Earth Day 2017 is April 22, and no matter where you are in the First State, there’s no shortage of eco-friendly activities. Celebrate with a hike, cleanup, kayak trip, zoo visit or even a healing experience.

Friday, April 21

Earth Day: You CAN Make a Difference

Spend a morning with your children at the Delaware Museum of Natural History, where education stations for children in kindergarten through third grade will be set up and run by students from The Tatnall School. Participants will learn about population growth in a segment called, “Population, Taking Over the Nation!”, and about water pollution in, “Water Pollution? There’s a Solution!” Lessons about solar power, recycling, wind power, fossil fuels and more will be taught through a series of creative and interactive activities outside.

The event, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, is free for DMNH members and costs $5 for the general public.

Delaware Museum of Natural History
4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington
658-9111

Wilmington Earth & Arbor Day Celebration

Get a free native plant for your backyard, enjoy live music and educate yourself on the benefits of green products. The city of Wilmington will partner with Delaware Estuary to sponsor a free Earth Day festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Rodney Square. Dozens of vendors will offer products, services and tips to live an eco-friendly life.

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary

110 S. Poplar St., Suite 202, 
Wilmington

655-499

Let’s Talk About Water

Don’t know a lot about climate change? A screening of “How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change,” a new film by Academy Award nominee Josh Fox, will take place in 101 Brown Lab at the University of Delaware. Following the film, a panel of experts from NASA, DNREC and UD will answer questions and lead a discussion on the effects climate change has on coastal communities. Co-sponsored by the University’s Department of Geological Sciences and the Consortium for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, the event will end with a reception.

The event will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The film will run for two hours, followed by an hour-long panel discussion, ending with the reception.

University of Delaware
Department of Geological Sciences
Brown Lab on The Green, Newark
831-2841

Saturday, April 22

The Earth Day Experience by Delaware Center for Conscious Living

Healing meets the elements during this event. Take a journey through a multisensory experience that will last about two hours with eight healers. Prepare to be inspired, motivated and grounded to appreciate Earth. This time-specific event allows you to pick your time and arrive promptly. It runs from noon to 5 p.m.

Delaware Center for Conscious Living
1813 Marsh Road, Wilmington
Tickets available on Eventbrite

Pot Native Plant Seedlings at the St. Jones.

Join the staff of the St. Jones Reserve to celebrate Earth Day by potting native plant seedlings. The seedlings will be tended and grown in the St. Jones native plant nursery this summer and then will be planted next fall at Blackbird Creek Reserve near Townsend. All ages are welcome, with pre-registration required. Volunteers will need to supply their own work gloves. The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon.

DNERR St. Jones Reserve
818 Kitts Hummock Rd., Dover
739-6377
More info on the DNERR’s website

Brandywine Zoo Earth Day Celebration: Party for the Planet

Enjoy a day with your family at the Brandywine Zoo, learning about how to save endangered species. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission to the zoo is free for children 3 and under, $3 for ages 3–17, $5 for ages 18–62, and $4 for people over the age of 62.

Brandywine Zoo
1001 N. Park Drive, Wilmington
571-7747
More info on the Brandywine Zoo’s website

Earth Day Hike at Cape Henlopen State Park

Stake out early spring animals and plants. Discover how plants and animals get a head start on other organisms, and how they adapt to life in the park. The hike is for individuals ages 7 and older accompanying a paying adult. The limit is 20; pre-registration is recommended. The hike starts at 11 a.m.; please dress for the weather. 

Cape Henlopen State Park
15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes
645-6852
More info on the Delaware State Parks website

Earth Day: From Sunup to Sundown at Delaware Seashore State Park

Watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean from the top of the Indian River Inlet Bridge. Follow a park interpreter who will answer questions about the history of the Charles W. Cullen Bridge, and share ideas on how to spend your Earth Day in the park. Later, return to the bridge and watch the sun set over the Indian River Bay. The sunrise walk starts at 5:50 a.m.; the sunset walk starts at 7:30 p.m. You can attend either or both walks. Meet at the South Inlet Day Area bathhouse. Admission is free.

34915 Inlet Road, Rehoboth Beach
227-2800
​More info on the Delaware State Parks website

Sunset Kayak Trip at Lums Pond State Park

Paddle into the sunset on a guided tour. Experience the change from day to night on the water. The tour is suitable for beginner paddlers. Instruction is provided; pre-registration is required. Meet at the boathouse in Area 2. The tour begins at 6 p.m. and costs $20 per person.  

Lums Pond State Park
1068 Howell School Road, Bear
368-6989
​​More info on the Delaware State Parks website

Earth Day Brandywine Creek State Park Volunteer Cleanup and Hike

Brandywine Creek State Park is hosting a volunteer stream cleanup, in cooperation with First State National Historical Park and the Nature Conservancy. Bring your friends and family, and help to better the environment. The cleanup takes place from 10 a.m. to noon; a hike afterward is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Brandywine Creek State Park
41 Adams Dam Road, Wilmington
577-3534
​​More info on the Delaware State Parks website

Through the end of April

Earth Month at University of Delaware

Learn how to make Earth greener! Take part in engaging events and activities happening through the end of the month. 

University of Delaware, Newark
831-2792
More info on UD’s website