Volunteers needed! We’re kicking off the season this year with a clean-up along the Mississippi in Minneapolis, part of the citywide Earth Day Clean-Up on April 18th. Join us with your own kayak to help! We plan to paddle from Riverfront Park in Fridley down to Boom Island, picking up trash from the river and […]
Join us for a presentation by Andrew Tri, a research wildlife biologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. From an era of persecution to conservation and management, Minnesota’s black bears are truly a conservation success story. We’ll discuss bear ecology, management, conservation, how to coexist with these amazing critters and why rivers can be corridors for range expansion. This program is part of the 2026 Big Year of Rivers Speaker Series.
Calling all knitters and crocheters! Commemorate the Big Year of Rivers by trying a new twist on a temperature blanket. Instead of using the temperature for each day of the year, use the Mississippi River’s flow rates. In this class you will visit the river and learn why its flow fluctuates so much and the impact that has on people and world around us. You will be provided with a breakdown of river flow ranges per color, the data for the year up to date and step-by-step instructions on how to get the daily readings for the remainder of the year. Several different pattern options will be provided to get your creative juices flowing and find a style that suits you.
“From Rapids to Reservoirs & Back Again?’ — a presentation by John O. Anfinson, PhD For the first time since the Twin Cities’ founding, we have an opportunity to redefine the Mississippi River in the heart of the Twin Cities. In 2014, Congress directed the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to permanently close the Upper […]
Join the University of St. Thomas on Earth Day to clean up litter by the Mississippi River! Feel free to drop by anytime between 3:30-5:30 PM to help out. Look […]
This Earth Day, celebrate author Katie Yamasaki’s new picture book Ripples with a story time, kid activities & book signing. Earth Day celebration! Join author and muralist Katie Yamasaki as […]
Join us for this two-part program. Read the book “This Tender Land” and hear local author, William Kent Krueger, speak about his book that has characters traveling down the Mississippi River. In the first session, Three Rivers staff will present the historical and ecological context to the book. The second session will include a short, small-group discussion followed by a presentation from the author for the book as it relates to the Big Year of Rivers. Participants provide their own book. This program meets on April 23 and June 4.
The Coon Rapids Dam has been considered for removal several times since its construction in 1914. Discover the pros and cons of dam removal and factors that affect the fate of dams in our area. Then take a short walk to explore features of the Coon Rapids Dam and learn about the dam’s current role and how it has changed over the years.
The annual litter cleanup extravaganza returns! Join Mississippi Park Connection, the National Park Service, and the City of Saint Paul in cleaning up the spaces we love in celebration of […]
How do you listen to water? Join Saint Paul musician and composer Dameun Strange for an afternoon of sonic exploration. Together we will learn about the physics of sound waves, hear field recordings, and explore the sounds of our watershed on an outdoor sound walk. Participants will then learn to make field recordings using simple […]
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day along the Great Mississippi Flyway! Learn what makes this spot on the river so captivating for migratory birds. Check out the live raptors, attend a family-friendly bird walk or an indoor talk about bird conservation. Visit the new Gateway Center, Treetop Trail or walk across the dam. Food trucks with […]
Adopt-a-Drain and the Metro Watershed Partners are offering discounted tickets for members of the Adopt-a-Drain program to come to the Minnesota Twins Game at Target Field stadium on Saturday, May 2. There will be an Adopt-a-Drain pre-game parade around the field with program participants, and information will be shared about the Sacred Water Shared Future […]
The Sacred Water Shared Future campaign is powered by you! The heart of this centennial celebration is the incredible variety of events planned and hosted by our partners — community groups, nonprofits, businesses, schools, and individuals who feel a connection to the Mississippi River.
We do not host events ourselves; instead, we serve as a central hub for river-focused activities happening across the Twin Cities throughout 2026.