Science By The River is an interactive, STEM-focused experience for communities of Wisconsin Rapids and surrounding areas. This single day event features an educational walking trail along the Wisconsin Rapids River Walk and a tap talk series at B’s Taphouse. This effort is designed to increase interest in science-based education and discovery learning amongst families and youth.

This event is facilitated by UW-Extension in partnership with the Wisconsin Rapids Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, McMillan Library, WR Public Schools, George Mead and Sandhill Wildlife Areas, Wisconsin DNR, B’s Taphouse, and the South Wood County Historical Museum.

Get outdoors for a day of discovery! Join in the fun and bring the whole family to Science By The River on Saturday, October 15, 2022 in downtown Wisconsin Rapids. Science By The River features an educational trail walk with hands-on demonstrations and an informative Tap Talk series. Demonstration stations will be located along the Wisconsin River from Ben Hansen Park to Veterans’ Memorial Park in Wisconsin Rapids from 11AM-2PM. Tap Talks will be presented at B’s Tap House from 3-5PM. The event is free and open to all. Stay tuned to the @ScienceByTheRiver Facebook page for details and use #ScienceByTheRiver to show us photos of your day of discovery! 

Station Descriptions

11AM-2PM

• Meet a Muskellunge with Wisconsin DNR: Get up close and personal with the musky, Wisconsin’s State Fish, and other fishes of the Wisconsin River and see Fisheries sampling techniques used to monitor them.   Jennifer Bergman & Colton Hutchinson, WI DNR
• Sink or Float with McMillian Memorial Library: Learn about the water cycle with a take home project. Does it sink or float? Try and find out!   Kerry Preece, McMillian Memorial Library
• Catapult whack-a-mole with WRPS: Build and keep a mini-marshmallow catapult “whack-a-mole” game. Dave Bergerson, Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools Science Department
• I spy birds with binoculars with Mead and Sandhill Wildlife Areas: Learn to use binoculars to spy birds at Mead and Sandhill Wildlife Areas. Also learn about how to prevent or reduce window strikes by birds. Clara Kubisiak, Bird City Wisconsin Rapids & Mead and Sandhill Wildlife Areas
• Inspector Cabbage & The Big Reveal with UW-Madison Extension Horticulture: Participate in a live science demonstration using cabbage juice as a pH indicator.  Janell Wehr, Extension Wood County Horticulture
• StoryWalk: We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom with McMillian Memorial Library: Take in the sights and sounds of the river while reading this Caldecott award winning book.  Kerry Preece, McMillian Memorial Library
• Science Mini-Mural with Extension Wood County: Imagine yourself in the near future as a world-famous scientist. What do you look like in your lab and what are you working on that might change the world? Kayla Rombalski, Extension Wood County Community Development

Tap Talk Descriptions

3PM-5PM

• (3PM) A Water Quality Journey of the Big Wisconsin: Presented by Scott Provost, Water Resources Specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
• (4PM) (Tentative) The Science of Brewing: Presented by B’s Tap House and 2 Doors Down Brewing Co.