Winter at River Bend
2026-11-21 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago)
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
Trails are still open to the public.

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

Bagels & Birds
2026-12-05 10:00 - 11:00
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.

Storytime with a Naturalist
2026-12-05 11:00 - 12:00
Saturday, December 5, 11am-12pm
Free, all ages
Winter Weather!
Come listen to stories about winter weather. Then partake in a free craft.

Little Sprouts Winter Weather
2026-12-07 09:30 - 11:00
December 7, 9:30am-11am
birth-5 year olds, with an adult
$5/member, $10/nonmember, adult is free.
Explore winter at River Bend through sensory play, observation, and storytime! Dress to be outside.

Homeschool: Amazing Astronomy
2026-12-07 13:00 - 15:00
Kinder-5th grade
$5/member, $10/non-member
While we won’t get a chance to look into the real night sky, there is still so much to explore about space. We’ll cover the planets and stars as we learn all about astronomy.

Stewardship Saturday Buckthorn and Biochar
2026-12-12 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-12-12 13:00 - 15:00
Saturday, December 12; 10am-12pm or 1pm-3pm
Free, all ages with an adult
Help River Bend manage buckthorn by burning it to create biochar, a nutrient and carbon-rich soil amendment. Please dress for the weather.

Lunch & Learn: Aquatic Plants of Minnesota Lakes
2026-12-17 12:00 - 14:00
Adults
$5 members, $10 Non-members
Courtney Schirmers, DNR Aquatic Botanist, will join us virtually for the program. She will provide a glimpse beneath the waves at the diversity of aquatic plants found in Minnesota lakes, including common, rare, and unique species. Learn about why aquatic plants are important, how to identify common species and groups, and hear about what plants have been documented in lakes in the Faribault area.

Recycled Holiday Card Making
2026-12-19 10:00 - 12:00
Saturday, December 19, 10am-12pm
$5 member/ $10 non-member
all ages
Come enjoy a relaxing Saturday making cards for your loved ones from recycled materials!

Homeschool: Winter Solstice
2026-12-21 13:00 - 15:00
Monday, December 21, 1pm-3pm
K-5th grade
$5 member, $10 non-member
Come celebrate the shortest day of the year! We will discuss why the winter solstice occurs and how it affects all living things.
