Inspired by protests movements held by student activists during the Vietnam War, and by emerging consciousness about the ravages of air and water pollution, the first celebration of Earth Day happened in April of 1970. The movement continues today and celebrated 50 years in 2020 (during a pandemic no less) with online and live events attended by more than a billion people worldwide.
Show your love for the planet and your neighborhood during these metro and surrounding area events held on Earth Day weekend. Events are free unless otherwise noted, some require preregistration.
SOLVE Earth Day events
The SOLVE Earth Day calendar is filled with events you can take part in through April 22. The majority of the events culminate on April 20. You can help clean a beach, pick up litter in cities and neighborhoods, or help restore natural habitats by planting trees and bushes, pulling weeds, or mulching. Portland-area events include:
- Oregon Convention Center area clean up
- Legacy Good Samaritan Campus clean up
- Legacy Emanual Campus clean up
- Boise Eliot Native Grove annual Earth Day work party
Various times and dates through April 22. Take a look at the link to events and choose one that works for you. Some events require registration; volunteer.solveoregon.org/oregon-spring.
Multnomah Village
Head to Multnomah Village for a full day of art displays, music, shopping, and a range of community activities that celebrate Earth Day including a shred event, Village Clean-Up, scavenger hunt, face painting and other kids events.
Events 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 20, along Southwest 35th Avenue in Multnomah Village; multnomahvillage.org/event-details/earth-day.
Portland Fruit Tree Project
This collaborative street festival offers plants sales, a community forum and fundraiser, and more that promotes climate justice and community resilience. Other activities include crafting for kids with SCRAP PDX, wildlife tracking with Cascadia Wild, a meet and greet with Pyxis the Miniature Therapy Unicorn, and live music by Jessa of Jessa Campbell & The Saplings.
10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, April 20, Leaven Community Center, 5431 N.E. 20th Ave.; tickets are on a sliding scale starting at $5; merctickets.com/events.
Learning Gardens Lab
The annual Earth Day event held with the cooperation of Portland State University and Portland Parks & Recreation offers a plant sale, workshops, children’s activities, snacks, and a raffle.
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 20, Learning Gardens, 6745 S.E. 60th Ave.; free; pdx.edu/education/lgl.
Roseway Neighborhood Association
This event includes environmental education displays, naturalist walks, crafts and games, art and music, a community mandala construction, and a plant and seed swap. All community members are invited.
9 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 20, Roseway Parkway, Northeast 72nd Avenue at Mason Street. Additional information available via email at: Rosewayneighborhood@gmail.com.
International School of Portland
Celebrate Earth Day in south Portland with a morning of bioswale planting, cargo bike demos, a native plant sale, butterfly garden planting, pollinator and mason bee info, microplastics discussions, and a take-a-book, leave-a book station.
9 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 20, International School of Portland, 2305 S. Water Ave.; free; intlschool.org/earthday.
Leach Botanical Garden hosts an Earth Day event on Sunday, April 21. Oregonian file photo. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
Habitat Restoration Event at Leach Botanical Garden
Volunteer to remove invasive plant species to help restore ecosystems, and fundraise in support of BIPOC and low-income youth at this celebration of Earth Day hosted by Leach Botanical Garden. Urban Nature Partners PDX welcomes the public for a fun and impactful afternoon removing invasive plants and helping restore ecosystems in the Back 5 Community Habitat Enhancement Project.
Noon-4 p.m. Sunday, April 21, Leach Botanical Garden, 6704 S.E. 122nd Ave.; register at this link; eventbrite.com/e/earth-day-2024.
Wetlands restoration open house (Clark County)
Clark County Public Works invites residents to an open house to learn more about the wetland restoration project planned for the 78th Street Heritage Farm. Learn about the upcoming project and provide feedback to staff. Before and after the presentation, attendees can view informational displays and discuss the project with staff. Light refreshments offered.
6-8 p.m. Monday, April 22, at the commons of Minnehaha Elementary School, 2800 N.E. 54th St., Vancouver; at clark.wa.gov/public-works/heritage-farm-wetland-restoration.
Waiting to Inhale: Earth Month webinar
This hour-long online event features the staff of the Multnomah County Health Department talking about how race, age, location, health, and other factors intersect with air quality. Learn what you can do in your own home and community to help create cleaner, healthier air.
9 a.m. Wednesday, April 24, online. Follow this link for info: multco.us/sustainability.
Thurston County Invasive Plant Removal Party (Yelm, WA)
Get your hands dirty for Earth Day as crews gather to remove invasive plants at Lackamas Flats, east side. Volunteers will enhance salmon habitat along the Nisqually River by removing invasive blackberry and scotch broom. Minors welcome if accompanied by adults.
9 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 20, Lackamas Flats Protected Area, registration required. Volunteers will get directions to the meeting site near Yelm, Washington, with registration; eventbrite.com/e/earth-day.
Oregon Garden (Silverton)
The Oregon Garden welcomes visitors for its annual Earth Day celebration, which is one of the Garden’s most popular events. Guests can engage in hands-on activities, meet with educational exhibitors, enjoy live entertainment all in an effort to celebrate the planet and learn more about the environment. The event is held indoors. Educational exhibitors include Marion County Master Gardeners, Oregon Forest Resources Institute, Tulip Team, and Salem Harvest. There will also be hands-on craft making, face painting, and narrated tours of the Garden.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 20, Oregon Garden 879 W. Main St., Silverton; oregongarden.org/earth-day.
Plastics vs. Planet (McMinnville)
Zero Waste McMinnville and four area churches host an event with demonstrations, exhibits, and live music. The keynote speaker is C.J. Lacy-Hanks talking about “Plastic: How the Western worldview created an eternal problem.”
2-5 p.m. Saturday, April 20, First Baptist Church, 125 Cowls St., McMinnville; zerowastemcminnville.com/event.
- If you have events you’d like to see highlighted at OregonLive.com or in the weekly printed A&E section of The Oregonian, please email submissions to events@oregonian.com at least three weeks prior to the start of your event. Digital images or links to videos are helpful.