Interpretive Center Closed for Labor Day
2025-08-30 | MN
Public Notice: The Interpretive Center will be Closed Saturday, August 30th for Labor Day Weekend. Trails remain open to the public. Enjoy!

MN Master Naturalist Instructor Training
2025-09-05 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
MN Master Naturalist Instructor Training
Ages 18+ recommended
Cost: $75, includes course materials
Friday, September 5, 2025, – In Person, at RBNC 9:00am-4:00pm
Friday, September 26, 2025 – Online 9:00am-4:00pm
Are you already a master naturalist? Want to teach the Master Naturalist course at your place of work or help places teach it? Register to become a MN Master Naturalist Instructor!
Registration and program details provided through the U of M
Register Here

Bagels & Birds
2025-09-06 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Bagels & Birds
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 10:00 am-11:00 am
Join us on the first Saturday each month. Enjoy coffee and bagels in a relaxed atmosphere while watching wildlife from the comfort of the Interpretive Center through our Windows on the Wild viewing area. Bagels provided by The Inn at Shattuck.
Register Here

Story Time: Orwin
2025-09-06 11:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Story Time with a Naturalist: Orwin the Painted Turtle
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Storytime includes a short story and coloring activity.
Register Here

Sweet Reads Book Club
2025-09-06 14:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Sweet Reads Book Club – A Book of Hope by Jane Goodall
Teens and Adults. Cost: Free
Saturday, September 6, 2025, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Come gather for an enlightening discussion about environmental-related books with eco-conscience individuals while enjoying refreshments in the interpretive center.
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Prairie Pollinators Morning Class
2025-09-08 09:30 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Prairie Pollinators Morning Class
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Monday, September 8, 2025, 9:30am-11am
Pollinators love flowers and trees. They help us grow food to eat. Join us as we explore different pollinators found in the prairie! A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Homeschool: Intro to Insects
2025-09-08 13:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Homeschool: Intro to Insects
Cost: $20/child, $10/member child
Grades: K-5th
Monday, September 8, 2025, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Topic: Intro to Insects
Students will learn about our most diverse group of animals…Insects! Activities will include sweep netting and pond dipping to learn all about insects.
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Prairie Pollinators Evening Class
2025-09-08 17:00 - 18:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Prairie Pollinators Evening Class
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Monday, September 8, 2025, 5:00pm-6:30pm
Pollinators love flowers and trees. They help us grow food to eat. Join us as we explore different pollinators found in the prairie! A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Lunch & Learn: Life of a Fish Squeezer
2025-09-17 12:00 - 14:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Lunch & Learn: Life of a Fish Squeezer
Cost: Per Non-Member $10, RBNC Members $5
Wednesday, September 17, 12:00-2:00pm, Speaker begins at 12:30 pm, bring your own lunch.
Come take a walk through a year in the life of fisheries scientists, Tyler Fellows with Waterville Fisheries. How does a person become a fishery scientist? What types of studies do they perform? Where are the best places to fish around Waterville?
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Terrific Turtles & Fabulous Frogs
2025-09-20 10:30 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Terrific Turtles & Fabulous Frogs
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Saturday, September 20, 2025, 10:30am-12pm
River Bend is home to many different turtles and frogs. They are all terrific and fabulous! Join us as we learn about the species that call River Bend home. A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Turtles & Frogs Morning Class
2025-09-22 09:30 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Terrific Turtles & Fabulous Frogs
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Monday, September 22, 2025, 9:30am-11am
River Bend is home to many different turtles and frogs. They are all terrific and fabulous! Join us as we learn about the species that call River Bend home. A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Homeschool: Intro to Monarch Butterflies
2025-09-22 13:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Homeschool: Intro to Monarch Butterflies
Cost: $20/child, $10/member child
Grades: K-5th
Monday, September 22, 2025, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Topic: Monarch Butterflies
Come join us as we learn about the life cycle of a Monarch Butterfly. As Monarchs begin their journey back to their wintering grounds, students will also participate in a survey to count specimens at RBNC.
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Turtles & Frogs Evening Class
2025-09-22 17:00 - 18:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Terrific Turtles & Fabulous Frogs
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Monday, September 22, 2025, 5:00pm-6:30pm
River Bend is home to many different turtles and frogs. They are all terrific and fabulous! Join us as we learn about the species that call River Bend home. A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Starwatch with Mike Lynch
2025-09-22 19:30 - 21:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Starwatch with Mike Lynch
Cost: $5 for ages 13 and younger, $10 for ages 14 and older.
Ages 10+ recommended
Monday, September 22, 2025, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Learn all about the night sky from the expert!
Register through Faribault Parks and Rec.
Register Here

MN Master Naturalist Instructor Training Online
2025-09-26 09:00 - 16:00 | Online
MN Master Naturalist Instructor Training
Part Two of MN Training Class
Friday, September 26, 2025 – Online 9:00am-4:00pm

National Public Lands Day
2025-09-27 09:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
National Public Lands Day
Cost: Free
Ages 10+ recommended
Saturday, September 27, 2025, 9:00am-12:00pm
National Public Lands Day
Help River Bend Nature Center control invasive buckthorn and learn about different and new management techniques!
Register through U of M . Registration Link to Come

Bagels & Birds
2025-10-04 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Bagels & Birds
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, October 4, 2025, 10:00 am-11:00 am
Join us on the first Saturday each month. Enjoy coffee and bagels in a relaxed atmosphere while watching wildlife from the comfort of the Interpretive Center through our Windows on the Wild viewing area. Bagels provided by The Inn at Shattuck.
Register Here

Storytime: Wilbur
2025-10-04 11:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Storytime with a Naturalist: Wilbur, the Hognose Snake
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, October 4, 2025, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Storytime includes a short story and coloring activity.
Register Here

Sweet Reads Book Club
2025-10-04 14:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Sweet Reads Book Club – The Nature Fix by Florence Williams
Teens and Adults. Cost: Free
Saturday, October 4, 2025, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Come gather for an enlightening discussion about environmental-related books with eco-conscience individuals while enjoying refreshments in the interpretive center.
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Colors, Shapes, and Textures Morning Class
2025-10-06 09:30 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Colors, Shapes, and Textures
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Monday, October 6, 2025, 9:30am-11am
Nature is filled with an abundance of colors, shapes and textures! In this class we’ll explore some beautiful examples of nature’s tapestry. A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Homeschool: Aquatic Ecosystems
2025-10-06 13:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Homeschool: Aquatic Ecosystems
Cost: $20/child, $10/member child
Grades: K-5th
Monday, October 6, 2025, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Topic: Intro to Aquatic Ecosystems
Students will spend time exploring all of the different aquatic ecosystems that can be found at RBNC. Time will also be spent talking about ways we can keep our waterways clean and healthy.
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Colors, Shapes, and Textures Evening Class
2025-10-06 17:00 - 18:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Colors, Shapes, and Textures
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Monday, October 6, 2025, 5:00pm-6:30pm
Nature is filled with an abundance of colors, shapes and textures! In this class we’ll explore some beautiful examples of nature’s tapestry. A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Stewardship Saturday: Native Planting
2025-10-11 10:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Stewardship Saturday: Native Planting
Saturday, October 11
Free for all ages, Ages 10+ recommended
10:00-12:00 pm
Learn about some of the restoration work being done at River Bend, then assist with native planting! This might be prairie or woodland planting.

Lunch & Learn: Minnesota Moths
2025-10-15 12:00 - 14:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Lunch & Learn: Minnesota Moths – Kyle Johnson, DNR
Cost: Per Non-Member $10, RBNC Members $5
Wednesday, October 15, 12:00-2:00pm, Speaker begins at 12:30 pm
Kyle will take you on a tour of Minnesota moth diversity, including habitat specialists, conservation concerns, and how to find and learn about moths.
Bring your own lunch and enjoy!
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Creepy Crawlers Morning Class
2025-10-20 09:30 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Creepy Crawlers
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Monday, October 20, 9:30am-11:00am
Mother nature can have tricks up her sleeve with tiny, creepy crawlers! In this class, we’ll explore her tricks and perhaps see some treats along the way. A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Homeschool: River Study
2025-10-20 13:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Homeschool: River Study
Cost: $20/child, $10/member child
Grades: K-5th
Monday, October 20, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Topic: River Study
This program will involve using seining nets to better understand what species are found in the Straight River and how they fit together to create an aquatic ecosystem.
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Creepy Crawlers Evening Class
2025-10-20 17:00 - 18:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Creepy Crawlers
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free.
Monday, October 20, 5:00pm-6:30pm
Mother nature can have tricks up her sleeve with tiny, creepy crawlers! In this class, we’ll explore her tricks and perhaps see some treats along the way. A portion of this class may be held outside. Please dress for the weather.
Register Here

Maple Syruping Afternoon Demo Program
2025-10-21 12:30 - 13:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Maple Syruping Afternoon Demo Program
Cost: $10/non-member, $5/member
Saturday, March 21, 12:30 – 1:30 pm
How does sap turn into syrup? This hands-on experience will follow the process of maple syruping from start to finish. At the end of the program, students will be able to sample the sweet syrup they helped make.
Register Here

Bats, Bones & Bonfires
2025-10-25 14:00 - 17:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Details to Come

Bagels & Birds
2025-11-01 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Bagels & Birds
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, November 1, 10:00 am-11:00 am
Join us on the first Saturday each month. Enjoy coffee and bagels in a relaxed atmosphere while watching wildlife from the comfort of the Interpretive Center through our Windows on the Wild viewing area. Bagels provided by The Inn at Shattuck.
Register Here
