Since 1970, Earth Day has been a special day to get outdoors, volunteer in the community, and learn about being more environmentally friendly. Here are 17 fun ways to commemorate April 22 this year.
Sustainable Sips and Specials
The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) will be offering free rides on their trains, buses, and subway (which includes the MARC train), as a way to promote studies that show public transportation cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent compared to driving.
Crafts and Beer at Dacha Beer Garden
1600 7th St., NW
At the Shaw beer garden, which is collaborating with DC Brau, customers can sample DC Brau’s new Declaration Helles Lager, make a beer-can planter, and have a chance to win merchandise. The event is from 5 to 8 PM.
Happy Hour at Sycamore & Oak
1110 Oak Dr., SE, Suite 9
Stop by to sip, learn, and connect at this community space in Congress Heights. Doors open at 4 PM with a sustainability showcase, followed by speakers such as Kathleen Rogers, the president of EarthDay.org, and then a happy hour. The first 200 visitors get a free drink. The event is free, but register here.
Drink Wine at Spirits and Spice
1700 Connecticut Ave., NW
From 4 to 6 PM, this liquor store will host a “Natural Wine Spotlight.” Reserve your free ticket here to sip on sustainable wine.
Community Celebrations
See the Baby Elephant
3001 Connecticut Ave., NW
The baby Asian elephant, Linh Mai, will be making her public debut this Earth Day at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Reserve free entry passes here. If you can’t visit in person, the elephant cam will also be back online so you can see the large bundle of joy.
Visit National Parks
Stop by Constitution Gardens at 7:30 PM to learn about the park’s history and nature as part of the America 250 celebration. Or, “Adopt-a-Tree” for free at 9:30 AM at Glen Echo Park and learn about taking care of your new plant.
Learn and Leisure at Tudor Place
1644 31st St., NW
The Georgetown mansion will host a children’s nature program, “Tudor Tots: E is for Earth,” at 10:15 AM. The mansion also has five-and-a-half acres of gardens to explore.
Yoga at Island Time Bar & Grill
Columbia Island Marina, George Washington Memorial Pkwy., Arlington
Erin Sonn, owner of Eat.Yoga.Drink, will guide a yoga session at this restaurant located on the Pentagon Lagoon at 5:30 PM. The $25 ticket also includes a tiki bar drink, but remember to bring your own mat.
Listen to “The Lorax”
The classic Dr. Seuss book will be read aloud at 4:30 PM at the Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library. The Lorax will be making an appearance as well.
Stay Involved and Informed
The Wharf Water Cleanup
The annual cleanup effort, which raises money to support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, starts at 5 PM with check-in at The Wharf Boathouse on Recreation Pier. For $15 a person, participants can use kayaks to collect trash and clear the water or stay on the dock and use nets. Afterwards, there will be a Paddle Party with free Pacifico beer.
Plant a Tree
Casey Trees will be planting trees at Mount Olive Cemetery in Northeast DC, starting at 8 AM on Earth Day. Register to volunteer here.
More Events This Weekend
Anacostia River Earth Day Cleanup
Volunteer to help clear trash with the Anacostia Watershed Society on Saturday, April 25. There will be multiple sites around the city where you can help; there’s a map here. The group will be collecting data to support a bottle bill in DC and Maryland, as well as hosting a City Nature Challenge to find treasure in trash with iNaturalist.
10th Annual Spring Cleanup
Mayor Bower will host a spring cleanup in all eight wards on Saturday, April 25. The event, which will take place at a different location for every ward, will run from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Dranesville Celebrates Trees
Volunteer with Supervisor Jimmy Bierman and the McLean Trees Foundation to care for newly planted trees at Lewinsville Park in McLean. The free event is scheduled to run from 10 AM to 12:30 PM on Saturday, April 25. Register for free here.
Montgomery County GreenFest
On Saturday, April 25, from 11 AM to 4 PM, stop by Blackrock Center for the Arts to learn about and celebrate Earth Day. To also mark America’s 250th, Montgomery County is inviting residents to commit to 250 actions to protect the environment.
“Always Becoming” Living Earth Festival
Starting at 11 AM on Sunday, April 26, the American Indian Museum will celebrate Earth Day with programs, tours, and performances honoring the “Always Becoming” sculpture by Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owingeh [Santa Clara Pueblo]).
Earth Day Every Day Festival
For the fifth year in a row, this festival will be on Langston Boulevard in Arlington, in front of the Lee Heights Shops; it’s Sunday, April 26, from 11 AM to 5 PM. There will be music, community artisans, and children’s programs, as well as food and drink vendors.
Samantha is an Editorial Fellow at the Washingtonian and a senior at American University, studying Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies. She lives in Washington, D.C.
