BEND, OR -- Winterfest returns this weekend, and after two years in Redmond, it’s back in Bend at the Old Mill District.

“The Old Mill has always been our home and, you know, during the pandemic and with the construction down there, we had to make a shift to the fairgrounds and they were a great host. It was great being out there. But, you know, the vibe down in the Old Mill is just a little bit closer to what we want for that event,” Aaron Switzer, president of event organizer Lay It Out Events says, adding feedback for the location has been positive, “There's a lot of enthusiasm about our return to the Old Mill, and a lot of people who couldn't or wouldn't make the trip out to Redmond to the fairgrounds. We're expecting some pretty robust crowds down there over the course of the weekend, we'll probably see 25 to 30,000 people through the venue.”

Switzer tells KBND News there is one big change, “We are on the amphitheater stage this year. So, the concerts are going to be in the amphitheater. Before we were, as people will remember, in the gravel lot next door to that, creating our own party. But this will be in the amphitheater. That'll be new.”

Along with the live music, there are carnival rides, art exhibits, and fun runs. The event runs Friday through Sunday.