Whether you plan on spending time at home planting a vegetable garden or heading to the beach for a community clean-up, celebrating Earth Day in 2021 is a win-win—you’ll teach your kids how to give back to our planet and help your family reduce their carbon footprint overall. Grab your sunscreen and clean up the beaches during Clean Ocean’s Action Beach Sweeps, plant grasses to restore the dunes at Bayshore Waterfront Park, or spend the morning planting seeds for a butterfly garden at Earth Day on The Summit Park Line in Summit. So grab a green juice and scroll down for more ways to celebrate Earth Day in NJ all month long.
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11 ways to celebrate Earth Day in NJ
Virtual Earth Month Family Events
April 2021
Celebrate Earth Day all month long with eco-friendly workshops, live shows, and educational videos. The whole family will love the workshops and shows with animals, including “Behind the Scenes at the Cape May Zoo” on April 20, “Jenkinson’s Aquarium Sloth Safari” on April 23, and on April 26, the Center for Aquatic Sciences hosts “Interview an Animal.”
Cost: Free
Atlantic County Utilities Authority
(609) 272-6950
Earth Day and Marine Debris Clean-Up
April 17 from 9 AM – 12: 00 PM
Learn about wildlife gardening and other maintenance chores while assisting the Nature Center staff and volunteers to improve the gardens. This event is BYT (bring your own tools), and they’ll be plenty of refreshments on hand while you work. Please call ahead if you are coming with a large group.
Cost: Free
1600 Delaware Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 400-3839
Clean Ocean Action’s Beach Sweeps
April 17 from 9 AM – 12:30 PM
The whole family can get in on this—it’s one of the longest-running cleanups of its kind in the world. There are 60 locations where you can clean beaches of unsightly and harmful debris while taking in the coastal scenery. Due to COVID this year, there are staggered arrival times, and you must pre-register.
Cost: Free
60 Locations Throughout New Jersey
(732) 872-0111
The Northeast Coalition Earth Day Celebration
April 17-24
This event starts on April 17 and includes virtual workshops on gardening on scheduled clean-ups of parks near Montclair.
Cost: Free
Please visit the website for a complete list of event locations.
(973)233-1106
Earth Day Kids Yoga Hike
April 18 from 10 AM – 12 PM
Ages 6-10 can hike, participate in a yoga class, and enjoy fun Earth Day activities. A portion of the ticket sales will go to the South Mountain Conservancy.
Cost: $40
Summit Field 2-60 Bear Lane, South Orange, NJ 07079
Restore The Earth: A Kids Earth Day Celebration
April 21 from 3:30 PM – 5 PM
Grade school kids can learn about the earth (and count this towards a science class) during these activities that focus on constructing a shelter for wildlife, going on an invasive species scavenger hunt, and participating in a litter clean-up challenge. This program is a drop-off activity for ages 5-9 years old. Capacity is limited, and there is a fee to participate. Registration is required.
Cost: $15 per child
Schiff Natural Lands Trust & Schiff Nature Preserve
339 Pleasant Valley Road, Mendham, NJ 07945
(973) 543-6004
Earth Day Work Day
April 22, 9 AM – 1 PM
Families can get free admission to the Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge to remove invasive plants, clean debris, and clear trails. Children are welcome to participate as long as they are closely supervised by their attending adult. Registration is required by April 16.
Cost: Free
Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge
4 Sawmill Road, Medford, NJ 08055
(856) 983-3329
Historic Smithville Earth Day Event
April 22 from 4 PM – 7 PM
Spend the afternoon outdoors and enjoy this special Earth Day Green Market. The market will feature native plants, baked goods, crafters, and more.
Cost: Free
615 East Moss Hill Road Smithville, NJ 08205
(609) 748-8999
Earth Day Dune Planting at Bayshore Waterfront Park
April 22 from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Come ready to plant native grasses and perennials to help with the dune restoration project at Bayshore Waterfront Park. Plants are in limited supply, so the event is first-come, first-serve.
Cost: Free
719 Port Monmouth Road, Port Monmouth, NJ 07758
(732) 787-3033
Earth Day on the Summit Park Line
April 24 from 10 AM – 11:30 AM
Kids will love to plant seeds in the butterfly garden, while you can commemorate the moment with a professional portrait taken by Donna of Fisk Foto and enjoy giveaways from businesses in Summit. Please bring a hand shovel if you will be planting seeds.
Cost: Suggested Donation of $2 for the seed packet and $10 for the family photo
Summit Park Line
Broad Street, Summit, NJ 07901
SummitParkLineFoundation@gmail.com
Earth Day Nature Activities
April 24 at various times and locations within the Monmouth County Park System
Get involved this Earth Day with many activities around Monmouth County. Learn about saltwater fish at the Bayshore Park Activity Center, take a nature walk at Freneau Woods or Manasquan Reservoir, or walk around the pond at the Holmdel Park Pond View Shelter. Your kiddos can also enjoy taking a bird walk at Shark River Park or discovering Huber Woods’ freshwater creatures.
Cost: Free
Various locations throughout Monmouth County
(732) 842-4000
What are your plans for Earth Day 2021? We’d love to hear what you’re doing!
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