(Graphic courtesy of Deschutes Public Library)
Evoke a bittersweet yearning for the past guaranteed to warm the heart. Learn about Barbie’s role in society and enjoy singalongs from the 1960s onwards. Explore nostalgic games for all ages and screen the documentary about the world’s last Blockbuster. Discover beloved roadside attractions along Highway 97 and teens can take home a blast-from-the-past craft kit. All programs are free and open to the public. Programs marked with an asterisk (*) require registration.
Sensational Songs from the Past
Listen and sing along to your favorite songs from the 1960s onwards. The Song Collectors, Peggy Frede and Gina Rosbrook, share a wonderful lifetime of singing, playing instruments and directing shows and concerts.
- Thursday, September 5 • 1pm Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall St., Bend
The Last Blockbuster Documentary Screening
This nostalgic documentary reveals the real story of Blockbuster’s demise and how one last location in Bend, Oregon, keeps the spirit of a bygone era alive. Followed by a Q&A with writer/producer Zeke Kamm.
- Thursday, September 5 • 5:30pm Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall St., Bend
Swift Night Out
Learn about Vaux’s swifts with Naturalist Damian Fagan as the birds circle overhead getting ready to drop into their nighttime roost in the Boys and Girls Club chimney. Registration is now full.
- Thursday, September 26 • 6pm Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall St., Bend
Teen Camp Crafts Take-Home Kit*
Keep the summer vibes going with a fun-filled kit to complete nostalgic camp crafts like friendship bracelets, Tetris magnets, pony bead keychain lizards and more. This program is intended for teens. Registration required; registration ends September 3.
- Friday, September 13 Pick up available at all library locations
Songs and Stories from the American West
Modern day troubadour and award-winning songwriter Kerry Grombacher performs original contemporary folk and Western songs. Through his music Kerry tells fascinating stories set in the landscape where he’s worked and toured.
- Saturday, September 14 • 1pm East Bend Library | 62080 Dean Swift Road, Bend
- Saturday, September 14 • 4pm High Desert Music Hall | 818 SW Forest Ave, Redmond
Route 97 20th Century Roadside Attractions
Much like the celebrated Route 66, Deschutes County had its share of roadside attractions and events that helped define mid-century travel and tourism. Join Kelly Cannon-Miller for a nostalgic trip down Highway 97.
- Tuesday, September 17 • 6pm Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall St., Bend
- Thursday, September 19 • 12pm Becky Johnson Community Center | 412 SW Eighth St., Redmond
Civics 101: Civics is for Everybody*
Revisit the importance of civic involvement to support a democracy. Judy Stiegler shares the value of the simple act of voting and Oregon’s governmental structure at the state and local levels. Registration required.
- Wednesday, September 18 • 6pm Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall St., Bend
Bayocean: Atlantis of Oregon
Hear the tale of a doomed 1900s resort near Tillamook. Author Jerry Sutherland’s latest book Bayocean: Atlantis of Oregon is more than a history, it is the biography of a time and place, as well as the people who built it.
- Sunday, September 22 • 12:30pm Sisters Library | 110 North Cedar St., Bend
- Sunday, September 22 • 4pm Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall St., Bend
All Ages Game Night with Modern Games
Our friends from Modern Games provide a selection of fun, nostalgic games with staff support to help you discover your next favorite game. This program is for all ages and children must be accompanied by a caregiver.
- Wednesday, September 25 • 6pm Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall St., Bend
What a Doll!
Join us on a trip down Memory Lane and learn how Barbie’s stylish clothes and her hundreds of jobs over the decades reflected the societal values of the times. Share your favorite Barbie memory or even show your own Barbie!
- Thursday, September 26 • 11am Sisters Library | 110 North Cedar St., Bend
Women and the Oregon State Insane Asylum
Now called the Oregon State Hospital, Oregon’s first official state insane asylum opened in Salem in 1883. Join Rebekah Averette to hear the surreal and peculiar reality of women patients from 1900-1910.
- Thursday, September 26 • 6pm Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall St., Bend
For more information about these programs, please visit the library website at deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats or auxiliary aides) should contact Liz Goodrich at lizg@deschuteslibrary.org or 541-312-1032.