible, big-picture overview, this conversation provides shared context for understanding water challenges and opportunities in Central Oregon—now and into the future.

BLACK HISTORY DINNER CELEBRATION
2026-02-28 17:00 - 19:00 | Wille Hall, Coats Campus Center, Central Oregon Community College, Bend, 2600 Northwest College Way, Bend, OR, 97703, United States
An inspiring dinner event honoring the strength, brilliance and legacy of Black women whose resilience continues to move communities forward. Curated and emceed by COCC Afrocentric students.

A Tribal Family History of the Wadatika’a Band of Northern Paiutes
2026-03-11 07:00 - 20:00 | OR
The final event of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series features Dr. Diane Teeman, an archaeologist, scholar and tribal elder of the of the Wadatika’a Band of Northern Paiutes. Dr. Teeman will share the history and culture of her family and discuss her work as an anthropologist. She will also highlight the deep connection between cultural traditions and environmental conservation within the Tribe. Ryan Houston, ONDA’s executive director, will briefly highlight the current steps ONDA is taking to conserve Oregon’s high desert in partnership with local Tribes.

Nature Nights: The Water Remembers
2026-03-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Amy Bowers Cordalis (Yurok)—attorney, author of The Water Remembers, and Executive Director/Co-Founder of Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group—for a talk on the largest dam removal and river restoration project in world history. Amy will share the story of the Klamath River, from its creation teachings and Indigenous stewardship to the devastation caused by colonization, hydropower dams, and the 2002 fish kill. She’ll reveal how generations of Klamath Basin Indigenous Peoples combined ceremony, legal advocacy, grassroots action, and strategic partnerships to win a historic $515 million settlement, leading to the removal of four dams and the return of more than 400 miles of salmon habitat. Amy will explore how Indigenous rights, cultural values, and ecosystem restoration can reshape policy, strengthen democracy, and deliver real climate solutions. Her message is one of resilience and hope: the water remembers, the fish remember, and together, we can renew the world. This presentation is free and ticket sales open one month prior to the event.

Repair Cafe with School of Ranch & Open Space
2026-04-02 17:00 - 19:00 | Open Space Event Studios, 220 NE Lafayette Ave, Bend, OR, 97701, United States

Pedal for the Planet
2026-05-02 08:00 - 12:30 | OR
Get ready to roll for a greener future! 350 Deschutes is excited to introduce Pedal for the Planet, our brand-new community bike ride and fundraiser happening Saturday, May 2, 2026. Join us in Bend as we hit the trails of beautiful Central Oregon to celebrate the outdoors, connect with neighbors, and support local climate action.
This fun community bike ride features a paved 12-mile loop starting and ending at Farewell Bend Park, traveling along the scenic Haul Road Trail and Rim Rock Trail to the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station and back. For families with little ones, the shorter Logger Loop (1.33 miles) offers a relaxed, family-friendly option—perfect for walking or riding together. Registration is open for both individuals and families, and bike rentals will be available, so everyone can join in!
This ride is more than just a day of cycling—it’s a movement for change. Every mile you pedal helps fund 350 Deschutes’ ongoing climate work, from advocating for clean energy to building a more sustainable Central Oregon. So grab your bike, bring your friends, and be part of the very first Pedal for the Planet. Let’s make this a tradition that keeps our community active, inspired, and committed to protecting the spaces we love.
