Apple Blossom Village hosts second annual Nature Neighbors Festival in Bemidji

Apple Blossom Village’s second annual Nature Neighbors Festival gave Bemidji families a free afternoon of tree-themed, nature-based activities at Rail River Folk School, 303 Railroad St. SW. The event ran Saturday, June 6, from 3 to 6 p.m., with the focus squarely on children and young families.

The Bemidji Early Childhood Collaborative described Nature Neighbors as a children’s resource fair, family festival and celebration of outdoor and nature-focused experiences for children and families. This year’s vendor-registration materials said the theme was trees and invited organizations to bring a nature- or tree-themed activity for kids under 5, a sign that the festival was built for the youngest children in the community rather than a broad general audience.

The day also included a related morning workshop at the same venue, titled “Nature Neighbors: Rhythms, Rituals, and Resilience, Inspired By Nature.” Led by Dacia Dauner, the workshop ran from 9 to 11 a.m. and carried a $10 ticket price. Together, the workshop and festival created a full day of programming that blended early childhood learning, outdoor themes and family-friendly activities in one place.

Local organizations behind the 2026 event included the Bemidji Early Childhood Collaborative, Lakeland PBS, Apple Blossom Village, Pine Pals and the Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society. Schoolcraft Learning Community said it would bring a sensory table to the festival, adding a hands-on component aimed at younger children. Apple Blossom Village listed the event as the Nature Neighbors Family Festival, underscoring its family-first focus.

The festival built on an inaugural Nature Neighbors event held June 7, 2025, at Bemidji Waterfront at Paul & Babe. That first gathering included a free concert by The Okee Dokee Brothers and was made possible by a Region 2 Arts Council grant funded through the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Lakeland News reported that the 2025 event was put together by the Bemidji Early Childhood Collaborative, Apple Blossom Village, Bemidji Parks and Rec and Lakeland PBS.

This year’s version kept the free admission but shifted the setting to Rail River Folk School, putting the emphasis on low-cost, educational summer programming for families with young children. In a community where affordable activities matter, the festival offered a direct mix of play, learning and nature on one of downtown Bemidji’s familiar blocks.