Enjoy the Annual Bend Fall Festival…

This year will be the sixth year for the Bank of the Cascades Annual Fall Festival in Bend, Oregon. It will be held on Oct. 7th and 8th. Saturday hours will be 11am - 10pm and on Sunday the show will run from 11am to 7pm. As usual, it will take place on the closed off streets in downtown Bend.

Visitors will celebrate the harvest season with music, fine art, microbrews in the "Grove Garden," crafts, food booths, wine, family and children's activities. There will be a large pumpkin patch with a pumpkin carving contest, and a pumpkin pie competition. There will also be a scarecrow contest. Live entertainment will be going on all day and evening. Hayrides will also be offered.

Aside from the harvest festival itself, there are many things to do in downtown Bend. You'll want to visit the many galleries, try out some of the eateries featuring many varieties of cuisine, and visit the unique shops. Bend's art community is very important to all of Oregon and you'll find wonderful and unusual pieces of art in their shops and art galleries. Some of Oregon's best artists will also have artwork at the arts and crafts booths at the festival also. There is a Cycle Cab Historical Tour of the Downtown and Old Mill areas. Check the Deschutes County Historical society, located at 129 Idaho Ave. for maps and details. You'll also find several microbreweries in this area. There is a Candlelight Dinner Theatre Cabare, offering both lunch and dinner piano bar and Cabaret performances.

While you're there, also take time to visit the Deschutes County Historical Museum, located only three blocks from the downtown area. Call 541-389-1813 to verify days/hours they're open.

The High Desert Museum is a "must see" and like no other museum I've ever visited. It has 100+ wildlife species living on the grounds and they have daily shows and demonstrations with them. Their indoor exhibits depict life as it was on The Oregon Trail along with other exhibits about the Plateau Native Indians. Look at life in the high desert when you visit their Desertarium. Here you'll see collared lizards, pallid bats and a Lahontan Cutthroat trout. There are various walking trails with benches to relax on throughout their outdoor exhibits. You'll visit a settler's homestead and watch the settlers chat with you as they go about their daily chores. Their steam-powered saw mill works daily cutting pine logs into boards. Check out their website at www.highdesertmuseum.org for dates/time of their various shows.

The Lava River Cave, about 15 miles from Bend, is also very interesting. It's chilly, close to 40 degrees down in the cave so be sure to dress warmly. Above ground, you'll find big lava flows and the large lava tubes (tunnels) which show the ancient earth movement in this area. However, it's usually open only during the summer season but they might have winter hours on the weekends. Visit their website at www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/newberrynvm.shtml for details.

The Mt. Bachelor Village Resort and Conference Center offers a variety of lodging options within every budget for your stay. They have traditional hotel rooms, the River Ridge Executive Suites, the River Ridge Condominiums with full kitchens with one, two or three bedrooms, or Ski Houses which are smaller condos. Finally, there are the River Ridge Suites, which are also 1,2 or 3 bedroom condos with full kitchens, living rooms with gas fireplaces, and private hot tubs. Resort amenities include three swimming pools, two wading pools, Jacuzzi, tennis courts, basketball courts, a river walking trail, bike rentals and a gym. There is also a restaurant on the property. Meeting space for conferences and other events is also available. They're located near downtown Bend. Visit www.mtbacherlorvillage.com for more information.

If there is a group of you going, consider staying at the Bend Cottages. They have 2 bedroom cottages with a deck and including a full kitchen, all bed and bath linens, TV, VCR/DVD/CD and a washer/dryer. Although the cottages were built in 1918, they were fully renovated in 2001 and 2002 and updated with modern amenities. It's located within walking distance of many of Bend's main attractions and close to shops, breweries and restaurants. Please visit www.bendcottages.com for details.)

There is also the Sather House Bed and Breakfast. This lovely inn was built in 1911 and has been beautifully renovated to include all the modern amenities. The building is listed in both county and national registries as a historical building. Their Garden Room is especially lovely with cream-colored window treatments, a sofa covered in a flowered print, and a rather unique headboard over the king size bed. Continental breakfast is served on weekdays and a full gourmet breakfast is served at 9am on Saturday and Sunday. On warm days you'll enjoy a cool drink of their verandah furnished with wicker chairs and couches. In the winter, there is an afternoon tea provided which is absolutely delicious.

Many other motels of varying accommodation and budget levels are in Bend. Some of them include the Shiloh, Phoenix Inn and the Holiday Inn Express.

There are several campsites in the area, but the closest is the Tumalo State Park only a few miles outside of Bend. You'll find plenty in this area to keep you busy - golfing, trout fishing, scenic trails for both mountain biking and hiking or just relaxing by the river. They also have yurts and a variety of cabins available for rent. See their website at www.oregonstateparks.org.