wednesday 11

Comedy Pet Theater

PET SHOW—Dogs on scooters? Cats on ladders? This is better than YouTube! Gregory Popovich , the son of Moscow circus performers, hosts a colorful, energetic and truly silly and jaw-dropping vaudeville show. 7 pm, Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall, $25-$35.

friday 13

Christmas Kayak

BOATS—The most dedicated boaters in Bend gather on the river for a cold-weather polar bear-esque paddle. With holiday-decorated vessels (folks go all out with trees, lights and red and green PFDs) the spirited crew will depart from Tumalo Creek and Kayak at 3:15 pm. Join in or watch from the banks. Very festive, very Bend. 4 pm. Deschutes River in the Old Mill. Free.

friday 13

Danny Barnes

MUSIC—One of America's mostly highly regarded banjo players, Danny Barnes is smart, soulful and eclectic—his solo career is a mashup of genres, shaken and stirred with his folksy charm. Also, he has an album called "Pizza Box," which is awesome. Matt Sircely and the Moon Mountain Ramblers open. 8 pm. Belfry, 302 E. Main St. Sisters. $10.

friday 13 – sunday 15

Dirksen Derby

OUTSIDE—The seventh annual snowboard rally race is more than just a hooligan-style downhill event in which competitors scream down a banked course side-by-side—it's a weekend-long party. Friday: Broken Board Art Auction (6 pm, Domino Room); Saturday: all-day racing and film "Go Boardin' " (6 pm, Patagonia @ Bend); Sunday: more racing and after-party downtown (all night, Velvet). $45. Register on site at Mt. Bachelor.

saturday 14

Andy Frasco

MUSIC—Andy Frasco and the UN move at double time. Heck, maybe even triple time. Fast tempo ragtime, layered with squawking saxophones, honky-tonk piano riffs and swing-time drum rolls create a wonderfully woozy, head-spinning, spin-a-roma of jazz. 11 pm. Astro Lounge, 939 NW Bond. $5.

saturday 14

12 Bands of Christmas

MUSIC & CHARITY—Twelve hours of partying for a good cause. A benefit for Operation Elf Box, which gives gifts to children who might not otherwise be so lucky. The day-long event features food, drinks, elves, prizes, Handsome Santa, Bad Santa, Real Santa and 12 bands! For more information about donating visit operationelfbox.com. 11 am-11 pm. St. Clair Place Building, 920 NW Bond St. Free.

saturday 14

Winter Beer Festival

BEER—At the first ever event, expect all the standard winter warmers from your favorite local and regional breweries (more than 15 of 'em) as well as a collection of experimental, boozy and completely radical new creations, like Crux's Oud Freakcake, GoodLife's Yukon Cornelius and 10 Barrel's Beer Nog (See page 31). 2-8 pm. GoodLife Brewing Company, 70 SW Century Dr. $10 entry includes glass and five drink tickets.

sunday 15

LEGO League Robotics Tournament

SCIENCE—LEGO ROBOTS! This round, the competition theme is "Nature's Fury," an exercise in solving problems after natural disasters. Kids aged 9 to 14 go head-to-head, with the best LEGO- machine engineers advancing to the championship tournament in Hillsboro in January. What are these kids competing for? World domination. 9:30 am. Mountain View High School, 2755 N.E. 27th St. Free.

sunday 15

The Armstrong Lie

FILM—Remember when everyone loved Lance Armstrong—the man who beat cancer, survived brain surgery and went on to win the Tour de France an unprecedented seven times? Filmmaker Alex Gibney was one of those people, but after revelations of Armstrong's drug-riddled cycling past, Gibney transformed his behind-the-scenes doc from puff piece to expose (See pg. 37). 9 pm. Tin Pan Theater, 869 NW Tin Pan Alley. $6.

wednesday 18

Naomi Hooley & Rob Stroup

MUSIC—Are the Dixie Chicks a musical genre? Plucky ditties and equally plucky high-toned string picking that often accents songs with whistling and harmonized "oh-oh-oohhh's?" Well then, certainly Naomi Hooley's sweet-tenored vocals and heart-longing songs fall squarely in that category. 7 pm, McMenamins, 700 NW Bond St. Free.