BEND, OR -- Welcoming Week begins in Bend Friday, designed to foster a welcoming environment for all people. Despite its name, the seventh annual series of events is actually more than two weeks long this year, running through September 28th. 

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler says there are lots of activities to choose from, "I encourage folks to go to Welcoming Week on our website, and just check those out. Those are from community organizations, different groups around town, and just a lot of things for people to learn and do and have fun; you know, movies and events, and things like that."

Kickoff events Friday include a community climbing night at Bend Rock Gym and a Spanish-language viewing of Pixar’s Up, at the Tower Theatre.

Among other scheduled activities, OSU-Cascades hosts an outdoor family movie night on September 27th, with a screening of the film Encanto.