thursday 16
Sara Watkins
FIDDLE MUSIC—Former Nickel Creek fiddler and adorable-as-a-button Sara Watkins has been touring since she was 8. Wholesome, down-to-earth, and more than a touch sexy, Watkins, now 32, is a veteran musician, producing addictive songs that are a pinch Irish jig and a heaping teaspoon summer lullaby. 7:30 pm. Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St. $23.
friday 17
Crux Brewmaster's Dinner
BEER/FOOD—One of the best things about being a Beer Town, USA? Fine dining comes with beer! Crux Fermentation Project Brewmaster Larry Sidor (former brewmaster at Deschutes Brewery) and Pronghorn's chef Kevin Linde team up for this multicourse meal featuring local produce, pork belly with cherry gastrique, potato-crusted scallops, cedar plank salmon and pot de crème, all paired with five of Sidor's best brews. 6:30 pm. Pronghorn Club & Resort, 65600 Pronghorn Club Dr. $75.
saturday 18
Pole Pedal Paddle
RACE—What is 37 years old and has six legs, two poles and two wheels? OK, so that's a really bad Pole Pedal Paddle joke, but we do encourage participation in this radical Bend-centric event. We also encourage spectators; the most exciting spots to watch are the leg changes and the sprint to the finish line! Racers will leave the starting line at staggered times from 9 to 11:30 am. Mt. Bachelor, 13000 Century Dr. A festival with music and vendors follows at Les Schwab Amphitheater. Entry fees $50-$200; free to spectators.
saturday 18
Keb' Mo'
Starry Nights Benefit Concert
MUSIC—Keb' Mo' (slang for Kevin Moore) is a three-time Grammy Award-winning postmodern blues artist—a cross between Robert Johnson and BB King. He combines Delta blues basics with contemporary influences like Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. This acoustic performance benefits the Sisters Schools Foundation. See the Sound page. 7 pm. Sisters High School, 1700 McKinney Butte Rd. $35.
sunday 19
Blackstrap
MUSIC—One of our favorite local bands, Blackstrap, plays some old-fashioned sit-and-listen-for-a-spell bluegrass. Can't think of a more pleasant soundtrack to a Sunday evening on the warm patio at Broken Top—pint in hand as the sun goes down—than these guys. 7 pm. Broken Top Bottle Shop & Ale Café, 1740 NW Pence Ln., Ste. 1. Free.
monday 20
Central Oregon Beer Week
BEER—Not surprisingly, Bend was voted No. 7 on CNN's list of the top eight beer towns in the USA — the smallest city on the list. We love beer so much that we have a whole week to celebrate our craft brew culture, and even that's not enough! The event stretches eight days! Beer Week events include brewery tours, special tappings and takeovers, live music, beer-related educational events, and the ever-important hangover breakfasts. See a full list of events at centraloregonbeerweek.com.
monday 20
The Quiet American
MUSIC/WORKSHOP— This husband-and-wife duo are the best thing to come out of Hood River since Double Mountain Brewery poured its first Vaporizer pale ale. Aaron and Nicole Keim combine ragtime, gospel and bluegrass for a straight-up American, back porch jam session sound. The roots revivalists will offer a finger-style ukulele workshop before their concert. 6 pm. Kelly D's Irish Sports Bar, 1012 SE Cleveland Ave. $10-$20.
tuesday 21
Pepper
MUSIC—Pepper may not be completely original, borrowing heavily from the punk-ska of the '90s—Sublime and the SoCal heavy-downbeat sensibility of the Red Hot Chili Peppers—but who cares? Those are great musical role models, and Pepper does them justice. 9 pm. Domino Room, 51 NW Greenwood Ave. $23.
wednesday 22
Jake's Diner's Annual Race Night
CARS—There's more to love about Jake's Diner than the bigger-than-your-face flapjacks. Owners Lyle and Judy Hicks are also dedicated to community service and hosting big fat family-friendly events featuring tons of rad cars. Race night features a bbq, dragsters from the Madras speedway and a car show. Cue engine revving... 5:30 pm. Jake's Diner, 2210 NE Hwy 20.
wednesday 22
Bend Bicycle Film Festival
BIKES—The Central Oregon Trail Alliance presents documentaries, comedies, stop-action creative pieces and live-action cycling shorts — all produced locally. Proceeds benefit Bend Endurance Academy, a local nonprofit offering programs in cycling, Nordic skiing and rock climbing. What's more Bend than that? See the Outside page. 7 pm. Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St. $12-15.
