OUT Central Oregon

We promote inclusivity and visibility for LGBTQ+ people and allies by developing events and activities to enable and foster community engagement through partnerships with businesses, government entities, and other organizations.

We bring community together. We developed the first LGBTQ+ ski weekend (Winter PrideFest) at Mt. Bachelor/Bend in 2018, with about 750 participants in 2020. Winter PrideFest includes a weekend of winter sports activities, social gatherings, and panel discussions on inclusivity in outdoor activities. We produced the first ever Bend Pride 5k in 2019 with over 425 runners/walkers. In 2020, we established the You Are Welcome Here sticker program to allow businesses and individuals to show their inclusivity by displaying a progress flag sticker (we have distributed over 15,000 of these stickers worldwide). Our partnership with BendFilm - called Out in Focus - brings queer film to Central Oregon. A monthly night out at Dogwood Cocktail Cabin (with free HIV information and testing provided by Deschutes County Health). We support other LGBTQ+ organizations and activities (rock climbing, Drag shows) by promoting their events through our extensive social media reach. We promote community wellness with information on providers of PrEP, HIV care and information, and transgender resources.