River Bend Nature Center

Lunch & Learn: The National Wild Turkey Federation
2026-09-16 12:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Lunch & Learn: The National Wild Turkey Federation and Restoring Wild Turkeys in Minnesota
Cost: $5/member, $10/non-member
Adult Learning, 18+
Wednesday, September 16, 12:00-2:00pm
Steve Misvaer, Regional Director NWTF and Linden Anderson, Minnesota DNR and NWTF Volunteer, will be discussing the NWTF’s past, present and future turkey restoration efforts as well as a discussion on the efforts to reintroduce wild turkeys to Minnesota over the past century. This presentation will cover both the challenges and successes, as well as the lessons learned throughout the restoration process. It will feature insights and stories from one of the individuals involved in Minnesota’s trap-and-transplant program.
Guest Speaker begins at 12:30 pm. Bring your own lunch and enjoy!
Register Here

Watershed Wide Cleanup Day
2026-09-19 09:00 - 12:00 | MINNESOTA
With Clean River Partners!
Saturday, September 19, 9am-12pm
Join Clean River Partners for their largest volunteer event of the year – a fun morning connecting with neighbors and cleaning up our parks and natural areas. When they say “watershed-wide”, they mean it. You can find cleanup sites in the following places: Cannon Falls, Faribault, Lonsdale, Northfield, Owatonna, Red Wing, and Waterville.

Little Sprouts: Pond Life
2026-09-21 09:30 - 11:00 | MINNESOTA
September 21, 9:30am-11am
birth-5 years old, with an adult
$5member/$10 non-member; (adult is free)
Explore what lives in the ponds at River Bend through sensory play, observation, and story time! Dress to be outside.
Little Sprouts is an educational exploration class filled with activities of a different theme each week. Dress for the weather, as most of the class will be outside.

Homeschool: Rad Reptiles
2026-09-21 13:00 - 15:00 | MINNESOTA
Monday, September 21, 1pm-3pm
K-5th Grade students
$5/member, $10/non-member
Help us round up some reptiles! Students will get a chance to explore all of River Bend’s cold-blooded scaly friends.

Bagels & Birds
2026-10-03 10:00 - 11:00 | MINNESOTA
All ages, Free!
Free program on the first Saturday of the month. Join us for bagels while watching birds through the windows on the wild viewing area.

Story time with a Naturalist: Autumn Time!
2026-10-03 11:00 - 12:00 | MINNESOTA
Saturday, October 3, 11am-12pm
Free, all ages
Come listen to stories about the changing of the seasons. Then partake in a free craft.

Little Sprouts: Colorful Leaves
2026-10-05 09:30 - 11:00 | MINNESOTA
Monday, October 5, 9:30am-11am
birth-5 year olds, with an adult
$5/member, $10/nonmember, adult is free.
Explore the different colors of fall at River Bend through sensory play, observation, and storytime! Dress to be outside.

Homeschool All About Trees
2026-10-05 13:00 - 15:00 | MINNESOTA
Monday, October 5, 1pm-3pm
Kinder-5th grade
$5/member, $10/non-member
This program will have students learning what makes trees so special. From roots to leaves, there is so much to cover! Please dress for the weather.

Stewardship Saturday: Tree Planting
2026-10-10 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-10-10 13:00 - 15:00 | MINNESOTA
Saturday, October 10, from 10am-12pm and/or 1pm-3pm
free, all ages with an adult are welcome
Help River Bend’s forests thrive for another 50+ years! We will be tree planting in a designated area to help complete resource work for a grant. Please wear close-toed shoes, and dress for the weather.

MEA Break Camp- Minnesota Animals
2026-10-15 09:00 - 16:00 | MINNESOTA
October 15, 9am-4pm
K-5th grade
$15 members & MN educators; $30 nonmembers
Turtles, salamanders, and snakes, oh my! Meet these animal friends and learn about more Minnesota Animals while exploring River Bend. Please pack a lunch and dress to be outside.

MEA Break Camp- Forts and Fires
2026-10-16 09:00 - 16:00 | MINNESOTA
Friday, October 16, 9am-4pm
K-5th Grade
$15 members & MN Educators; $30 nonmembers
One of the Summer camp favorites is back this fall! Your kids will have a blast with friends learning survival skills such as fort-making, fire-building, and navigation.

Family Nature Art
2026-10-17 10:00 - 12:00 | MINNESOTA
Saturday, October 17, 10am-12pm
all ages
$5 members, $10 non-members
Learn about fun ways to make art with things found in nature! Staff will guide you on a short walk to collect items, then return to the nature center and let your imagination run wild!

Little Sprouts: Creepy Crawlies
2026-10-19 09:30 - 11:00 | MINNESOTA
Monday, October 19, 9:30am-11am
Birth to 5-year-olds, with an adult
$5 members /$10 nonmembers; adults are free
Explore what creepy crawlies live at River Bend through sensory play, observation, and story time! Dress to be outside.

Homeschool: Fall Leaves
2026-10-19 13:00 - 15:00 | MINNESOTA
Homeschool Fall Leaves
Monday, October 19, 1pm-3pm
K-5th Grade
$5 member, $10 non-member
Just as the fall colors peak, students will get a chance to explore this colorful phenomenon. Learn why some trees turn yellow, orange and red, while enjoying the autumn scenes.

Lunch & Learn: Motus Wildlife Tracking System
2026-10-21 12:00 - 14:00 | MINNESOTA
Wednesday, October 21, 12pm-2pm
Adults
$5 members, $10 Non-members
The Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus) is a global network of researchers that uses radio telemetry to track hundreds of species of migratory wildlife to understand their movements across the landscape. The Minnesota Zoo and Audubon are working together to expand the Motus network in Minnesota. With funds from the State’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, we are installing a dozen new Motus stations along important corridors such as the Minnesota River Valley and north shore of Lake Superior- including a new station just installed at River Bend Nature Center! Join us to learn more about this important initiative and how the technology is being used for the conservation of imperiled wildlife.

Bats, Bones, & Bonfires
2026-10-24 14:00 - 17:00 | MINNESOTA
Saturday, October 24, 2pm-5pm
all ages, costumes encouraged!
$10 per member car/ $20 per non-member car
Bring your family for an afternoon of fun! There will be: horse-drawn wagon rides, live animals, a bonfire with s’mores, games, trick-or-treat bags and more! Costumes are encouraged!

Little Sprouts: Rocks Rock!
2026-11-02 09:30 - 11:00 | MINNESOTA
Monday, November 2, 9:30am-11am
birth-5 years old, with an adult
$5member/$10 non-member; (adult is free)
Explore the magic of rocks at River Bend through sensory play, observation, and story time! Little Sprouts is an educational exploration class filled with activities of a different theme each week. Dress for the weather, as most of the class will be outside.

Storytime with a Naturalist
2026-11-02 11:00 - 12:00 | MINNESOTA
Saturday, November 7, 11am-12pm – Rocks Rock!
all ages, free.
Listen to children’s stories about MN geology/rocks and then partake in a free activity!

Homeschool: Geology Study
2026-11-02 13:00 - 15:00 | MINNESOTA
Monday, November 2, 1pm-3pm
K-5th Grade
$5 members, $10 non-members
Come study the earth! We will take a look at the history of the earth and how rocks and minerals are formed.

Bagels & Birds
2026-11-07 10:00 - 11:00 | MINNESOTA
Free program on the first Saturday of the month. Join us for bagels while watching birds through the windows on the wild viewing area.

Biochar Volunteer Lead Training
2026-11-14 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-11-14 13:00 - 15:00 | MINNESOTA
Biochar Volunteer Lead Training
Saturday, November 14 from 10am-12pm or 1pm-3pm
Learn and help in the biochar efforts at River Bend! Learn the skills and knowledge needed to lead other volunteers in the biochar process. After training, you will lead other volunteers during biochar days. Lead volunteers are available weekdays and/or Saturdays. Dress in pants, long sleeves, and closed-toe shoes. Training will take place outside; please bring a water bottle.

Homeschool: Fossil Exploration
2026-11-16 13:00 - 15:00 | MINNESOTA
K-5th Grade students
$5/member, $10/non-member
Help us uncover River Bend’s history by looking for fossils! Learn all about the ancient creatures that used to call this area home.

Lunch & Learn: Lichen Love- Learning Minnesota's Lichens
2026-11-19 12:00 - 14:00 | MINNESOTA
Wednesday, November 19, 12pm-2pm
adults
$5 members, $10 non-members
Learn the fundamentals of lichen biology, ecology, and identification with published lichen author Tanner Barnharst. In this interactive session, you will get hands-on time with dozens of Minnesota lichen samples and learn how humans have been using lichens for thousands of years! In this two-hour session, you will spend 30 minutes eating lunch and conversing with Tanner and fellow lichen-curious folks, participate in an hour-long active learning session, and finish with 30 minutes for questions and free time with the lichens.

Winter at River Bend
2026-11-21 10:00 - 11:30 | MINNESOTA
Saturday, November 21, 10am-11:30am
all ages
$5 member, $10 non-member
As winter settles in, there is still plenty to discover at River Bend Nature Center! We’ll begin our adventure by meeting River Bend’s ambassador animals and learning more about the amazing wildlife that calls our area home. Then, we’ll head out on the trails for a winter hike to explore the landscape and search for animal tracks, scat, and other signs. Bundle up and join us as we discover how animals adapt to winter and uncover the hidden stories they leave behind in the woods. The hike portion will be about an hour on unpaved trails with mixed terrain.

Interpretive Center Closed for Holiday
2026-11-26 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-11-27 08:00 - 17:00 | MINNESOTA
Trails are still open to the public.

Interpretive Center Closed for Holiday
2026-11-28 08:00 - 17:00 | MINNESOTA
The trails are still open to the public.

Bagels & Birds
2026-12-05 10:00 - 11:00 | MINNESOTA
December 5, 10am-11am
free, all ages
Free program on the first Saturday of the month. Join us for bagels while watching birds through the windows on the wild viewing area.
