For 28 years, Bend Summer Festival has been the unofficial kickoff of the season in Central Oregon. As our city has grown, it too has expanded to include more music, food, libations, kids activities, art and its newest addition, the Center Ring.

At the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Wall Street, the Center Ring performance space will focus on talented local performers, including aerial artists from Skills Rising, hula dancing and a special preview performance from the cast of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” this year’s Theatre in the Park show.

It wouldn’t be a festival in Bend without copious amounts of food and drinks. In the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot, you will be able to choose from a few of your favorite food carts serving everything from tacos to noodles and subs to meat pies. When you’re thirsty, check out the Deschutes Brewery “Libation Stations” dotted throughout downtown and grab yourself a brew, kombucha, cider, cocktail or glass of wine.

For those who are still too young to imbibe, there is an entire street dedicated to the art of play. The Family Fun Street offers parents and children the chance to share in the festivities with bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, a dunk tank and the opportunity to plant their own flower to take home.

If you want to soak in some music, there are three different stages with every genre to suit your mood. The Main Stage will light up with bands like Elektrapod, Juju Eyeball and Corner Gospel Explosion, while the Jazz Stage will feature Maxwell Friedman Group, Lloyd Jones Quartet and more. If strictly homegrown artists are more your speed, then you can enjoy music from bands like Coyote Willow, The Bad Cats and Jared Smith performing on the Locals Only Stage.

Rounding things out are the festival standards Bend Business Showcase, Fine Artists Promenade and the Souk for a splash of eclectic summer styles.

So break out your shades, slide on your flip-flops, fill up that Hydro Flask and don’t forget the sunscreen, because this year’s Summer Festival is heating up the weekend.