River Bend Nature Center

Lunch & Learn: All About Bats
2024-09-18 12:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Virtual Presentation, Lunch & Learn: All About Bats
Cost: $5 ($0 for River Bend members).
Join online or come to the nature center to watch online. The meeting link will be emailed to you on Tuesday, September 17.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 12:00-2:00pm
Topic: All About Bats
We often look at Bats with fear and creepy feelings, but they are beneficial animals that help play an important role in our ecosystem. Come learn all about bats with guest speaker, Melissa Boman with the MN DNR. Bring your own lunch and join us as we learn about a new topic each month.
Register Here

Homeschool: Prairie Pollinators
2024-09-09 13:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Homeschool: Prairie Pollinators
ages 5-12. Cost: $10/person, $5/member
Monday, September 9, 2024, 1-3pm
What are pollinators? It is just bees? Come learn about the different pollinators.
Register Here

Little Sprouts: Prairie Pollinators
2024-09-09 09:30 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Prairie Pollinators
Cost: $10/child, $5/member-child, adults attend free
Monday, September 9, 2024, 9:30am-11am
What are pollinators? Come and see that it is more than just bees! Your little sprout will learn about the natural world through nature play and exploration. Dress for the weather as a portion of the class will be outside.
Register Here

Sweet Reads Book Club
2024-09-07 14:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Sweet Reads Book Club
Teens and Adults. Cost: Free
Saturday, September 7, 2024, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Join us on the 1st Saturday of each month for a one group discussion on topics that include Environmentalism, Forestry, Wellness, Sustainability, Climate Change, Etc…
Book: Locally Laid by Lucie B. Amundsen
Join naturalist, Morgan Heier, for a discussion and refreshments.
Register Here

Storytime with a Naturalist: Seasonal Changes
2024-09-07 11:00 - 12:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Storytime with a Naturalist: Seasonal Changes
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, September 7, 2024, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Read a story with a River Bend Naturalist!
September will be focused on the changing of seasons.
Register Here

Bagels & Birds
2024-09-07 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Bagels & Birds
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, September 7, 2024, 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

River Bend Bounty
2024-08-29 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-27 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-22 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-20 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-15 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-13 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-08 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-06 09:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
River Bend Bounty in partnership with PCA

Tuesdays & Thursdays, Ages 55+
With the sun, prairie, and woodlands of River Bend Nature Center you can bring new life to your creative work.If you are a knitter, quilter, painter, artist wannabe. and/or naturalist join us to identify colors you can extract from plants, trees & minerals using it to dye natural fibers during the August Course at River Bend Nature Center(RBNC). (For Ages 55+) Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning August 1 from 9AM-11AM with a concluding event August 29th. Time tbd for the final event. Tuition: Member: $120, Non-Member: $144. (Scholarships available.) If you are a member at RBNC, contact the Paradise Center for the Arts to receive the membership tuition price!

Please register here
Thursdays, August 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th

Tuesdays, August 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th

Storytime with a Naturalist: Harry Hopper
2024-08-24 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Storytime with a Naturalist: Harry Hopper
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, August 24, 2024, 10:00 am-11:00 am
Join a naturalist for storytime on Saturdays! Free to attend.

Northfield Community Program Partnership
2024-08-23 09:00 - 14:30, 2024-08-20 13:00 - 14:30, 2024-08-20 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-08-13 13:00 - 14:30, 2024-08-06 13:00 - 14:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Northfield Community Program Partnership

Tuesdays & Fridays, Ages 10+
These programs are in partnership with the City of Northfield. Please register here for these programs.

Tuesday, August 6, 1:00-2:30 pm; Geocaching – At RBNC
Tuesday, August 13, 1:00-2:30 pm; Compass Course – At RBNC
Tuesday, August 20, 10:00-11:30 am & 1:00-2:30 pm; Archery – At RBNC
Friday, August 23, multiple sessions from 9am-2:30pm; Canoe & Kayaking – At Alexander Park, Pavillion #4

Little Sprouts: Water Fun
2024-08-19 09:30 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Water Fun
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free
Monday, August 19, 2024, 9:30am-11am
Bring your adventurous side and get a bit silly with our water fun activities. Dress for the weather, as a portion of the class will be outside.
Register Here

Member Saturday: Prairie Sweep Netting
2024-08-17 14:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Member Saturday: Prairie Sweep Netting
All ages. Cost: Free, members only program
Saturday, August 17, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Come join us for an afternoon on the prairie! Learn how to use an ID book and sweepnet, then go explore the prairie for insects that call it home.

Family Painting: Duck, Duck, Grey Duck
2024-08-17 11:00 - 12:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Family Painting: Duck, Duck, Grey Duck
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, August 17, 2024, 11:00 am-12:30 pm
Join artist Kate Langlais for a fun, free family painting program. Learn all about owls in Minnesota and how to paint them! Pre-registration is required to ensure enough supplies are available for participants. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Themes coordinate with Storytime with a Naturalist. Make a day of it and sign up for both!

Storytime with a Naturalist: What lives in the pond?
2024-08-17 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Storytime with a Naturalist: What lives in the pond?
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, August 17, 2024, 10:00 am-11:00 am
Join a naturalist for storytime on Saturdays! Free to attend. Topics coordinate with Family Painting. Make a day of it and sign up for both!

Ramble Fundraiser
2024-08-10 16:30 - 19:30 | Inn at Shattuck, 1000 Shumway Ave, Faribault, MN, 55021, United States
Ramble: Building Community Through Nature
Cost: $100 /person
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Social hour & games, dinner and fund-a-need ask at the Inn at Shattuck

Please join River Bend staff Saturday, August 10, for social hour & games, dinner and fund-a-need ask at the Inn at Shattuck. All proceeds directly support River Bend Nature Center’s mission to inspire curiosity, respect and care for nature.

Purchase Fundraiser Tickets Here

Little Sprouts: Prairie Exploration
2024-08-05 09:30 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Little Sprouts: Prairie Exploration
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child, adults attend for free
Monday, August 5, 2024, 9:30am-11am
Just outside our doors lives a world of possibilities. We’ll venture over to the prairie to see what lies in wait to be discovered! Dress for the weather, as a portion of the class will be outside.
Register Here

Sweet Reads Book Club
2024-08-03 14:00 - 15:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Sweet Reads Book Club
Teens and Adults. Cost: Free
Saturday, August 3, 2024, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Join us on the 1st Saturday of each month for a one group discussion on topics that include Environmentalism, Forestry, Wellness, Sustainability, Climate Change, Etc…
August Theme: Sustainable Agriculture
Book 1: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall-Kimmerer

Family Painting: Forest Landscapes
2024-08-03 11:00 - 12:30 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Family Painting: Forest Landscapes
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, August 3, 2024, 11:00 am-12:30 pm
Join artist Kate Langlais for a fun, free family painting program. Learn all about owls in Minnesota and how to paint them! Pre-registration is required to ensure enough supplies are available for participants. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Bagels & Birds
2024-08-03 10:00 - 11:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Bagels & Birds
All ages. Cost: Free
Saturday, August 3, 2024, 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.

Guardians of River Bend Summer Camp
2024-08-01 09:00 - 16:00 | River Bend Nature Center, 1000 Rustad Rd., Faribault, MN, 55021
Guardians of River Bend – Herons (3-5)
July 31 & Aug 1, Wed-Thurs, 9am – 4pm
$55 ($30 for members)
Come train to be a fearless guardian of River Bend. Discover the land you will protect, learn what wild plants are edible, practice survival skills and create and train with your very own sword. At the end of camp you will be an official guardian of River Bend!
Register Here
