For the People, By the People | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon

For the People, By the People

Bend Roots Festival is back and needs the community's help

Jenny Taylor

Ever since the cancellation of last year's Bend Roots Revival at Century Center, organizers of the arts and music festival have been in problem-solving mode. This spring, that work paid off with the announcement that the popular event would return in 2013 with a serendipitous new venue and a new look in September.

Pakit Liquidators on Bend's east side has long been a favorite local spot for bargain hunters, artists, DIY remodelers and the like to unearth old window frames, various household fixtures and other vintage items from a treasure trove of goods warehoused on the sprawling rustic grounds. These finds attain new life in a piece of art, an updated bathroom or as up-scaled decorations. Fittingly, this is where the Bend Roots Revival will also be, well, revived.

In 2012 Bend Roots was a casualty of growing concerns over noise-ordinance restrictions as well as issues raised by other area business neighbors about the safety of cramming all those people and cars into the complex. It became clear that the event would need to be moved.

"We took the same model we used at the Century Center and dropped it down onto some new stages," said organizer and local musician Mark Ransom. "The biggest challenge is making Pakit safe."

The festival is put on by Rise Up International, a global music and arts nonprofit. The three-day event typically attracts a few thousand visitors. That's a lot of people to pack into a space known for clutter and jagged edges around every corner. According to Ransom, there's a plan for that.

"We could really use help because Labor Day weekend we are going to be doing loads from Pakit to the dump with a trailer on Saturday," said Ransom. "On Sunday we're going to organize shelving, putting things in resale areas that are tighter."

Sunday's gathering is expected to include stage building. On Sunday evening there will be a barbeque and Ransom says a jam session is not out of the question.

More than 30 local bands are scheduled to appear on six stages at Bend Roots, including favorites MOsley WOtta, Wilderness, Grit and Grizzle, and The Rum and The Sea. And for a festival with tons of local cred for being the it get-together of the year, Ransom hopes the community will rally to make sure it happens.

"Bands that are confirmed, if they want to play on a stage and not in the dirt they should come down and give us a hand," said Ransom. "We want people to have ownership in the creation of [the festival]."

Bend Roots Revival Pakit Clean-Up

9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, and Sunday, Sept. 1

Pakit Liquidators | 903 SE Armour

For more information visit

www.riseupinternational.com/roots-festival

Ethan Maffey

Both a writer and a fan of vinyl records since age 5, it wasn't until nearly three decades later that Oregon Native Ethan Maffey derived a plan to marry the two passions by writing about music. From blogging on MySpace in 2007 and then Blogspot, to launching his own website, 83Music, and eventually freelancing...
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