The Annual Bells on Belgrade is a Hometown Holiday Event with Santa, Horse Drawn Trolley Rides, Face Painting and So Much More As Always It Ends With A Parade Along Belgrade Parade is at 6pm!

Join SCHEELS Experts for this FREE, open house-style, event! Kids will be able to build their very own LEGO® Holiday Train to take home!
No registration is required, but a limited quantity is available.
Date: Saturday, December 6th
Time: 11 AM
Location: Mankato SCHEELS Mall Entrance - Just outside the SCHEELS mall entrance near the play place.
Recommended for children 6+
*** Parent or Guardian must stay at the event while their child participates.

Kids ages 1-10 are invited to register for the North Mankato Taylor Library’s annual Winter Wonderland Party! This year kids will get to make a Grinch stuffed animal and enjoy other fun themed activities! Sign up required by phone or in person only. Sign up begins Monday, December 1st at 10:00am sharp.

"This program is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant provided by the Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund."

This weekly drop-in class provides exercise opportunities to our active aging population. The class runs for 45 minutes and combines equipment & body weight exercises for a great low impact cardiovascular workout. Each class includes a warm-up, cardio and strength-training exercises, and a cooldown/ stretching. Seated and standing participants are welcome.

Drop-in rate: $4
Pre-register: https://app.amilia.com/.../city.../shop/activities/5696450

Thanksgiving Gratitude Yoga – A Practice of Giving Back

Join Sun Moon Yoga on Thanksgiving morning for a free, all-levels gratitude yoga practice — a time to move mindfully, reflect with gratitude, and give back through optional donations supporting the Mankato ECHO Food Shelf.

This 60-minute class offers a gentle and accessible flow designed for every body — no experience necessary. You'll be encouraged to move at your own pace, honoring where your mind and body are on this day of thanks. Together, we'll breathe, stretch, and end in a soothing guided relaxation to cultivate peace, presence, and appreciation.

While the class is free, donations are encouraged and will directly benefit the Mankato ECHO Food Shelf. Contributions can be made by cash, check, or Venmo on the day of class. All funds collected will be combined into one community donation from Sun Moon Yoga.

Let's come together in gratitude and generosity — to move, breathe, and support those in need.

Date: Thursday, November 27, 2025
Time: 10am-11am
Location: Sun Moon Yoga 121 E. Cherry St., Mankato, MN, on the lower level of Menari Body Works
Register on our website: www.sunmoonyogastudios.com
Fee: Donations will be accepted for the Mankato ECHO Food Shelf. Contributions can be made by cash, check, or Venmo on the day of class.
Questions? email: info@sunmoonyogallc.com phone: 507-380-9732

Join Greater Area Mankato United Way on November 15 for their 12th annual Reading Festival, sponsored by Capstone and in partnership with local organizations to promote literacy and celebrate reading.

This year's theme is "Win with Reading" and is all about board and party games!

Join them 9 am-12 pm on Saturday, November 15, 2025 for this FREE, expo-style event at the Mankato Family YMCA Blue Gym. The festival includes free Capstone books, activities geared toward Pre-K through 3rd-graders, and literacy information for parents. Visit all the organizations' booths at your own pace. All children welcome. No registration necessary.

Celebrate 2025 American Indian Night!
Join us to celebrate American Indian culture, history and community! This event will feature: NASA student exhibit, dinner, welcomes and introductions, keynote speech, Q&A with the author, and a book signing after the keynote address.

Featuring keynote speaker Dr. Anton Treuer

Dinner will be served. Ticket required. Email Megan at megan.heutmaker@mnsu.edu to reserve your ticket!

For 20 years, the Earth Conference has brought people together to exchange ideas, inspire action, and build relationships rooted in conservation, community well-being, and Earth stewardship in the Mankato area.

As our world grows more uncertain and injustice threatens the foundations of the communities we love, the need for unity and collaboration has never been more urgent. Living Earth Center believes that true strength lies in coming together, across sectors, disciplines, and lived experiences, to shape a resilient, caring future for Mankato.

That’s why, at this year’s 20th Earth Conference, we’re taking a bold next step: laying the foundation for a Mankato Area Earth Coalition. A new, locally rooted alliance of individuals and organizations committed to a healthy planet and a healthy community.

This coalition is being designed to facilitate powerful synergy to the great work already being done by local groups, amplifying missions, aligning strategies, and creating a shared movement for lasting, systemic change in our region.

At the conference, they’ll work together to co-create the coalition’s structure, guiding principles, communication approaches, and a roadmap for what comes next, so the momentum you build together continues long after the event ends.

If you or your organization is ready to connect, collaborate, and co-create a stronger, more just Mankato, they invite you to take your seat at the table. Join them at the Earth Conference, and help shape a future that cares for all.

Conference Schedule:
8:30am - Check-In, Coffee & Muffins
8:45am - Welcome & Opening Reflection
9:00am - Coalition Framing & Conversations
11:50am - Lunch
12:45pm - Open Space Discussions
2:45pm - Next Steps & Commitments
3:20pm - Wrap Up

Tickets: $50 pre-registration/$60 at the door
Student Tickets: $15
(student scholarships are available, email info@livingearthcentermn.org for scholarship info)

register via link below:

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/xo9a5b/event/25earthconference/

Join River Valley Running Mankato for a spooky stride & stroll! Wear your costume for your walk/run and be entered into a drawing to win a prize (TBD). Return to the store afterwards and enjoy scary good treats!

This is a FREE family-friendly event; strollers, walkers, and runners of all paces are welcome. Pre-planned route will be roughly 3 miles, but participants are welcome to go as short or as far as they'd like.
We want to encourage an active lifestyle and welcome people of all abilities to join even if they don't consider themselves runners. This is a social, inclusive event that's fun for the whole family! You can even bring your dog, as long as they are on a leash.

Kids ages 6-10 are invited to sign up for North Mankato Taylor Library’s Creative Factory event on Thursday, October 23rd at 4pm in the conference room! Everyone will get to make their own spooky lantern!

Registration opens Monday, September 22nd at 10:00am.

Register by calling the library at 507-345-5120, stopping into the library or online at https://www.northmankato.com/library_calendar.php

Experience the passion and power of Latin American music as the Mankato Symphony Orchestra presents Latin Pulse—an unforgettable evening led by MSO Music Director Ernesto Estigarribia Mussi.

Audiences will be swept away by the concert lineup:

Astor Piazzolla – Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (featuring dazzling violin solos by MSO Concertmaster Sabrina Tabby)
Arturo Márquez – Danzón No. 8
Juan Pablo Contreras – Mariachitlán
José Asunción Flores – Gallito Cantor
Horacio Fernández Vázquez – Tumbao: A Latin Suite

More than a concert—Latin Pulse is a cultural celebration!
Starting at 5:30 PM, enjoy authentic Latin American cuisine from El Mexicano and Delicious Pupusas food trucks. The bar at Kato Ballroom will be open throughout the evening, and a live auction hosted by celebrity auctioneer Ben Findley will keep the energy high at intermission.

Young music lovers will have a special opportunity to sit side-by-side with MSO musicians—getting an up-close view of the orchestra in action!

In partnership with Mankato’s Old Town Day of the Dead Festival (October 25 on Riverfront Drive), this concert honors the rich traditions and cultural pride of Latin America through music and community.

“From fiery dance rhythms to sweeping symphonic landscapes, this program pulses with energy, passion, and cultural pride,” says Estigarribia.

mankatosymphony.org
box office: 507-933-0441

FREE Event!

Live Music
Food & Craft Vendors
Cultural Education
Kids Activities
Planetarium Showings

Learn, Honor, Celebrate: Indigenous Peoples Day in Mankato!

Greetings, Planet Protectors!

Ready to make a real, visible impact in our community? Join the Blue Earth Project for a fun and rewarding afternoon as they “team up to clean up” our beloved Greater Mankato! Let's roll up our sleeves and work together to restore the beauty of our local green and blue spaces. Every single piece of debris we collect makes a difference.

Our Goal: Our mission for the day is to clear debris from Spring Lake Park. We want to ensure this gem of a park remains a clean, safe, and beautiful environment.

Help Us Collect Data! (Optional) Want to take your contribution a step further? You can use our mobile app during the cleanup to collect data on the types of litter you find. This information is crucial as it helps us better understand the challenge our community faces from waste and litter, allowing us to plan more effective solutions.

Get it on Google Play: https://bit.ly/quickcapandroid
Download on the App Store: https://bit.ly/quickcapios

Date: Saturday, October 11th, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Meeting Point: Swimming Pool Facility

What We Provide:
We've got you covered with the essential gear to make our cleanup safe and effective

• Heavy-duty trash bags

• Protective gloves

• Litter grabbers/pickers

• High-visibility safety vests

• Hand sanitizer

What You Should Bring:
Please come prepared to be comfortable and safe!

• Closed-toe shoes (No sandals or flip-flops, please)

• Comfortable clothing that you don't mind getting a little dirty

• A reusable water bottle to stay hydrated

• Sunscreen and a hat to protect you from the sun

• Your positive energy and community spirit!

Parking:
Swimming Facility Parking Lot

Agenda:
12:00 PM: Check in, grab your gear.
12:10 PM: Quick safety briefing and group assignments.
12:20 PM: Cleanup begins!
01:40 PM: Wrap up, dispose of collected litter, and take a group photo to celebrate our hard work!

This is a family-friendly event, and volunteers of all ages are welcome. Let's show our planet some love and have a great time doing it.

Please RSVP so we can get a headcount for supplies! Don't forget to invite your friends and share this event.

#BlueEarthProject #CommunityCleanup #Volunteer #GreaterMankatoEvents#EcoFriendly #MakeADifference

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These quarterly events invite children with sensory challenges or other special needs and their families to experience and enjoy the Museum free of charge at a time when there is a limited number of visitors present.

Living Earth Center and Blue Earth County Community Farm invite you for an evening of volunteering!
Many hands make light work, we will be weeding, harvesting, and doing general farm maintenance tasks with...

***BONUS***
Dinner provided by LEC!

The Community Farm is home to our Produce Donation Program, all food grown is donated to local community partners such as ECHO Food Shelf, MY Place, and the St Peter Food Shelf.

You will be making a difference and helping to feed YOUR community.

Registration is not required but appreciated for meal planning.

Register via link below:

https://secure.qgiv.com/.../octobercommunityvolunteerday.../

Join North Mankato Taylor Library and VINE Faith in Action for a special storytime and craft event as they celebrate Ageism Awareness Day on October 9 from 1 – 1:30 pm at the North Mankato Taylor Library! They will read a heartwarming story that highlights the importance of kindness, respect, and friendships between generations. After the story, kids will enjoy a fun, hands-on craft activity. Perfect for ages 3–9 — all are welcome!

Suicide is something that affects all of us, and we can all play a part in saving lives. Make a difference in your community by walking #OutOfTheDarkness with AFSP on Sunday, October 5 at Minnesota Square Park in St. Peter. Help spread awareness and understanding, send the message that help is available, and raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Together, we can #StopSuicide!

Register today at afsp.org/StPeter

When you walk in the Out of the Darkness Walks, you join the effort with hundreds of thousands of people to raise awareness and funds that allow the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to invest in new research, create educational programs, advocate for public policy, and support survivors of suicide loss.

Check-in Time: 2:00 pm
Walk Start Time: 3:00 pm

Walk Chair Contacts:
Becky Kurth
507-985-2111
rebecca.kurth@state.mn.us

Jaime Flynn
jaime.e.flynn@state.mn.us

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.

Come to the annual “Hops For Hope” event on Saturday, September 6 – an awesome charity fundraiser to fight the devastating diseases, ALS and FTD. Join us and all of your friends at the beautiful and spacious Next Chapter Winery in New Prague, MN. As always, it will be a great time for a great cause. Please help us raise critical funds to continue developing new medical treatments -- and ultimately the cures -- for ALS and FTD.

Enjoy family-friendly fun, and grab a bite to eat from Pizzeria 201, Ofelia’s Mexican Food, and The Rolling Cones Ice Cream trucks, with excellent wine/beer/cocktails available at the bar. You’ll hear your favorite live music from Rockin’ Woody (1-4pm), and JAWS with Eddie Shimota (5-8pm) ... and as always you can find lots of awesome items in our popular silent auction, “mystery boxes”, and “cork pull”. And new this year: a 50/50 raffle!

Older adults and seniors are invited to join the North Mankato Taylor Library for a monthly board game night this summer at 6pm in the library! Registration is recommended.

Register by calling the library at 507-345-5120, stopping into the library, or online at northmankato.com/library_calendar.php

Join Sensory Services of Southern Minnesota on Saturday, August 23rd from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Country Club Park for a morning of sensory-rich fun, tasty play, and community joy!

Expect food-themed stations, messy fun, and imaginative experiences for kids ages 0–10. This event is free for all to attend - donations help keep the fun going!

Food-themed sensory stations include:

Donut Delight Café
Little Chef’s Pizzeria
Corn & Scoop Corner

Country Club Park
109 Pebble Creek Dr, Mankato, MN 56001

Bring your little chefs and come play!

COPAL will be hosting a Back to School Fair! Details yet to come. Please visit their website to sign-up. https://secure.everyaction.com/aPuyJ3aQEUa01DnF0kVlnQ2