Mississippi Park Connection

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Mississippi Park Connection

We are the nonprofit partner of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Rivers embody change. They invite discovery. Discover your river.

Not at a distance or in the abstract. But rather, discoveries that happen when you’re so close you can touch the river and see beneath its surface. When you can smell springtime returning or hear the whistle of a wood duck or shiver on a winter’s day. Mississippi Park Connection wants everyone to experience these moments, and they can — without ever leaving the Twin Cities metro area. At 72 miles

long, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area presents an infinite number of ways to connect with the river. And in each experience, Mississippi Park Connection sees opportunity — in education, recreation, science,the arts, community engagement and more. Strengthening connections is our mission for a park that’s a national treasure and a river of global acclaim. Ever flowing, always changing, the Great River offers endless promise.

09/01/2026

September has entered the chat. 🍂👀

And with it comes plenty of opportunities to get out along the Mississippi River.

Paddles, walks, community events, opportunities to learn and more are coming up over the next couple of weeks.

👉 Swipe to see what’s happening in your national park: parkconnection.org/events (link in bio)

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area The Parkway Theater

08/29/2026

We’re still smiling about Picnic for the Park 2026. 💚

From a close encounter with a kestrel to Danza Ketzal’s unforgettable performance, lively auction bidding, delicious food, and a room full of raised paddles, the evening was filled with moments worth remembering.

Most of all, we’re grateful. Together, more than 150 guests helped raise over $74,000 for the Mississippi River and its national park.

Take a look back at this special evening—and hear what the night meant to Executive Director Ellen Reed: https://parkconnection.org/blog/2026/8/28/picnic-for-the-park-2026 (link to blog in bio).

And save the date for next year: September 9, 2027!

Images courtesy of Edwige and Kurt Moses.

08/28/2026

🎡 The Great Minnesota Get-Together wouldn’t be complete without a little Mississippi River. 🌊

We’re headed to the State Fair!

Come say hello, meet some of the people who care for your national park, and learn something new about the Mississippi River right here in the Twin Cities.

Find us at the Fair:
🌿 Mississippi Park Connection at the Eco Experience: August 28, August 30 & September 4
🏞️ National Park Service at the DNR Building: September 2

Stop by, say hi, and talk river with us. We’ll see you at the Fair! 👋

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

08/26/2026

What can you discover on one stretch of the Mississippi River?

A blooming American lotus. An eagle’s nest occupied for decades. Native plants that offer clues about the health of the surrounding habitat. And stories that reveal how people have lived with—and changed—this landscape over time.

On the new Paddle with a Ranger route near Cottage Grove, the river becomes your guide. Along the way, you may encounter monarch butterflies, great blue herons, belted kingfishers, cardinal flowers, wild rice, and one of Minnesota’s largest native wildflower blooms. You may also learn about Mahpiya Hota Win, or Grey Cloud Woman II; the Grey Cloud lime kiln; Joe LaBathe and Settlers Island; and the enduring Dakota and Ojibwe connections to this place.

Every plant, bird, structure, and story offers another way to understand the river. Come experience this remarkable part of your national park from the water.

🛶 Paddle with a Ranger: Cottage Grove
📅 Friday, August 28 and Friday, September 18
📍 Hazen P. Mooers Park
🔗 https://parkconnection.org/events/2026/8/28/cottage-grove and at events link in bio

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

08/19/2026

Summer time is precious. ☀️

So why waste it reading a long social media post?

Get outside. Try something new. Spend some time by the river.

We’ve got some ideas. 👀

👉 Swipe for this week’s events or visit parkconnection.org/events

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

08/17/2026

What will you bid on first? 👀

A helicopter ride to survey eagles from the sky? A sunset cruise on the Mississippi? Tickets to cheer on the Wild? Maybe your perfect find is an original painting by the national park superintendent, a cozy collection of books, coffee, and good food, or a beginning birder package designed to inspire your next favorite hobby.

The Picnic for the Park online auction offers something for every kind of adventurer, collector, sports fan, homebody, and nature lover.

And you don’t need to attend Picnic for the Park to participate! Everyone is invited to browse and bid, with every purchase supporting the programs and experiences that help our national park on the Mississippi River thrive.

See what catches your eye: https://bit.ly/AuctionCatalog2026

Bidding closes on Thursday, August 20 at 7:30pm.

08/14/2026

An unforgettable night awaits! 🐦✨

Picnic for the Park is almost here, and we can’t wait to bring it all together—an incredible emcee, live performances, special guests from The Raptor Center, delicious food, sunset views along the Mississippi, and so much more.

Join us August 20 for a night celebrating the river, our national park, and the community that makes this work possible. Only a limited number of tickets remain—get yours today!

Can’t make it this year—or want to make your impact early? You can make a gift now: https://bit.ly/PicnicDonate

And stay tuned: our silent auction opens Monday, August 17! Bidding is open to everyone, whether you’re joining us at Picnic or cheering us on from afar.

08/13/2026

The Mississippi River is for everyone. But feeling welcome, comfortable, and connected in outdoor spaces doesn’t happen automatically.

To help more people make that first connection with the Mississippi River, we partner with organizations like Urban Bird Collective to create and lead meaningful outdoor experiences throughout the seasons. Each year, these partnerships help community members build their own relationships with the river—and strengthen our collective work to protect it.

This Saturday, join expert birders from Urban Bird Collective for a BIPOC-led, BIPOC-centered paddle through the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Together, we’ll explore the Mississippi River flyway, look for herons, egrets, cormorants, songbirds, and bald eagles, and experience the river alongside fellow paddlers.

The event is centered on BIPOC participants, but everyone is welcome.

🛶 Bird Watching Paddle with Urban Bird Collective
📅 Saturday, August 15 | 8–11:30 a.m.
📍 North Mississippi Regional Park to Graco Park

Registration at https://parkconnection.org/events/2026/08/15/ubcpaddle
(and through the link to the MPC events page in bio)

08/11/2026

We can already feel the excitement!

Picnic for the Park is almost here.

There’s something special about gathering along the Mississippi River with people who share a connection to this place—whether you paddle it, explore it, volunteer to care for it, support the programs that make it more accessible, or simply believe this national park belongs to all of us.

On August 20, we’ll come together to celebrate that connection—and help make more of it possible.

We’re counting down the days. Who’s joining us for Picnic for the Park?

Learn more and get your ticket to join us! https://parkconnection.org/picnic-for-the-park

Harriet Island Regional Park

08/07/2026

A stronger river starts with stronger connections.

Connections to nature.
Connections to history.
Connections to community.
Connections to one another.

That's why we help create opportunities for people to paddle, volunteer, explore, and learn in their national park. Every experience is a chance to discover something new about the Mississippi River—and your place in caring for this place.

Swipe to see what's happening this week. We'd love to help you discover your river and connect with your national park.

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

Address

111 Kellogg Boulevard E, Ste 105
Saint Paul, MN
55101

Telephone

+16512918161

Website

http://www.parkconnection.org/

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