River Bend Nature Center

Summer Camp - Adventure Is Out There! Outdoor Sports (5-8th grade)
2023-07-24 08:30 - 2023-07-25 16:00 (America/Chicago) | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Adventure Is Out There! Outdoor Sports (Gr 5-8)
July 24 & 25, M-Tue, 8:30am – 4pm *Note Adventure Camps start a half-hour earlier than other River Bend Camps
$75 ($50 for members)
Live on the wild side! This camp is jam-packed full of exciting outdoor activities such as archery, rock climbing, canoeing, and kayaking that your camper will surely love!
Bring a lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email. Within the month following registration, you will receive an additional email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. These forms can also be found here.

Summer Camp - Adventure Is Out There! Ology Camp (5-8th grade)
2023-07-26 08:30 - 2023-07-27 16:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Adventure Is Out There! Ologys Camp Grades 5-8
July 26 & 27, Wed/Thurs, 8:30am – 4pm *Note Adventure Camps start a half-hour earlier than other River Bend Camps
$75 ($50 for members)
Learn all about the different areas of science that are interesting to you! Explore the science of zoology as you visit the Minnesota Zoo to encounter animals from all over the world and learn how the Zoo contributes to animal conservation. On day two, learn about geology, astronomy, archeology, and more as you touch and investigate the Bell Museum’s expansive natural history collections and visit the planetarium.
Bring a lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email. Within the month following registration, you will receive an additional email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. These forms can also be found here.

Summer Camp - Meadowlarks& Herons (K-5) Splish, Splash!
2023-07-31 09:00 - 2023-08-01 16:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Meadowlarks & Herons (Grades K-5) Splish, Splash!
July 31 & August 1, Mon-Tues, 9am – 4pm
$55 ($30 for members)
Join us as we submerge ourselves in the world of water. From the ecosystems around River Bend to the water coming out of our faucets, campers will learn all about the ways we interact with and protect our clean water.
Bring a lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email. Within the month following registration, you will receive an additional email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. These forms can also be found here.

Northfield Community Ed Orienteering
2023-08-08 10:30 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Tuesday, August 8, 10:30 – 12:00 pm
Register at https://northfieldschools.org/communityeducation/
Hosted at River Bend Nature Center, we are partnering with Northfield Community Ed to bring you fun and exciting programs this summer! You’ll learn how to use a map and compass to learn basic orienteering skills and to explore River Bend Nature Center!

Factfulness - A Book Conversation
2023-08-08 15:00 - 16:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Factfulness – A Book Conversation with Jan Mitchell
Tuesday, August 8, 3:00-4:00pm
FREE Event!

Factfulness, by Hans Rosling identifies 10 reasons why many people are wrong about the world, and how things are better than you think. Reading the book is not required, but would contribute to the conversation. Come find out why a prominent expert on global health is convinced that trends in environmental conditions, women’s education, child labor, literacy and many other fields are improving. He also explains why well-informed people are taking too grim a view of conditions. Light refreshments will be provided.

Northfield Community Ed Geocaching
2023-08-14 12:30 - 14:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Monday, August 14, 12:30 – 2:00 pm
Register at https://northfieldschools.org/communityeducation/
Hosted at River Bend Nature Center, we are partnering with Northfield Community Ed to bring you fun and exciting programs this summer! You’ll learn how to use a GPS unit to locate “Treasure” hidden around River Bend Nature Center and beyond!

Stewardship Day: Kiosk Repair
2023-08-15 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Stewardship Day: Kiosk Repair
All ages. Cost: Free
Tuesday, August 15, 10:00 am-11:00 am
Help clean and repair our informational kiosks.

The Study of Black Bear Hibernation
2023-08-16 12:00 - 14:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Lunch & Learn
Cost: $10 ($5 for River Bend members).
Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 12:00-2:00pm
Topic: The Study of Black Bear Hibernation: Translational Aspects for Human Medicine with guest speaker Paul A. Iaizzo PhD FHRS
Bring your own lunch and join us as we learn about a new topic each month.
Bio of Guest Speaker
Paul A. Iaizzo, PhD FHRS (iaizz001@umn.edu) is a Professor in the Departments of
Surgery, Integrative Biology & Physiology and the Carlson School of Management, at
the University of Minnesota. He also serves on the graduate faculties in Biomedical
Engineering, Neuroscience, Integrative Biology & Physiology, Biological Science,
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology and Mechanical Engineering. He is the
Director of the Malignant Hyperthermia Diagnostic Center and Medtronic Professor of
Visible Heart ® Research. Additionally, he is the Associate Director and Medtronic Chair
of the Institute for Engineering in Medicine, also at the University of Minnesota. He
earned both MS and PhD degrees (Focus: Physiology/Neurophysiology) from the
University of Minnesota. His main research focus is translational systems physiology,
where his research group does a broad range of studies. The Visible Heart ® Laboratories
are well known for their multimodal imaging techniques of functional cardiac anatomies
and device testing within large mammalian hearts, including human: see the Atlas of
Human Cardiac Anatomy (http://www.vhlab.umn.edu/atlas/). Other research areas
include: cardiac pacing and ablation, muscle pathophysiology and biophysical properties,
thermoregulation, black bear hibernation, 3D computational modeling and printing and
educational uses of virtual reality. In 2002, he was acknowledged as a “Distinguished
University Teaching Professor”. Since 1990, he has trained over 200 graduate students,
postdoctoral fellows, and medical students in his laboratories. Dr. Iaizzo, has authored
more than 280 original articles, over 100 book chapters, edited 5 books, and is on
numerous patents related to medical devices. In 2012, he was named to College of
Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) for
“outstanding contributions to research and education in translational systems physiology
and cardiovascular engineering”. In 2015 he was named a Fellow of the Heart Rhythm
Society and in 2016 was made a Senior Fellow of IEEE.

Northfield Community Ed Canoe/Kayak
2023-08-17 09:00 - 14:30 | North Alexander Park, 1816 2nd Ave NW, Faribault, MN, 55021, United States
Thursday, August 17, 9:00 – 2:30 pm
Register for a 1-hour session at https://northfieldschools.org/communityeducation/
Hosted at North Alexander Park in Faribault, River Bend Nature Center is partnering with Northfield Community Ed to bring you fun and exciting programs this summer! For all ages and skill sets, River Bend staff will teach you the skills you need to know before heading out on the water for some canoeing and kayaking. Meet at North Alexander Park in the parking lot next to the Cannon River, entering the park off of 2nd Ave NW on to Alexander Drive.

Stewardship Day: Kiosk Repair
2023-08-19 10:00 - 11:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Stewardship Day: Kiosk Repair
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, August 19, 10:00-11:30 am and 12:30 – 2:00 pm
Help clean and repair our informational kiosks

45th Anniversary of Building Community through Nature; Ramble Fundraiser
2023-08-25 17:00 - 20:00 | Inn at Shattuck, 1000 Shumway Ave, Faribault, MN, 55021, United States
45th Anniversary of Building Community through Nature; Ramble Fundraiser
Fundraiser Dinner: $75/person
Friday, August 25, 2023, 5:00-8:00 pm
at The Inn at Shattuck, 1000 Shumway Ave, Faribault, MN 55021
River Bend’s annual fundraising event is Ramble. Please join River Bend staff and supporters on Friday, August 25, for a dinner and live auction at the Inn at Shattuck. All proceeds directly support River Bend Nature Center’s mission to help people discover, enjoy, understand, and preserve the incredible natural world around us.

Little Sprouts
2023-09-11 09:30 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts, an adult/child class for ages birth-5. There are planned educational exploration activities with a different theme each week. Dress for the weather, as most of the course will be outside.
Beginning in the fall, classes will be held on Mondays from 9:30-11:00 am with pop-up Saturdays.
Monday, Oct 30: Colorful Leaves – As summer ends and fall arrives, leaves begin to change to brilliant shades of yellow, red and orange. Come and learn about colorful leaves and see if you’ll find more!
Monday, Nov 13: Rocks Rock! – Rocks rock because they come in so many different types of colors, textures and can be dull or crystals! Come and explore how fascinating rocks can be!
Monday, Nov 27: Clouds and Weather – With winter arriving, clouds gather and the temperature begins to drop. Rain soon begins to fall as snow. Come learn about clouds and weather at different times of the year.
Monday, Dec 4: Animals of Minnesota – Winter is a great time to see wildlife as you can easily track who has been where in the snow. Let’s discover what animals call Minnesota home.
Monday, Dec 18: Snow Fun – Playing in the snow is so much fun and you can do so many things with it, from sledding to snow angels, snowman or snowballs, the fun is endless! And just like you and me, no two snowflakes are alike. Join us and have some snow fun!

Homeschool Classes
2023-09-11 13:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Homeschool Classes: River Bend Nature Center invites all learners, grades K-5th, the opportunity to experience all of the seasons at River Bend! Classes are held on the second Monday of the month from 1pm-3pm.
Monday, September 11: Prairie Pollinators – From beetles to butterflies and bees, many animals visit prairie plants. Come learn about what pollination is and why it’s important!
Monday, October 9: Birds, Beak to Tail Feathers – Come learn all about how to identify birds, the adaptations different birds have, and how/why some birds migrate for the winter.
Monday, November 13: Orienteering – Looking to do more exploring in the wilderness? Come learn the art of the compass, and use it to navigate off trail.
Monday, December 11: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – With increasing populations and some limited resources, we must learn to use our resources wisely. Come learn about ways to reduce, reuse or recycle items you purchase on a regular basis.

Archery for Beginners
2023-09-16 11:00 - 12:00
Archery for Beginners: Did you know archery is one of the oldest sports still practiced today? Bring your family to learn the fundamentals of archery. Practice shooting at stationary targets, play exciting games, and participate in challenges as you develop your skills. The NASP archery equipment provided for this program was sponsored by a No Child Left Inside grant through the Minnesota DNR.
Saturday, September 16, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Ages 10+, $15/person, $10/member

Archery II
2023-09-16 12:30 - 13:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Archery II – Do you already know the basics of archery and want more practice with the help of an instructor? Practice shooting at stationary targets, play exciting games, and participate in challenges as you develop your skills with an instructor. The NASP archery equipment provided for this program was sponsored by a No Child Left Inside grant through the Minnesota DNR.
Saturday, September 16 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Ages 10+, $15/person, $10/member

Fall Lunch & Learn Series
2023-09-20 12:00 - 14:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Fall Lunch & Learn Series: Join us every 3rd Wednesday of the month from 12:00-2:00 pm for a featured guest speaker. Bring your own lunch and learn about the topic of the month.
September 20: Sodexo with guest speaker Lexi Vanderlinde
October 18: Butternut Canker with guest speaker Melanie Moore. Butternut Canker Disease and selection of Resistant Hybrid Butternut trees US Forestry Service
November 15: Squirrels with guest speaker Charlotte Devitz
Cost: $10 ($5 for River Bend members).

Bagels & Birds
2023-10-07 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Bagels & Birds
10:00 am – 11:00 am
All Ages
Cost: Free!
Join us for bagels from The Inn at Shattuck on the first Saturday each month Fall through Spring.

Nature Notebook
2023-10-07 11:30 - 13:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Nature Notebook – Drop by the nature center anytime between 11:30-1:30, to make your very own nature notebook to take on adventures outside! No need to register.

Saturday, October 7, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Cost: FREE!, All Ages

Storytime with a Naturalist
2023-11-04 11:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Storytime with a Naturalist – Join us for nature story time and free play!

Saturday, November 4 , 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cost: FREE!, All Ages

Trash to Art
2023-11-18 10:30 - 13:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Trash to Art – Turn trash into art! Use materials that would otherwise be disposed of (cleaned) to create beautiful works of art.

Saturday, November 18, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
Cost: FREE!, All Ages

Storytime with a Naturalist
2023-12-02 11:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Storytime with a Naturalist – Join us for nature story time and free play!

Saturday, December 2 , 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cost: FREE!, All Ages

Storytime with a Naturalist: The Mitten by Jan Brett
2023-12-16 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Storytime with a Naturalist: The Mitten by Jan Brett – Join a River Bend Naturalist as they read “The Mitten” by Jan Brett, then make your own “mitten” with animals to stuff inside!

Saturday, December 16 , 10:00 – 11:00 am & 12:30-1:30 pm
Cost: FREE!, All Ages

"Hoppy New Year!" Storytime with Harry Hopper
2024-01-06 11:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
“Hoppy New Year!” Storytime with Harry Hopper
Celebrate the new year with animal ambassador, Harry Hopper. Learn what makes the Grey Tree Frog a cool animal!
Free for all ages . Saturday, January 6 . 11:00-12:00 pm

Homeschool: Kitchen Science
2024-01-08 13:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Homeschool: Kitchen Science
Kitchen science will be filled full of fun experiments using safe ingredients found in your kitchen. Prepare to get a little messy and have lots of fun!
Monday, January 8, 2024
1pm-3pm, K-5th Grade
Cost: $10/person, $5/member

Turtley Awesome Storytime with Orwin!
2024-01-20 11:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Turtley Awesome Storytime with Orwin!
Have a turtley awesome day with animal ambassador, Orwin. Learn what makes the Painted Turtle a cool animal!
Free for all ages . Saturday, January 20 . 11:00-12:00 pm

Drop-In Papermaking
2024-02-03 11:30 - 13:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Drop-In Papermaking
Saturday, February 3, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Cost: FREE!, All Ages

Create upcycled greeting cards as you learn how to make homemade paper from a River Bend Naturalist.

Sweet Reads Book Club
2024-02-03 14:30 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Sweet Reads Book Club
February Topic: Earth Eras
Saturday, February 3, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Teens and Adults
Cost: Free!
Book 1: Here Be Dragons: How the Study of Animal and Plant Distributions Revolutionized Our Views of Life and Earth
Book 2: The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being: Evolution and the Making of Us
We’ll meet the 1st Saturday of each month to have a one group discussion on a book. Refreshments provided. Please register by filling out this form.

Homeschool: Maple Syruping & Survival Skills
2024-02-12 13:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Homeschool: Maple Syruping & Survival Skills
Learn about how real maple syrup is made, and how to survive in the wild!
Monday, February 12, 2024
1pm-3pm, K-5th Grade
Cost: $10/person, $5/member

Luminary Hike
2024-02-15 18:00 - 20:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Luminary Hike
Thursday, February 15 6:00 – 8:00 pm
All ages, 5 & under free
Cost: $10/member, $15/member with snowshoe rental;
$15/non-members, $20/non-members with snowshoe rental
Must pre-register for this event with a specific entry time

With or without snow, come on out to River Bend and enjoy an illuminated evening hike! Hot cocoa will be provided! Participants are welcome to bring their own snowshoes.

Growling Good Storytime with Sammy!
2024-02-17 11:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Growling Good Storytime with Sammy!
Have a growling good time with animal ambassador, Sammy. Learn what makes the Tiger Salamander a cool animal!
Free for all ages . Saturday, February 17 . 11:00-12:00 pm
