Join us for an evening that flows where art, ecology and technology meet. Explore the living systems of rivers and watersheds through a creative lens—combining natural history, hands-on art-making and board games for an immersive and relaxed night out. Play tabletop games that explore ecological balance and environmental strategy, get inspired by river science and create artwork that reflects the ever-moving currents. Celebrate the beauty and complexity of water—both on-screen and in the landscape—at this one of-a-kind event.

Learn about the maple syrup process from start to finish at this informal demonstration. Explore different tools used to collect, and hold and boil sap into sweet syrup. Ask questions, learn how to identify a maple tree and sample real maple syrup. Use your newfound knowledge to tap a tree at your home. Syruping kits are available for purchase during the program. No reservation needed; drop in anytime.

Celebrate the Big Year of Rivers by exploring a group of animals that rely on clean water throughout their life cycles. Meet Richardson Nature Center’s resident amphibians up-close. Learn about their natural history, explore and examine a variety of animal artifacts and get a chance to touch live amphibians. No reservations needed; drop in any time.

Step into the past at the Grimm Farm Historic Site to learn about life on a 19th century farm. Learn about the children of the Grimm family while helping with household chores like laundry and rug beating. Help with farm chores as we grind corn and care for the animals. Churn butter and enjoy homemade ice cream as we discover the Grimm family’s contributions to Minnesota’s dairy industry. Each day of camp meets at the Grimm Farm Historic Site in Carver Park Reserve.

Enjoy summertime at the lake. Immerse yourself in the story of young Marjorie Myers Douglas, author of "Barefoot on Crane Island"—a book about her childhood summers spent on an island in Lake Minnetonka in the 1920s. Explore the lake with a boat tour around the islands of Upper Lake Minnetonka. Go fishing from shore, swim at the swim pond and explore nature around the lakeshore. Meet live animals from Lowry Nature Center and discover the fascinating history of Lake Minnetonka.

Minnesota has a long tradition of harvesting maple sap to produce sugar and syrup. Learn how the Dakota and Ojibwe have been harvesting maple sugar long before Europeans arrived. Tap trees, gather and boil sap, and see how to turn sap to syrup and even to sugar. Participants will leave with two bags, two bag holders (used) and two spiles to tap trees at home.

Celebrate the start of spring by taking part in a centuries-long tradition at the Maple Syrup Festival! Visit the sugarbush, collect fresh sap, and explore the history and science of maple syrup. Warm up by a steaming cauldron and watch sap transform into syrup (weather permitting). Taste maple syrup, learn how to make maple sugar and enjoy syrup sundaes. Drop in anytime.

Visit the sugarbush on a small group tour and discover the world of a maple tree in spring. Tap a maple tree, delve into the history of Indigenous people who discovered the art of sugaring, visit the cauldron where sap is cooked into syrup and taste the final product.

Meet Richardson Nature Center’s resident animals up close! Learn about their natural history, explore and examine a variety of animal artifacts, and get a chance to touch live reptiles, amphibians and more!

This collaborative camp brings together naturalists from Richardson Nature Center and the University of Minnesota Raptor Center. Richardson Nature Center hosts the first day of camp. Activities include meeting resident raptor ambassadors, discovering their natural history and behaviors, learning the requirements to care for and train birds in captivity, and exploring habitats to search for wild birds. The second day includes a field trip to The Raptor Center. Campers will learn how the veterinary clinic rehabilitates and cares for injured birds and will get a behind the scenes tour of The Raptor Center’s education department to see many different species of raptors up close. Bus transportation to and from The Raptor Center will be provided.

Join us for a presentation by Dr. Mary Kosuth, an educator at Dunwoody College and research scientist at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health. This presentation will cover the history of plastic, plastic pollution and microplastic research. We will talk about what is known, what isn't known and what we can all do in the meantime. This program is part of the 2026 Big Year of Rivers Speaker Series.

Join us for a presentation by John Sheppard, Associate Professor & Assistant Director at the Center for Global Environmental Education at Hamline University. In its 90-day run from source to sea, America's magnificent Mississippi River transforms itself from a cheerful, clearwater stream to a roiling, muddy anaconda that runs 200 feet deep and floats ships from around the world. She spans a continent and across history, gathering sediment and stories. This presentation will offer highlights from the river's journey through a series of short videos and vignettes drawn from decades of interpretive storytelling by John Sheppard and Hamline University's Center for Global Education. This program is part of the 2026 Big Year of River Speaker Series.

Join us for a night of farm-to-table tastings and spirit sampling! Uncap the history of maple sugaring in Minnesota while learning the steps to brew a chocolate stout and Vienna lager, both with tastes of the maple harvest. Watch seasonal cooking demonstrations, visit spring babies in the barn and bring your own beer or wine to enjoy around a campfire. Samples will be available, including a gluten free stout!

Interested in learning about the maple syruping process? Even more interested in trying out some maple syrup samples? Join us for a sweet time and participate in the syrup making process. Learn about the natural and human history behind maple syruping before heading into the sugarbush to collect sap. See the cooking process, enjoy free smells, then head back inside for a taste of what all that work is for!

Before Elm Creek was a park reserve, these 5,200 acres were home to many different groups of people. Learn about the Indigenous people who were the first caretakers of this land. Then learn what it was like to immigrate to Minnesota as Swiss farmers and make this land home. Practice playing historical games, cook a historical recipe and travel back in time to meet some of the early settlers in this area. The camp is designed for campers who love to learn about history and use their imaginations.

Prepare at home for this exciting phenomenon with videos we provide and learn the natural history of this fascinating fowl. On the night of the program, meet on-site at dusk to stalk the "timberdoodle" off-trail. Maneuver for position in the growing darkness, then sit and listen as the male swoops and twitters in a high aerial dance, and hope he lands nearby. This is an auditory treat, with a chance for sightings.