Tag Archives: RiverFest

History Hot Spot: Birkmose Mounds

, ,

Take an interpretive tour of the Birkmose Mounds covering general history, archaeology, and preservation of mounds. The guided tour is 45-60 minutes and costs $15/person (payable ahead of time online or on-site). The “Ask Us!” table and entrance to park is free of charge. There will be an archaeologist and historian, with local recommended books for sale, flyers/brochures for Friends of Birkmose Park and Octagon House Museum (Hudson Area History Connection).

History Hot Spot: Birkmose Mounds

, , ,
Take an interpretive tour of the Birkmose Mounds covering general history, archaeology, and preservation of mounds. The guided tour is 45-60 minutes and costs $15/person (payable ahead of time online or on-site).. The “Ask Us!” table and entrance to park is free of charge. There will be an archaeologist and historian, with local recommended books for sale, flyers/brochures for Friends of Birkmose Park and Octagon House Museum (Hudson Area History Connection).

NPS Big River Clam Cleanup

, , , , ,

Join us for the National Park Service Mussel Rehabilitation. During this hands-on event National Park Service divers will bring up native mussels from the river bottom for the audience to scrape off the non-native zebra mussels. Explanations and equipment will be provided. Maximum of 40 people.

Rain date: Thursday, July 23, 12:30-2pm

Join the St. Croix RiverFest and dive into the hidden world of freshwater mussels in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and discover why these unsung filter feeders are essential to healthy river ecosystems. Often functioning like freshwater coral reefs, native mussels improve water clarity and create vital habitats, but they are also among North America’s most imperiled animals due to pollution, historical harvesting, and fragmented waterways. This conservation update highlights the ongoing efforts of the multi-agency Mussel Coordination Team to protect these remarkable bivalves. Learn about their fascinating life cycle—which relies on specific host fish to reproduce—and explore recent conservation milestones, including first-of-its-kind propagation successes for the endangered Winged Mapleleaf, self-reproducing Higgins Eye populations, and exciting new species discoveries from the 2025 Namekagon River Comprehensive Mussel Survey.

Carpenter Nature Center’s Animals of the St. Croix

, , , , ,

Join Carpenter Nature Center (CNC) staff to learn about some of the amazing animals that call the St. Croix River Valley their home and meet them up close!

CNC is an environmental education and conservation organization with the mission of fostering appreciation and inspiring stewardship of the natural world. With campuses on both the Minnesota and Wisconsin sides of the St. Croix River, CNC is able to preserve wildlife habitat while also providing quality educational opportunities.

Hudson & North Hudson River Cleanup

, , , ,

The annual River Cleanup is a core activity of Hudson’s St. Croix RiverFest. Community volunteers get out on the riverbank collecting trash and working to help clean up the river (trash bags will be provided). While the goal of RiverFest is to get people out to enjoy the river, the River Cleanup is the “purpose” for the RiverFest celebration.

Families and individuals are encouraged to join the Cleanup. Please view the River Cleanup Guidelines for instructions and details.

Meet at the Bandshell for the Lakefront Park area cleanup. Please view a map of Cleanup locations.

Business or organizations please contact Buck Malick at 715-386-7010 to pre-register and receive your cleanup locations.

Drop off the trash collected during the River Cleanup from 11am to 12pm at Picnic Point (south end of Lakefront Park).

Following the Cleanup (around 11:30), RiverFest will host a picnic lunch for the Cleanup volunteers at Picnic Point (south end of Lakefront Park).

Thank you to our lunch sponsors: Jerry’s Foods, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Erbert & Gerberts, Kwik Trip, and Rise Baking Company/Best Maid.