If you live in the Northwest,
you know there is always something fun and exciting to experience no matter the
season. This includes winter with all the incredible cold weather recreation
activities that abound across the state. If you are a visitor here during the winter,
you are for a great time no matter where you choose to go or what you choose to
do. Festivals are a great way to connect with a destination, meet the local
people and enjoy a slice of life experience. The world is full of festivals and
Oregon is no exception. We have our very own winter celebration in Bend, Oregon every February, and it is
one you won’t want to miss. Being held February 12th -14th,
Winterfest is a community festival
full of big ice, big fire, big entertainment and big art. This is one festival
that sure to chase away any winter blues and makes for an excellent long weekend
getaway.
There are two key
themes to Winterfest which make this a festival like no other in the world. Fire and Ice. We love the winter and
the ice that the cold brings, but what can you do with it at a festival? Make
art of course! On Sunday the annual Ice
Carving competition is on. This is a competition you can watch and
anticipate as ice sculptors will gather and create their magnificent, temporary
art right before your eyes. Winter would not be as fun if you couldn’t get warm,
that is where fire comes in. Winterfest is full of fire. You can keep warm
throughout the festival at one of several different Fire Pit sculptures. These
Connecting all these
fun and exciting activities together is the Ice Queen and Fire King. Each year a couple plays host to
Winterfest, helping ensure all have a wonderful time, handing out souvenirs and
taking photos with festival guests. The royal couple enter the festival on horseback
and hold court at a specially made throne. The Ice Queen and Fire King have
been known to show up all over Bend, so keep an eye for them when you are
there, you may just get a special treat!
Winterfest is also a
music festival showcasing a variety of excellent bands and musicians. You will
hear the sounds of musicians such as Colorado’s Bluegrass favorites, Honey Don’t, Emmy nominated Gangstagrass combining banjos and rap
in unexpected ways, or local Bend burlesque band, The Grand Company, and other amazing bands on the Main Stage
throughout Winterfest.
Wine aficionados
can enjoy a unique Bend experience with the Wine Walk around the Old Mill District, where wine tastings await
you along the banks for the Deschutes River.
On the thrilling side
of things, Winterfest brings you Metal
Mulisha, an acrobatic bike show, full of stunts you should never try at home,
but will be in awe to watch. You and the kids can get in on the action with the
Kids Cocoa Run and the Royal Run.
The Cocoa Run is a fun way for the kids to make their own sweet cup of hot chocolate
by running from station to station for sweet treat ingredients. Once they cross
the finish line, they get drink their own concoction. The Royal Run is an exciting
run along the Deschutes River and through the Winterfest grounds. There will be
some obstacle challenges on the way and the entire run is made more fun for
those that wear a costume, though not required, they are highly encouraged.
Other kid activities
include the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) science tent, bounce
houses and Slackline Tricks to entertain with cool acrobatic tricks on a
springy rope suspended above the ground. All weekend long you can visit the Marketplace to search for that irresistible,
one of a kind piece art you simply must have. You can also taste culinary
delights with the specialty foods and drinks available with all the food
carts at the festival.
All this and so much
more is waiting at Winterfest. And the best part of all is tickets are only $10.00 for the entire weekend. Some
events do cost additional, if you register for the wine Walk, Cocoa Run or
Royal Run, your entrance to Winterfest is included in the fee. This is one long
weekend getaway that you can easily plan for. Within Bend there are some great
places to stay as well. For a hotel with its own great brews and amazing art,
there is the McMenamin’s Old St Francis
School. McMenamin’s pubs and hotels are Oregon icons of a laid back, comfortable
lifestyle surrounded by great local food and brews. Anyone who visits Oregon is
highly encouraged to explore any one of the many McMenamin’s establishments to
get a feel that unique Oregon character, and the Old St. Francis School is no
exception. If you want to stay some place a little more refined and opulent, The Oxford Hotel in Bend’s downtown could
be just the place for you. With Mt. Bachelor so close to Bend, a bit of skiing
may be on your weekend agenda, and if so, the Seventh Mountain Inn Resort may be just the place to give you easy
access to the mountain and Winterfest. There are also several bed &
breakfast establishments in the area. With a B&B you get the comfort of home
for a reasonable cost, and often the owners are locals with some of the best insights
on what to do beyond the Winterfest celebration.
Winterfest has something
for everyone and will make an adventurous and fun weekend getaway. C.P. Trips
can help set up the ideal accommodation for you and plan your activities so you
don’t need to wait in line or worry about something selling out. If you are traveling
from outside Oregon we can also help with your flight and any other planning of
your Oregon vacation. Call us today and for a small fee we can get you on your
way to the Winter wonderland in Bend, Oregon.
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