
Events
Events Calendar
We work to create a fun and welcoming environment where people can come together, learn from each other, and make meaningful connections for the sake of clean water. Another way to stay in the loop about upcoming events is to subscribe to our digital newsletter.

John Peter Hoffman Spring Brook Valley WMA Tour
Join Great River Greening, Clean River Partners, Trust for Public Land, and the Minnesota DNR for a guided hike through the scenic John Peter Hoffman Spring Brook Valley Wildlife Management Area.
Watershed-Wide Cleanup
Join us for a fun morning of connecting with neighbors and cleaning up the watershed!
This marks our 17th year of bringing communities together across the Cannon River Watershed to clean up area parks, rivers, and lakes. And you could be a part of it! We love hosting our cleanup sites throughout the watershed, including places like Red Wing, Northfield, Faribault, Owatonna, and beyond.
Pick a cleanup site!
Cannon Falls, MN
Riverside Park - 6th St N, Cannon Falls, MN 55009 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Bathrooms, paved parking lot, paved path, seating area under pavilion.
Faribault, MN
McCullough County Park (Shields Lake) - 14398 Irwin Path, Faribault, MN 55021 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Porta-potty, gravel parking lot, gravel and dirt paths, seating area under pavilion.
Cannon River Wilderness Area, West Trailhead - 151st St E, Faribault, MN 55021 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Porta-potty,, gravel parking lot, dirt paths, seating area under pavilion.
Two Rivers Park - 14th St NE, Faribault, MN 55021 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Porta-potty, paved parking lot, some paved paths, seating area under pavilion.
River Bend Nature Center - 1000 Rustad Road, Faribault, MN 55021 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Accessible bathroom, paved parking lot, one paved path and track chair for other areas available, seating areas.
Northfield, MN
Carleton College Lower Arboretum, West Gym Parking - 1 North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Porta-potty,, paved parking lot, paved and gravel paths, no seating area.
Riverside Lions Park - 419 8th St W, Northfield, MN 55057 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Accessible bathroom, paved parking lot, paved path nearby, seating area under pavilion.
Owatonna, MN
Morehouse Park, Warsinski Chalet - 356 W School St, Owatonna, MN 55060 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Bathroom (requires steps, no ramp), portable bathroom, paved parking lot, some paved paths, seating area inside.
Red Wing, MN
Bay Point Park, Pavilion 1 - Levee Road, Red Wing, MN 55066 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Porta-potty, paved parking lot, paved path, and seating area under pavilion.
Waterville, MN
Lions Park - Corner of South 3rd St. and E. Hoosac St., Waterville, MN 55096 (view flyer)
Accessibility: Portable bathroom, street parking, some paved paths, seating area under pavilion.
Be a River Friendly Neighbor T-shirt Fundraiser
Show your commitment to protecting the Cannon River with our exclusive “Be a River Friendly Neighbor” t-shirt! This slogan was part of our logo in 1997 to encourage everyone to take responsibility for protecting local waters.
When you purchase a t-shirt, you’re not just getting a great shirt—you’re supporting the 17th annual Cannon River Watershed-Wide Cleanup and helping Clean River Partners expand our impactful work.
Join us in wearing this shirt during the Cleanup and proudly represent our mission to safeguard our rivers. Together, we can make a difference! The artwork for this campaign was created by Ava McQuain, our Community-Based Work Study rockstar from Carleton College.
Questions?
Contact Heron Mahr (they/them), our Community Engagement Manager
Email: heron@cleanriverpartners.org
Phone: (507) 200-0502
Thank you to our event supporters!

QUEERY Meetup: Welcome Hike & Nature Journaling
Join us for the first QUEERY meetup of the 2025-26 season! Together, we'll learn about the practice of nature journaling and enjoy a hike on some local, beautiful trails.

Seed Collection with Sharing Our Roots Farm
Join Clean River Partners and Sharing Our Roots as we collect a variety of seeds from prairie habitat.

National Public Lands Day Celebration
Join Clean River Partners, River Bend Nature Center, and Faribault Youth Empowerment Center as we celebrate National Public Lands Day! Together, we will remove invasive buckthorn and learn about different and new management techniques.

Nuestra Agua, Nuestras Vidas (Our Water, Our Lives)
Join Clean River Partners and HealthFinders Collaborative for an afternoon of family-friendly fun! Come support local artists, learn about water, and connect with the community!

Water Savers Storytime (Hora del cuento para los protectores de agua)
Join Clean River Partners and Northfield Public Library for a bilingual Spanish/English storytime all about water conservation!
Acompañe a Clean Rivers Partners y la Biblioteca Pública de Northfield para una hora del cuento bilingüe en inglés y español, ¡todo sobre la conservación del agua!

QUEERY Meetup: Birding
Join us for a morning of birding with local nature photographer and birder extraordinaire, Gerry Hoekstra! Together, we'll learn how to use binoculars and identify common Minnesota residents. Binoculars and field guides provided.

Pollinator Rain Garden Workshop
Attend this class and learn about the benefits of rain gardens and how to plan and install your own. You'll learn where to put your rain garden, how to choose the right plants, and what cost-share programs exist to help you pay for the project.

Growing Resilience
Spend a day with farmers discussing their experiences with different conservation management practices as they navigate the challenges of making a livelihood, accessing land and markets, and dealing with unpredictable weather conditions.

Aspen Cutting at St. Olaf Natural Lands
Join Clean River Partners and St. Olaf Natural Lands as we remove fast-spreading aspen saplings from prairie habitat. While beautiful in other ecosystems, aspens can overtake prairies, crowding out sun-loving native plants. Help restore balance and biodiversity by cutting them back.

Volunteer Day at Prairie Creek WMA: Engeseth-Ride Unit
Join Clean River Partners, MN DNR, and River Bend Nature Center as we stack and move cut logs at the Prairie Creek WMA: Engeseth-Rinde Unit.

Volunteer Day at Prairie Creek WMA: Koester Prairie Unit
Join Clean River Partners, River Bend Nature Center, MN DNR, and Friends of Prairie Creek WMA to cut unwanted trees to maintain the prairie ecosystem.

QUEERY Meetup: Farm Tour
Join us in August for a tour of a queer-run farm! We’ll go on a wagon ride, sample some fresh melon and veggies, and do a little harvesting.

Horseshoe Lake WMA Land Dedication
Join Clean River Partners, Great River Greening, and the Trust for Public Land to honor the Hruska Family's contribution of a 152-acre addition of the Horseshoe Lake Wildlife Management Area, and learn about our habitat protection and restoration efforts in Southern Minnesota.

QUEERY Meetup: Entomology
This month's meetup is all about bugs! We'll be joined by Clean River Partners' Conservation Program Manager Anna Holman, a true entomology enthusiast. Together, we'll check out pinned specimens, learn about the different biological orders of insects, and hit the trail with our bug nets.

Fish with a Naturalist
Join Clean River Partners and Native Fish for Tomorrow to fish with a naturalist at the Cannon River Wilderness Area!

Water Savers Storytime
Join Clean River Partners and Buckham Memorial Library for a storytime all about water conservation!

QUEERY Meetup: Kayaking
Join us for an afternoon on the lake! Together, we'll learn paddling skills and kayak through easy waters.


Winter Camelina Field Day
Experience a field day dedicated to proper harvest and storage techniques and equipment for winter camelina.

Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resiliency: the Northfield Riverfront and Climate
Connect with others to learn about efforts related to climate-change mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency, especially as related to the Northfield riverfront. People who are carrying out work on these topics, people who may be affected by climate change consequences near the riverfront, and others interested in learning more should attend.

Cannon River Farmer Social
Experience a field day dedicated to proper harvest and storage techniques and equipment for winter camelina.

Northfield Stormwater Poster Contest Recognition Ceremony
Clean River Partners works alongside the City of Northfield to promote community education on important topics like stormwater pollution prevention and water conservation! Our goal is to help everyone understand how their daily choices can make a big difference in water quality.
The stormwater poster contest engages students in grades 2-5 to create posters that reflect the theme “stormwater pollution solutions.”


Volunteer Day with Mountains and Waters Alliance
Join us for a fun day with Mountains and Waters Alliance! We’ll dive into the benefits of biochar, pull some invasive plants, and keep the biochar burn going. Sign up for a shift or stick around for the whole day. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll meet on Sunday, May 4—same time and place.

Northfield Poster Contest Due Date
Clean River Partners works alongside the cities of Northfield and Faribault to promote community education on important topics like stormwater pollution prevention! Our goal is to help everyone understand how their daily choices can make a big difference in water quality. The stormwater poster contest engages students in grades 2-5 to create posters that reflect the theme “stormwater pollution solutions.”

Member Meetup: Dwarf Trout Lily Hike
Join Clean River Partners and DNR Interpretive Naturalist Andy Wendt for an exciting Dwarf Trout Lily Hike in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park! Discover the beauty of our spring ephemerals and search for the rare Dwarf Trout Lily while Andy shares fascinating insights about this unique flower and the surrounding ecosystems.

Northfield Earth Day Celebration
Join the Northfield community for an inspiring Earth Day celebration. This year’s theme, Down with Extreme Weather, We Can Do This Together, invites everyone to engage in creating solutions for climate resilience.
The event will feature educational workshops, hands-on activities, and a vibrant Eco Fair and Farmers Market. Explore sustainable practices, learn from guest speakers, and discover ways to reduce environmental impacts. Together, we can address the challenges of extreme weather and climate change through unity and action.

QUEERY Meetup: Dakota History, Culture, and Land Stewardship
Join us for an afternoon of education and reflection as we learn about the history and culture of the Dakota people. During this experience, we'll journey through time, from before colonization to present day. We'll also talk about Indigenous land stewardship, as well as Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer identities.

Downstream Environmental Film Festival
The Downstream Environmental Film Festival celebrates the artistry of local, national, and international filmmakers who address critical environmental issues. Grab a drink, connect with your neighbors, enjoy outstanding films, and get inspired to take action for our local land and water.

Downstream Environmental Film Festival
The Downstream Environmental Film Festival celebrates the artistry of local, national, and international filmmakers who address critical environmental issues. Grab a drink, connect with your neighbors, enjoy outstanding films, and get inspired to take action for our local land and water.

Downstream Environmental Film Festival
The Downstream Environmental Film Festival celebrates the artistry of local, national, and international filmmakers who address critical environmental issues. Grab a drink, connect with your neighbors, enjoy outstanding films, and get inspired to take action for our local land and water.

Downstream Environmental Film Festival
The Downstream Environmental Film Festival celebrates the artistry of local, national, and international filmmakers who address critical environmental issues. Grab a drink, connect with your neighbors, enjoy outstanding films, and get inspired to take action for our local land and water.

QUEERY Meetup: Monarchs and Milkweed
Butterflies have long been a symbol of queer self-discovery, especially for trans people going through transition. Join us as we learn about the incredible journey of monarch butterflies, and find out what you can do at home to help this amazing species. On this field trip, we'll also explore science and natural history exhibits on a variety of cool topics. Please note that transportation via bus is provided for this event.

Board Meeting
Are you curious about our organization? Interested in joining our board of directors? Join us for an upcoming board meeting in Northfield, MN!

Plant a Rain Garden Workshop
Attend this FREE in-person class and learn about the benefits of rain gardens and how to plan and install your own. You'll learn where to put your rain garden, how to choose the right plants, and what cost-share programs exist to help you pay for the project. Please bring your questions and your ideas!

Cannon River Watershed Farmers Breakfast
A casual breakfast for Cannon River Watershed farmers to discuss 2024 Rice Creek water testing results, cover cropping, extended crop rotation, and connect with Clean River Partners, MPCA, and Rice SWCD staff (by invitation only).

Member Meetup: Ice Fishing
Dress warm and join us for a member meetup to learn about the basics of ice fishing! Not a member yet? You're still invited! Come learn about the benefits of membership and connect with our organization. We'd love to meet you.