Whether you plan to spend time at home planting a vegetable garden or heading to the beach for a community cleanup, recognizing Earth Day in April is a win-win—you’ll teach your kids how to give back to our planet and help your family reduce their carbon footprint too. Help raise awareness while having a ton of fun partaking in gardening lessons, story time, scavenger hunts, and more at Earth Day Festival at Eastside Park in Paterson, let your kids explore a fire truck and enjoy games, face painting, and a bouncy house at Spring Fest: Earth Day 2023 in Willingboro, or grab some free seedlings and try earth-friendly crafts at Go Green With Hope in Hope. Ready to do some good? Scroll down for more ways to celebrate Earth Day in NJ all month. (featured photo credit: Istock/Zinkevych)
26 ways to celebrate Earth Day in NJ
The Northeast Coalition Earth Day Celebration Week
April 15-22 starts at 9:30 AM
Join the Official Earth Day Celebration at Crane Park in Montclair. Volunteers will gather for cleanups on Pine Street, Erie Park, Brookdale Park, and Glenridge Avenue (behind the Bay Street Train Station). The celebration will continue in and around Crane Park until 2 PM with tabling, music, and other family-friendly activities.
Cost: Free
Montclair, NJ 07042
Earth Day Dune Planting at Swimming River Park
April 21 at 4 PM
Join a new restoration project celebrating Earth Day at Swimming River Park. Eventgoers will be planting native plants and helping to provide valuable food and shelter for local wildlife. Plants are in limited supply, so this program will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cost: Free; open to all ages; under 18 must attend with an adult.
719 Port Monmouth Road, Port Monmouth, NJ 07758
Earth Day Celebration
April 22 at 7:30 AM
The Passaic County Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of Garret Mountain Reservation will host this fun-filled, educational celebration of Earth Day. This event will feature a Family Bird Walk with Montclair Bird Club, Hike and Trail Cleanup with Passaic Valley Girl Scout, Earth Day Expo activities, ceremonial tree planting, and much more.
Cost: Free
Garret Mountain Reservation—Pat DiIanni Boathouse, 8 Mountain Ave. Woodland Park, NJ 07424
Earth Day Celebration 2023
April 22 at 9:30 AM
Kick off your Earth Day celebration with a pollinator garden tour, planting of native plants, and park cleanup. This celebration is part of a week of events focused on restoring the planet.
Cost: Free
Crane Park, Glenridge Avenue Montclair, NJ 07042
Earth Day Celebration in Cape May
April 22 at 10 AM
Cape May County Park & Zoo will co-host its Earth Day Celebration, where the whole family will experience hands-on educational exhibits, children’s amusements, live entertainment, a variety of environmental eco-shops, and a scavenger hunt.
Cost: Free
Cape May County Park and Zoo, 700 US 9, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
Outdoor Adventures Family Program: Celebrate Earth
April 22 at 10 AM
Learn about the outdoors through crafts, scavenger hunts, activity sheets, and displays. Each program will focus on a specific theme, and the Van Vleck Education team will guide your family through this interactive learning experience.
Cost: $15. Free for members, but registration is required.
Van Vleck House & Gardens, 21 Van Vleck Street Montclair, NJ 07042
Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration
April 22 at 10 AM
Celebrate Earth Day with a fun-filled day, including a rain barrel raffle, tree planting, seedling giveaways, bike share info, eco vendors, and more.
Cost: Free
Acacia Youth Center, 95 Port Reading Ave, Woodbridge Township, NJ 07095
Earth Day 2023
April 22 at 11 AM
The Essex County Environmental Center will share its wonder and appreciation of the natural world at this annual outdoor festival. You will enjoy a day filled with crafts, games, and recreational opportunities, such as canoeing and hiking. This event also features demonstrations and a local eco-vendors’ sale. Environmental Center staff and partner groups will be on hand to guide you throughout the day.
Cost: Free
Essex County Environmental Center, 621 Eagle Rock Ave, Roseland, NJ 07068
Earth Day at Eastside Park
April 22 at 11 AM
Celebrate Earth Day at City Green’s Earth Day Festival at Eastside Park. This event includes nature crafts, gardening lessons, story time, scavenger hunts, giveaways, and more.
Cost: Free; RSVP to attend.
Eastside Park, 587 Park Avenue, Paterson, NJ 07504
Party Like It’s Your Earth Day
April 22 at 11 AM
Head out to Marven Museum and Garden and party like it’s your Earth Day! This festive day of community action offers something for everyone, including Historic Garden tours, native seed crafting, free bike repairs, yoga provided by Gemma from Gratitude Yoga, gently used toys provided by R+K=Smiles, and much more.
Cost: Free; registration is required.
Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton St, Princeton, NJ 08540
Earth Day Celebration
April 22 at 11 AM
All ages are welcome to this free Earth Day celebration full of activities for the whole family. This event will feature guided nature walks and hikes, educational displays, tree sapling giveaways, volunteer opportunities, nature crafts and games, a scavenger hunt, and more.
Cost: Free
The New Weis Center for Education, Arts & Recreation, 150 Snake Den Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456
Earth Day Celebration at Riverfront Park
April 22 at 12 PM
The Point Pleasant Environmental Commission will host its annual Earth Day Celebration at Riverfront Park. This event will be a fun-filled day for the whole family with music, food, and activities while learning about the environment.
Cost: Free
Riverfront Park, 2303 River Rd, Point Pleasant, NJ 08743
Community Day: Celebrating Earth
April 22 at 12 PM
Celebrate the planet with a day of art-making, education, and performances centered around endangered animals, climate change, and farming. This event will feature music from interactive kid’s podcasts, Noodle Loaf, traditional Lenape performances and demonstrations, planetarium shows, and much more.
Cost: Free general admission to the Museum all day during Community Day.
The Newark Museum of Art, 49 Washington St Newark, NJ 07102
Spring Fest: Earth Day 2023
April 22 at 12 PM
Celebrate Earth Day at this event for the whole family. Enjoy music, games, food, and more. Let your kids explore a fire truck, and enjoy face painting, henna tattoos, a bouncy house, and meeting a special guest–Spider Man!
Cost: $5-$8. Children 2 and under are free.
139 Beverly Rancocas Rd, 139 Beverly Rancocas Road Willingboro, NJ 08046
Earth Day Nature Fest
April 22 at 1 PM
Participate in nature-inspired activities to celebrate Earth Day. Activities at this event include a group hike, land and river cleanup, a potted seed starter, watercolor pinwheels art project, and a compost demonstration.
Cost: $5 donation
Camp Wyanokie, 550 Snake Den Road West Milford, NJ 07480
Kids Workshop: Earth Day Fun
April 22 at 2 PM
Learn about the seasonal vegetables and flowers that grow in your area and get all the tips and tricks you need to create a thriving at-home garden while your kids join in on the gardening fun too. Kids can decorate and plant their own seeds in a clay pot and two other biodegradable peat pots for even more planting adventures. Afterward, they can watch a movie while enjoying delicious cups of dirt with gummy worms for dessert.
Cost: $25
Renault Winery Resort, 72 N Bremen Avenue, Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215
Morris Plains: Earth Day Event
April 22 at 3 PM
Celebrate Earth Day with the kids by making bird feeders, bee and butterfly watering stations, and planting seed pots. Other activities include a worms and worm compost workshop, guessing what items are recyclable, compostable, or trash, ideas for reducing and reusing, and an Earth Day pledge card kids can sign.
Cost: Free
Morris Plains Community Center, 51 Jim Fear Dr, Morris Plains, NJ 07950
Historic Smithville Earth Day Event
April 22 at 4 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
Earth Day Activities in Monmouth County
April 23, times vary
The whole family can try outdoor events, including Saltwater Fishing at Bayshore Waterfront Park, Discovering Freshwater Creatures at Huber Woods, or Beachcombing and Clean up at Seven President’s Park this Earth Day. There are even more activities available here.
Various locations in Monmouth County
31st Annual Earth Day Festival
April 23 at 10 AM
Rain or shine, there will be various free, fun, and educational activities for all ages. The celebration
has more than 150 vendors, crafters, food vendors, and exhibitors.
Cost: Free
Atlantic County Utilities Authority, 6700 Delilah Road, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
Earth Day Celebration featuring The NJ Folk & Bluegrass Festival
April 23 at 11 AM
Celebrate Earth Day in Hoboken with family fun, a green market, NJ Folk & Bluegrass Fest, and more. This event will feature fun nature-inspired art activities for all ages, a green artisan market, fitness class demos, face painting, and animal encounters with The NJ Snake Man. As an exciting new addition, the first annual NJ Folk & Bluegrass Music Festival showcases the area’s most talented musicians.
Cost: Free
70 Jackson Plaza, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Spring Festival and Earth Day Celebration
April 23 at 11 AM
Bring the family to Red Bank Battlefield and celebrate Spring and Earth Day. You will enjoy colonial games, crafts, a petting zoo, sheep shearing demonstrations, magic shows, and more.
Cost: Free
Red Bank Battlefield Park, 100 Hessian Ave, National Park, NJ 08063
Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair
April 23 at 11 AM
The Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair will occur in Memorial Park at Van Nest Square. This special event will feature a petting zoo, green educational programs and displays, a recycling magician, and musical entertainment. Eventgoers can also enjoy the annual costumed daffy dog parade at 12:30 PM.
Cost: Free
Van Neste Square Memorial Park, S Walnut St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony featuring the Rowan University Wind Ensemble
April 23 at 3 PM
From New York Times bestselling author and composer Dan Brown, Wild Symphony brings beetles, bats, boars, and other species together for a special concert. With projected illustrations from the children’s book, New York-based stage and screen actor Matt Dallal narrates while the Rowan University Wind Ensemble performs the score, bringing the majestic story to life. Arrive early to enjoy an allergy-friendly snack in the lobby and a color-along activity for the performance.
Cost: $10. Free for Rowan students
Pfleeger Concert Hall, North Campus Drive, Glassboro, NJ 08028
Go Green with Hope
April 29 at 10 AM
The 10th Annual festival includes free seedlings, crafts, 40+ vendors, raffles, and giveaways for every age. You can also enjoy a Craft Market at the Community Center and a townwide yard sale.
Cost: Free
Hope Township School, 320 Johnsonburg Road, Hope, NJ 07844
Cattus Island Nature Festival
April 29 at 10 AM
Join the Cattus Island Nature Festival, an event connecting the community with nature. Experience kayak tours, seining, live animal talks, The Great Bug Race, crafts, nature games, and more.
Cost: Free
Cooper Environmental Center, 1170 Cattus Island Blvd, Toms River, NJ 08753
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