An abundant schedule of enticing events and happenings awaits visitors to The Village at Sunriver this Spring and Summer, satisfying most everyone’s dining and entertainment desires. Ryan Smith of Alpine Entertainment is events and marketing promoter for The Village and expressed his enthusiasm for the prime season’s activities and the latest refurbishments.
“We’re totally rebranding, remodeling and rebuilding many of the older, existing structures, while keeping the charm of the original Sunriver Village,” he said. “Some of them have been here for decades. Owners have invested a lot of money into the projects and I’m excited for another great summer with a ton of things to do. The first phase of the new construction is starting to be completed, we’ve got new merchants, new events and a lot of the returning favorites.”
Developers at The Village broke ground two years ago with ambitious plans to revitalize Sunriver’s vital and vibrant retail core. In November 2011 they completed the total renovation of The Village Ice rink, a treasured family favorite. This will also be the new home of The Village Bumper Cars and Village Mini Golf during the seasonal summer months. Also recently complete was the extensive makeover of the Goody’s building and four other structures just south of the landmark ice cream shop.
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial Sunriver kickoff, starting May 28 with New Generations Kid’s Day In May, taking place at the Village Mall from 11am-4pm, celebrating children of all ages. Prepare for a festive day full of games, mini-golf, bumper cars, pony rides, a petting zoo and a rock climbing wall to scale. For our furry, four-legged companions, May 29 brings the fourth Annual Sunriver Dog Days In May event and its canine carnival complete with pooch-related vendors, Humane Society adoptions and even an amateur dog show.
June arrives with hopefully warmer temperatures and longer nights, ending with the Pacific Crest Sports Weekend on June 24, 25 and 26.
“It’s our biggest event in Sunriver all summer,” said Smith. “There’s a triathlon, half-marathon, marathon, 5K and 10K race and a kids Splash, Pedal and Dash contest. It’s huge, drawing thousands of spectators, athletes and their families from all over the country, being a qualifier for the Boston Marathon and the Ironman Triathlon Series.”
Red, white and blue will be the colors of choice on Independence Day for the 45th Annual Fireman’s Picnic also at The Village Mall. Friends and neighbors can feast on a delicious BBQ, play old-fashioned Fourth of July games and enter the family bike parade which rolls from the Sunriver Resort into The Village Courtyard.
Starting on July 9 and running through August sixth, the popular Family Summer Concert Series makes its return, this year changed from Sunday to Saturday nights from 7-9pm. Smith has gathered a phenomenal lineup of musicians featuring the talents of Portland’s own, The Hit Machine, Bend’s bluegrass pickers, The Moon Mountain Ramblers and the incredible Hawaiian crooner, Bill Keale, just to name a few.
Moving into August, the 34th season of the Sunriver Music Festival brings a bounty of world-class artists to the High Desert beginning August 7-17, with six scheduled concerts total, three at Sunriver Resorts Great Hall – two classical perfomances and a piano recital by the Van Cliburn gold medalist, Hoachen Zhang.
Continuing the same month, the Sunriver Art Faire August 12-13 at The Village at Sunriver delivers a tantalizing array of creative expression.
“This is our second year for the event and it’s doubled in size,” Smith said. “We’ll have over 50 juried artists in all media from painting and photography to pottery and sculpture. It’s a fundraiser for the Sunriver Women’s Club and sure to attract an eclectic blend of visitors. There will also be live music, interesting food vendors and an Art of the High Desert Talent Faire.
All of The Village events are free to attend and suitable for families and all ages.
“This is a perfect time to reaquaint and rediscover all that Sunriver has to offer,” reminded Smith. “The Sunriver Country Store will be fiinished sometime early this summer with a total remodel inside and out. Its grand opening is slated for Memorial Day weekend. And also set for this summer, they’ll be completing building number five, which will function as a combination office and retail space. We have a bunch of new tenants already signed in – Flowers at Sunriver Village, Tumbleweed Toys, The Artists Gallery and others relocating and expanding from former locations. It’s going to be a fun, action-packed summer with something for everyone.”
For more information about redevelopment, leasing opportunities, a complete directory of merchants and a comprehensive summer event profile visit villageatsunriver.com or call their management office at 541-593-8704.
