Balloons Over Bend Starts Friday

There is a fascination with watching colorful hot air balloons rising at sunrise in the Central Oregon sky with the backdrop of the Cascades and the high desert landscape. Starting this Friday, the annual Balloons Over Bend festival will run through Sunday offering daily sunrise launchings of the hot air balloons, Night Glow Friday evening in Bend and Saturday evening in Redmond, plus many fun activities for the whole family during the day. The planned schedule is as follows:

Friday July 28, 2023

• Balloon launches at Sunrise at RE Jewell Elementary School
• Balloon blast kids race at COCC
• Bend Night Glow at COCC

Saturday July 29, 2023

• Balloon launches at Sunrise at RE Jewell Elementary School
• Redmond Night Glow and Brewfest at the...

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Its hard to believe that after living in Bend Oregon since 1985, we finally attended our first 4th of July Pet Parade. This event has been a Bend tradition since 1924, only missing 1943 due to the Second World War and 2020-2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We arrived early for our seats at 9:00 am with the parade beginning at 10:00 am.  By the time the parade arrived, it is estimated there were well over 10,000 people either participating in the parade or watching it. The pets involved were mostly dogs, but we also saw rabbits, guinea pigs, snakes, lizards, goats, sheep, ponys and horses. Lots of partiotism and fun for everyone. 

Five Bend Premier Real Estate Brokers Work on All Women Built Home

On Thursday, May 9th, five Bend Premier Real Estate women Brokers worked on an all women built Habitat for Humanity Home. Diane Lozito, Kelly Johnson, Liz Shatterly, Jacque Martini Roberts and Sherry Ortega all worked hard installing windows, setting trusses, removing bracing and helping with construction clean up. After their day, the new owner of the Habitat Home is one step closer to the American Dream of home ownership.  Congratulations, ladies, on a job well done!

Pronghorn Resort Offers New Lodging Options

Huntington Lodge, Pronghorn's long anticipated newest overnight lodging option, is opening soon. We were fortunate to experience the 104 room lodge prior to its grand opening in an invitation only soft opening as they work out the bugs.

The windy road to Pronghorn off Powell Butte Hwy ends at the Pronghorn gate house were we were greeted by the gate house attendant who asked where we were going. Obviously he notified Huntington Lodge as the two check in attendants  greeted by name as we walked in the door.  The main entry at the lodge is spacious with check in immediately to the right and concierge services to the left (the concierge was not staffed but we are sure they will be active during peak seasons). Directly in front is the bar where Pronghorn staff were working with the bartenders to "test" the menu; unfortunately none of these tests were available for anyone else to try!

Immediately past the bar, the glass opens to the outside deck were a large fire pit invites many to gather and enjoy the sunset and early evening. We met other Pronghorn employees and a few locals at the fire pit and watched the sun set past the new pool. This is a beautiful setting and I am sure guests at Huntington Lodge will enjoy this experience daily.

Our room on the 2nd floor was just past the bridge that overlooks check in and the bar. Although fairly basic, the room had a nice Illy coffee maker and a back lit mirror in the bathroom. Spa robes and slippers were also available to us, nicely folded and ready for use in our room.

It is exciting to have Huntington Lodge open after so many years. We are sure visitors to Pronghorn will enjoy the experience. But there is a secret not being discussed by the staff - a secret which lies directly under the lodge. There is a lava tube large enough to host events currently accessed by a very steep ladder. But keep the secret until Pronghorn is ready to tell us all!!

High Desert Classics Start Today

The Oregon High Desert Classics, the major fundraiser for J Bar J Boys Ranch, starts today and runs for the next two weeks. The event brings in over 600 horses and 3000 professionals and amateur competitors from all over North America. The show provides for premier hunter/jumper competitions and includes two $25,000 Grand Prix's, National and International US HJA Hunter Derbies and other fun events.

The Classics are held on the 40 acre J Bar J Ranch and offers vistas of the snow capped Cascades and six grass rings, four schooling rings, onsite barns, specials events and vendors. There is no cost for attendees to watch the events.

The Oregon High Desert Classics provides funds for J Bar J Youth Services, a nonprofit organ...

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