Pickin' & Paddlin' at Tumalo Creek Featuring Wayward Vessel

Tumalo Creek’s Annual Pickin’ & Paddlin’ Summer Music Series has grown from a couple of bluegrass pickers singing songs to kayakers on the back deck of the Tumalo Creek shop to an all-out festival atmosphere that feels like a party the whole town is invited to. The third event is August 28.

Over the years, more kegs were tapped, more musicians took the stage, and most importantly, more money was raised for the non-profit Bend Paddle Trail Alliance.

The third event of the series takes place on August 28 on the back lawn of Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe with live music and boat demos. Admission is $5 and children 12 and under are free.

Come early from 4–7pm to demo boats and stand up paddleboards on the Deschutes River. Both manufacture’s representatives and Tumalo Creek’s expert staff will be on hand to get you comfortable in your future boat and get you safely out on the water. Even if you have never been paddling before, this is a great opportunity to try out the sport in a supportive and fun atmosphere.

The music starts at 5pm with a local opener. At 7pm Portland-based bluegrass band Wayward Vessel will take the stage. (These guys are Telluride favorites!) Bill Oskay of Big Red Studio says, “Wayward Vessel…a fresh new voice on the NW bluegrass scene. Full of memorable melodies, varied instrumental colors and good picking.”

Pickin’ & Paddlin’ raises money for the Bend Paddle Trail Alliance, a local organization who has been working for nearly a decade to transform the Colorado Dam into a whitewater playpark. This fall, Bend Parks & Rec Bond Measure 9-86 was passed by the residents of Bend: this Bond will fund most of the reconstruction of the dam into a safe passage for tubers and floaters. But the work is not over yet: The BPTA must now raise $900,000 to build the whitewater features that will complete the park, and they need your help. The whitewater park will become an invaluable amentity which will be enjoyed for generations to come, and is predicted to bring in millions of visitor dollars into our economy.

Mark your calendars for this year’s Pickin’ & Paddlin’ Music Series, and look forward to uniting with new friends and old, swapping paddling stories, and enjoying and evening by the river.