Celebrations of Earth Day have mushroomed since 1970, and communities across America are honoring the Blue Planet on the event’s 48th anniversary. Traveling? That doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun and education. From marches to trash pick-ups to speaker panels, here’s what on tap.
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco is supporting the Save the Redwoods League’s 100th anniversary. The theme, appropriately, is Stand for the Redwoods/Stand for the Future. The free event in the city’s Civic Center Plaza will feature a speaker tent with panels on climate change, recycling and more. There will also be entertainment throughout the day, including a celebrity chef showcase, fashion show and live music.
Join in on clean-ups for the 24th Annual Oakland Earth Day in the East Bay. Get a group together post-meeting to join the restoration projects in creeks, parks and neighborhoods. Your green thumb will thank you.
Chicago
Chi-town is getting in on the Earth love, too. Its 29th annual Earth Day Cleanup and Community Celebration begins at 9 a.m. sharp, with a clean-up in Humboldt Park. Then plant a tree, listen to live music and stay for the closing celebration and lunch.
One Earth Film Festival and the City of Chicago are partnering to present five screenings of Happening: A Clean Energy Revolution, a documentary on renewable energy from James Redford. You’ll learn more about how sustainability not only helps create jobs but brings communities together across the country.
Boston
Boston Public Market is hosting its first Agricultural Festival for Earth Day. There will be a variety of activities, from face-painting to cider pressing, as well as educational opportunities. Learn about beekeeping and container gardening, for example.
If your heart is where the animals are, then the Franklin Park Zoo Party for the Planet is perfect for you. Spend time with representatives from local conservation organizations, including Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and Massachusetts Clean Cities Coalition, as well as zookeepers for a variety of animals.
Southern California
The Camp, “a green, eco-friendly retail campus” in Costa Mesa, California, is hosting Earth Dayfest, a “celebration of the environment, health and wellness.” Perfect for both children and adults, the agenda is packed with activities. Take a free yoga class in the Tree House or a pottery workshop in between viewing live art and exhibitions.
Pit stop in Los Angeles? Check out the third annual citywide Earth Day LA. Featuring more than 70 educational exhibits on sustainability, you’re bound to learn a thing or two about how you can contribute to sustainability efforts.
New York
Hang out in Union Square, where as many as 400,000 people will interact with a range of local businesses, environmental organizations and government agencies to raise eco-awareness.
Want to burn some calories while saving the planet? Participate in the Earth Day 5K Green Tour, which leads you around green spots in New York City, include a rooftop farm, composting site and natural food cooking school.
Miami
Miami, well-known for its celebration-ready vibe, is supporting eco-friendliness all over the city. For a three-day affair, head to Climakaze Miami at Miami Beach Botanical Garden, for a party with sustainability at its core, including a dance/bike/swim triathlon and an eco-arts gathering.
Or stop by the Earth Day Festival at Wynwood Yard. Grab a beer (with proceeds going to environmental charities) and catch a green initiatives panel or attend a sustainable cooking class.
