About The Belfry
“One of the most unique event venues in Central Oregon. The most friendly place on earth!”
— Kathy Kemper-Zanck
About The Belfry
“One of the most unique event venues in Central Oregon. The most friendly place on earth!”
— Kathy Kemper-Zanck
MUSIC
COMMUNITY
SPIRITS
“By far the best live music venue in Central Oregon. Angeline’s attention to detail, and passion for live music and hospitality shine through. The house sound system is great, and they always have tasty beers and food to enjoy during the show. It’s also a great place to catch national acts in a listening environment, but don’t worry it can rock out as well. One of my favorite venues anywhere!”
— Drew Kelliher
Slide the arrow to view The Belfry in 1914 and today!
History
The beautiful stained-glass windows and charming little bell tower of The Befry, a 100+ year old church on Main Street in Sisters, are hard to miss. Built in 1914, during the early days of the small mountain town, the Belfry served as the gathering place for the Sisters Christian Church. Like many old buildings, it was sadly forgotten for a time. Over the past decades, the doors were rarely opened, and the community moved on to other pursuits. That is, until the summer of 2012 when Angeline Rhett took a look inside.
Through community action and Rhett’s creative thinking, this little old abandoned church was transformed into a retro concert venue. With the help of many through the Kickstarter campaign, Rhett transformed this gem on the corner of Main & Spruce into a diverse entertainment center and community event space.
“Absolutely my favorite music venue in Central Oregon!”
— Robine Bots
Our Story
The Belfry is the the product of community action and Angeline Rhett’s creative thinking & determination. Angeline pictured here with The Belfry’s namesake.
Like many of us, I’d always been curious about the old abandoned church on the corner near Ski Inn. In years past it was a quiet neighbor, with a few students mid-week, and a gentle swelling of community for Sunday Worship.
In September 2012 I was offered a peek inside the 100-year-old church. The moment I walked into the main hall, the building ceased to be the “old church” and in my imagination became The Belfry. Through the generosity and flexibility of the owner, we made arrangements for it to rest in my grateful hands.
The Belfry was designed to bring people together. The vaulted sanctuary, fabulous hardwood floors and colorful stained glass windows immediately capture your attention. An abundance of wood paneling and acres of orange carpet lend a retro feel that couldn’t be recreated if you tried. Add a cozy new bar, a classic basement, classrooms, a big-ass bell and you have a truly memorable multi-purpose venue.
February 2013 saw financial setbacks for The Belfry. Faced with basic infrastructure needs and unexpected overhead costs, I opted for a Kickstarter campaign to raise money. The day I was set to launch, it was brought to my attention I needed to update the historic building to meet fire, life and safety requirements.
The community comes together and construction begins to update the historic building to meet fire, life and safety requirements
In April 2013 my Kickstarter was generously funded, providing a springboard to finish the necessary projects. I will forever be grateful to all my family, friends and community who propped me up, donated and lent a hand.
In the years since then, we’ve hosted Leo Kottke, Greg Brown, Mary Gauthier, Suzy Bogguss, Peter Rowan, David Lindley, Iris DeMent, and many, many others.
We continue to create relationships fostering more amazing opportunities for the arts in Central Oregon. You’re cordially invited to attend one of our fun events or let your imagination run wild and plan your own!
The Belfry will continue to offer diverse entertainment and event space for the community of Sisters and beyond.