Join us for August’s Science Saturday to unearth the secrets of how rocks shape the world around us! Explore rock samples, piece together the story of geologic history, and more with hands-on experiences and activities for all ages.
Science Saturday events are FREE and great for all ages! Drop in anytime between 9:30 and 11:30!

Join Mike Dechter of the Arizona Mushroom Society to learn more about the cryptic kingdom: mushrooms and fungi! This presentation* will be for those with incidental knowledge and curiosity about fungi. Mike will present on some fungi 101 - what are fungi and why are they important? He will also discuss basic mushroom anatomy and identification of wild mushrooms. Finally, for the last part of the presentation, Mike will focus on the Arizona Fab Four Fungi: four easy to identify, edible wild mushrooms that grow here in Northern Arizona.

Registration is required for this program, through the Willow Bend Environmental Education Center. Click HERE to register (registration opens one week prior to the event).

Discover Downtown Geology with Willow Bend!

Join Willow Bend for a guided Downtown Geology Tour—a 45-minute to 1-hour walking exploration inspired by local Flagstaff author Marie Jackson’s Stone Landmarks book. This exclusive experience offers a fresh perspective on downtown Flagstaff, blending natural history, architecture, and local heritage. Meeting location sent upon registration. 

Discover Downtown Geology with Willow Bend!

Join Willow Bend for a guided Downtown Geology Tour—a 45-minute to 1-hour walking exploration inspired by local Flagstaff author Marie Jackson’s Stone Landmarks book. This exclusive experience offers a fresh perspective on downtown Flagstaff, blending natural history, architecture, and local heritage. Meeting location sent upon registration. 

Did you know the Sonoran Desert is one of the most ecologically diverse deserts in the world? It is home to many unique plants and animals, including the iconic saguaro cactus.

The Great Arizona Puppet Theater will join us at Willow Bend to present Hotel Saguaro, a lively puppet show featuring Sammy Saguaro, his wise grandfather, and the desert creatures that share their home. Sammy is a young cactus who isn’t sure he wants to grow up to be a saguaro. With his grandfather’s guidance, he learns just how important saguaros are to life in the desert.

Willow Bend Environmental Education Center, in collaboration with the Forager's Path School of Botanical Studies, is hosting its annual all-day herb event, featuring expert-led workshops, hands-on learning, and informative plant walks.

Day-pass grants attendance for three sessions during the event.

Discover the hidden world of Arizona’s fireflies! This talk will explore the fascinating life history of fireflies—from glowing courtship displays to their unique habitats in the Southwest. We’ll discuss the threats contributing to firefly declines, including habitat loss, light pollution, and changing water availability, and highlight ways communities can help protect these remarkable insects. Learn about the firefly species found in Arizona, where they occur, and how you can get involved through conservation and community science efforts. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, gardener, or simply curious about these glowing beetles, this talk will shed light on how we can help fireflies thrive.

Join Willow Bend Environmental Education Center and community partners for a fun, hands-on morning exploring what it means to be a naturalist!

Engage with nature in the Willow Bend Gardens, document your discoveries, and enjoy interactive games and demonstrations designed for all ages. This family-friendly event is a great way to learn, play, and connect with the natural world.

Willow Bend is partnering with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (AZDFFM) to host a specialized workshop focusing on the Arizona Magnificent Trees Program. This program connects people to trees, increases awareness of the field of forestry, and encourages people to pay attention to trees as critical ecosystem species.
In this workshop, participants will learn about what it means when a tree is designated a Champion, Heritage, or Witness Tree and will gain hands-on practice using professional forestry tools to measure tree height, canopy, and
trunk circumference. For part of the workshop, participants will be outside.
This 3-hour workshop is free, open to the public, and requires pre-registration as space is limited. Please register by May 1st.

Willow Bend will host a FREE "Make a Pollinator Mask" Community Workshop where participants will help assemble and decorate a variety of pollinator masks alongside Willow Bend staff. Because of the detailed crafting involved, this workshop is best suited for older teens and adults, though youth are welcome with adult supervision. Space is limited, and advance registration is required.

Join us for an extra special Science Saturday to celebrate the importance of pollinators - the bees, bats, birds, and so many others that form the foundation of our ecosystems! Through art projects, demonstrations, and activities, you and your family will learn about the critical role pollinators play in the world around us.

Learn how to make a delicious traditional recipe with a modern, nutritious twist.

Instructor Darrell Yazzie Jr. is a Diné biologist and farmer from the Navajo Nation whose work bridges plant science, Indigenous agriculture, and community-based land stewardship. With nearly a decade of experience in seed revitalization and rangeland restoration, he is dedicated to strengthening food sovereignty and ecological resilience. As part of this work, his Blue Corn Parfait Workshop offers the tools and training to craft a dish steeped in culture that is both refreshing and sustaining.

Space is limited, and advance registration is required.

Discover the ease and freedom of off-loom weaving! In this engaging, hands-on workshop, instructor Jessica Holton will guide you through a shared pattern while educating about the history and mental health benefits of weaving. All materials will be provided!

After a brief overview of the history of weaving both on and off-loom, Jessica will guide all attendees through the same pattern to get everyone acquainted with this new skill. Each participant will learn how to begin their pattern on a 5-inch by 5-inch piece of wood (without pegs or grooves), using a tapestry needle for the shuttle. Along the way, participants will be introduced to the mental health benefits of weaving.

Cost: $30 Willow Bend members, $35 public. Registration required.

Dive into a fun-filled water conservation celebration with Willow Bend at this free, family-friendly event!

Through engaging demonstrations, interactive games, hands-on activities and more, you can learn how to protect water and educate your community! 

Learn the basics to help you start seeds at high elevation!

Tina Gustafson, Northern Arizona Master Gardener and owner of Elevated Gardening, will teach you all you need to know about starting garden seeds. This hands-on workshop will give you the knowledge and tools necessary to get your seeds started, covering general seed starting techniques, soil, light, and moisture considerations, and how to prepare your plants for the move to the great outdoors. You’ll leave the workshop with a variety of your own seed starts, ready to be planted in your garden when the time comes!

All materials are included in this free workshop. Registration is required to ensure we have enough space for everyone, and will open at this link on Friday, March 20th at 9 AM.

Explore the wonders of the cosmos in this free, Family-friendly event!

The Coconino Astronomical Society joins Willow Bend for a Night of Gazing at the Stars, Exploring Telescope Tech, and Learning From Community Experts!

Bring seeds, swap seeds, and meet other growers in our community! This all-ages event is free and will have family activities. (You do not have to bring seeds to participate.)

To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, please call 928-213-2348. Three days prior notice is requested.

Join us to celebrate the importance of pollinators! From bats to butterflies and bugs, you'll have a chance to help tell a visual story of some of our most important ecological allies.

Willow Bend is thrilled to be partnering with Red Herring Puppets of Tucson on a fun-filled, hands-on afternoon of puppet making. In this family-friendly workshop, participants will work with Willow Bend and Red Herring staff to build six large (2-4 feet) puppets on rods, along with pollinator and flower-themed cardboard masks to be used in a parade and exhibition later this year!

Activities may include using contact adhesive to glue parts together, applying a glue and paper mixture for color and stability, sewing, painting, and simple assembly. Red Herring Puppets will prepare puppet bases and materials in advance and will guide participants throughout the build, with support from Willow Bend staff.

Registration is required.

Explore the wonders of the past and learn how it’s all applied to the present at March’s Science Saturday! Willow Bend and community partners will host hands-on activities, lessons, crafts, and fun for all ages.

No registration required—just come ready to learn, create, and have fun!

Science Saturday is an event held on the first Saturday of every month from 9:30am-11:30am. Each month is focused on a different theme, and each event offers fun and educational hands-on activities. Artists, scientists, and experts join us on occasion to provide extra special opportunities to learn and explore.  There is no need to RSVP, and the events are drop-in format.

Thanks to generous funding from Flagstaff365, Creative Flagstaff, APS, and the City of Flagstaff BBB Revenues, this event is free and open to the public.

Discover the magic of growing your own microgreens!

Join us on February 21 for a hands-on workshop with Jamison Douglas of Living Foods, a local Flagstaff microgreens and sprouts business. Learn the essentials of growing microgreens, from soil setup and planting to watering and harvesting, and create your very own tray to take home.

Your family can discover the magic of growing your own food in this interactive, hands-on workshop.

Join us on February 21 for a hands-on workshop with Jamison Douglas of Living Foods, a local Flagstaff microgreens and sprouts business. Learn the essentials of growing microgreens, from soil setup and planting to watering and harvesting, and create your very own tray to take home. This event is best suited for ages six and up.

Discover the ease and freedom of off-loom weaving! In this two-hour workshop, instructor Jessica Holton will guide you through a shared pattern while educating about the history and mental health benefits of weaving. All materials will be provided! Spots are limited and fill up fast - register today!

Join Willow Bend and friends for an out-of-this-world, family-friendly event! We’ll have fun, Earth & space-themed activities, eye-opening demonstrations, and stellar crafts for all ages at this free, drop-in style event.

Discover the ease and freedom of off-loom weaving! In this two-hour workshop, instructor Jessica Holton will guide you through a shared pattern while educating about the history and mental health benefits of weaving. All materials will be provided! Spots are limited and fill up fast - register today!

Mike Masek leads the first workshop of our Seeds and Skills: Hands-On Community Food Workshops Series on Saturday, January 17th. This workshop provides a detailed overview of the realities of incorporating wild edibles into our daily diet, along with the skills and information necessary for safe, successful, and sustainable foraging for wild foods. Recommended field guides will be shared.

Thanks to Flagstaff Sustainability Grant funding, these workshops will be free to the public. Advance registration is required - click here to register (registration opens 1/9/26).

Start 2026 off right with Willow Bend! We’d love to invite you and your family to join us on the first Saturday of the year, January 3rd, for Science Saturday: Winter Wonderland. Through games, crafts, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, curious minds of all ages can learn about the science of the season. We’ll study how animals adapt to the cold, how water changes to snow and ice, and so much more!

Just in time for the holiday season, Mike Masek from The Forager's Path returns to lead our popular Winter Holiday Herb Workshop. This hands-on workshop will guide you in creating unique, useful gifts for friends, family, or even yourself.