How to Celebrate Earth Day This Year

If you want to celebrate the Earth this month—either by spending time outdoors or by taking action to protect the environment—there are plenty of options in North Carolina. Here are just a few of the events happening around the Triangle and beyond.

Around the Triangle

April 15-19: Volunteer to pick up roadside litter with the NC Department of Transportation.

April 21: Enjoy live music, games, and Earth Day activities at Dix Park in Raleigh, 5-10 p.m.

April 21: Volunteer to work in a community garden at 1625 S. Alston Avenue, Durham, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

April 22: Walk, run, or bike to support William B. Umstead State Park. Gates open at 8 a.m., bike ride starts at 9:30 a.m., walk/run starts at 9:45 a.m. There are also family-friendly activities, a silent auction, and opportunity to see live owls.

April 22: Attend the Triangle SciTech Expo at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. “Leaders in SciTech fields will showcase innovations and research while engaging visitors in interactive programs that actively spark their interest in STEM fields,” per the news release.

April 22: Attend the NC Indigenous Arts Festival at the Museum of Art in Raleigh, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

April 22: Learn about astronomy, the night sky, and animals at night with an after-dark event at the Three Bears Nature Preserve in Creedmoor, from 5:30-9:30 p.m. There will be educational activities, a night hike, and guided telescope demonstrations.

April 22: Volunteer to help clean up Hanging Rock State Park in Westfield, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

April 22: Walk or run to protect the Haw River at a 5k in Graham, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

April 22: Celebrate Earth Day at Falls Lake with family-friendly activities, guided walks and tours, and tree climbing, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

April 30: Enjoy an Earth Day festival with live music, local artists, and family-friendly activities at Clouds Brewery and Taproom in Raleigh, 2-7 p.m.

Through June 25: Volunteer to pick up litter with the Great American Cleanup.

Across North Carolina

April 15: Learn about the natural resources and wildlife at Bentonville Battlefield through outdoor education presentations and guided trail walks. Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site, Four Oaks, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

April 15: Take a guided nature walk and do a family-friendly craft at the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum in Sedalia, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

April 15-16: Take a guided hike with a park ranger and learn more about natural history at Lake James State Park, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

April 19: Learn about environmental research, air and water quality, and the function of “purple air sensors” at the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, 12-1 p.m.

April 22: Help save the Earth’s gorillas by participating in a global recycling project at the NC Zoo in Asheboro. Donate $5 or bring old cell phones, tablets, iPods, or MP3 players to recycle. Kids can also learn about nature at the zoo’s playground (with a bee-focused program), through a “Zoo Trekker” activity book, and through pop-up programs and keeper talks throughout the zoo.

April 22: Participate in Earth Day activities, crafts, and animal-focused programs at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

April 23: Run in a 5k or 1-mile race through the maritime forest around the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, Kure Beach. The race starts at 8 a.m., with a virtual race from April 24-30 to raise money for the aquarium’s green initiatives.

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