Earth Week is underway worldwide through April 22 and the theme is Invest in Our Planet. There are lots of opportunities to invest in your community and several of them are on Earth Day.
When Is Earth Day
Earth Day is on April 22.
The environmental movement started in 1970 and it went global in 1990, according to EARTHDAY.ORG. Read more on the history here.
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Earth Day Celebrations and Volunteer Opportunities in Connecticut
Here are some of the events and volunteer opportunities. You can also check the map for additional events near you.
Ansonia
April 22, Earth Day at the Ansonia Nature Center
- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., food trucks, vendors, exhibitors, an electric car, animal shows, a farmers market, raffle, themed hikes, giveaways and more.
Barkhamsted
April 30, Barkhamsted Earth Day Nature Festival
- 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.. Peoples State Forest Pavilion, East River Road
Beacon Falls
- April 22, 10 a.m. to noon, Matthies Park
- There is a special story time at 10 a.m., followed by "upcycled' craft stations" under the pavilion and a scavenger hunt.
Bloomfield
There are events all month long. See the list here.
- April 22, 9:30 a.m. to noon, Bloomfield Community Cleanup Day.
- Meet at 330 Park Ave: West Side at 9:30 a.m.
Gloves, pickers, bags, buckets and safety vests will be provided. Teams of volunteers will pick up debris on specific streets designated with guided assistance. - Learn more and sign up here.
- Meet at 330 Park Ave: West Side at 9:30 a.m.
- April 22, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Guided Trail Walk at Hawk Hill Farm:
- Celebrate Earth Month at Hawk Hill Farm to learn about the property's trees, efforts to manage invasive species and identify local birds.
- Learn more and sign up here.
Bolton
- April 22, 10 a.m. to noon
- Meet at the Bolton Commuter Lot (rt 6/44, across from Georgina's Restaurant)
- 11 a.m. to noon, Earth Day Stories and Activities at Bentley Memorial Library
- Celebrate Earth Day with stories, a paper bag painting activity.
- Registration is required.
Bridgewater
- April 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., town cleanup
- Get details here.
Bristol
April 22, Community Cleanup Day
- 8 a.m. to noon or any time that works for you to clean up your corner of Bristol.
- Cleanup areas will include:
- Riverside Avenue
- Veterans Memorial Boulevard Park
- The West End Neighborhood
- Along the Railroad Tracks on North Main Street and Main Street
- Forestville Village and Along the Pequabuck River
- And Your Neighborhood!
- Clean Up Day supplies will be available for pick up while supplies last on the day of the event from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Parks, Recreation, Youth & Community Services Office at 51 High St.
- Learn more here.
Chester
April 22, Earth Day Celebration
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: 20 Water St., Chester Land Trust clean-up. Meet at the Water Street parking lot at 9 a.m.
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Chalk painting, on Main Street between 16 Main and 1 N. Main.
- There will be various exhibits and activities.
- Learn more here.
Colchester
April 22, 8 a.m. to noon, Annual Spring Cleanup
- Register online at www.colchesterct.gov/recreation-department.
- Meet at the Town Green at 8 a.m., then move out to different locations across the town.
- Bring your own work gloves, rakes and shovels if available.
- The rain date is Saturday, April 29.
East Hartford
April 29, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Community Cleanup Day
- Volunteers will gather at Alumni Park at 1021 Main St. and meet with staff to be assigned cleanup tasks for the day.
- At the end of the cleanup day, all participants will be invited for lunch at Alumni Park.
- All volunteers who sign up will be issued additional details closer to the event.
- Register by Friday, April 21 at 4:30 p.m.
- Register here
Enfield
April 22, Clean Sweep Community Event
- 9 a.m., Town Hall. People who participate will get garbage bags and T-shirts.
- 1 p.m., Clean Sweep at Brainerd Park.
- Starts in the parking lot. Garbage bags and T-shirts will be provided, as well as support from Public Works crews for bulky item removal.
- Learn more here.
Fairfield
April 22, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Earth Day Community Cleanup at Jennings Beach
Farmington
April 22, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Townwide Cleanup
- There are multiple locations. Learn more and sign up here.
Glastonbury
April 22, 9 a.m. to noon, Earth Day Fair
- The 2023 Earth Day Fair is at the High Street School Ball Field in South Glastonbury.
- There will be music, a carnival, vendors, exhibitors and activities for children and adults.
- You can bring electronics for free recycling.
- Learn more here.
Goshen
- April 22, Town Wide Cleanup Day
- Learn more here.
Greenwich
April 22, 9 a.m. to noon, Earth Day Cleanup and Beatification of Mianus River Park
- Meet at the Cognewaugh Road entrance of the park. Volunteers are encouraged to carpool.
- Activities will include planting trees along the entrance of the trail; yucca plantings in the circle of the parking lot; removal of invasive, winged euonymus species as needed; lining the trails with stray logs/larger branches; removal of debris from the first drainage area; planting trees and ferns on trails; and debris pick-up as needed.
- The Town of Greenwich Parks Department will provide shovels, hand shears, rakes, hand saws and garbage bags. Volunteers are asked to bring their own work gloves and tools if they have them.
- Learn more here.
Griswold
April 22, Community Cleanup Day. Learn more here.
Hamden
April 22, 10 a.m. tp 3 p.m., Earth Day Celebration, Town Center Park, 2761 Dixwell Ave.
Hamden is also hosting a Community Volunteer Paint Day in conjunction with Earth Day for the community to paint part of the MLK39 Racial Equity Mural, a large-scale public art mural by Artist Emida Roller on the Dixwell-facing side of Hamden’s Miller Memorial Library.
The mural will be revealed at the Town’s Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 17.
Hartford
April 20, 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Earth Day Celebration & Seed Share at City Hall.
There are also some clean-up events. Learn more here.
Litchfield
April 22
- 9 a.m. to noon, Community Cleanup.
- Meet at the Litchfield Community Center at 9 a.m. for supplies
- Noon to 2 p.m., Community Celebration
- Learn more here.
Manchester
April 22, 9 a.m. to noon, Earth Day East Side cleanup
- Meet at the former firehouse at Spruce and Florence.
- Bring gloves, water and large black plastic bags if you have them.
- Learn more here.
April 22, 9 a.m. to noon, Earth Day Cheney Rail Trail and Center Springs Park cleanup
- Starts at 39 Lodge Drive.
- Volunteers are needed to pick up litter at the Cheney rail trail and Center Springs Park.
- Supplies will be provided, including gloves and trash bags. Come when you can, you are not required to stay the whole time.
- Learn more here.
Mansfield
April 22, Earth Day Celebration, Mansfield Community Center.
Access is free for Mansfield residents. Residents of any town are welcome but purchase of a Mansfield Community Center day pass is required for access to Family Fun event activities for non-residents.
Middlebury
April 22, all day, Earth Day Cleanup
Middletown
April 22, noon to 3 p.m., Celebrate Earth Day at Harbor Park
- Drag Story Hour
- Repair Cafe with Mister Fix This
- A coloring project around CT River wildlife
- Eco-conscious local businesses
- Vegan food
- Information from our local environmental groups
- Learn more here.
Newtown
April 22, 9 a.m., Earth Day Lose the Litter Event
- Residents are invited to clean up streets and public places. Check in at Newtown Middle School at 11 Queen St. at 9 a.m. for supplies and an assignment.
New Canaan
April 17-23, Clean Your Mile
- New Canaan residents and groups clean neighborhoods, public spaces including parks and schools and more.
- Learn more here.
New Fairfield
April 22, 8 a.m. to noon, Earth Day Celebration
See the schedule of events here.
Norwalk
April 22, Mayor’s Clean City Initiative
- 10 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will be able to form a small group with other participants and will be assigned a location in the community to clean up.
- Volunteers can request and pick up cleanup equipment for the event at Keep Norwalk Beautiful at City Hall on April 19, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and can be returned at the Earth Day on the Green event following the clean-up.
- To register and for cleanup location information, or any general questions regarding the event, email David Shockley at DShockley@norwalkct.gov.
Oxford
Month of April, Town-wide cleanup month
- Volunteers are wanted for the town-wide event. Get details and the pledge form here.
Preston
April 22, 9 a.m., Preston Earth Day Cleanup
- Volunteers should meet at Preston Town Hall at 9 a.m. and teams will be formed.
Redding
April 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Rid Litter Day/Build Mt. Trashmore
- Build Mt. Trashmore by doing a town-wide trash pick up.
- Pick up gloves, bags, vest and road assignment at the table set up outside of Town Hall.
- Bring back trash by 3:45 p.m. At that time, gather for a photo op in front of Mt. Trashmore.
- 4 p.m., loading up the dumpster that will be hauled off to the Redding Transfer Station.
- Volunteers will receive a “treat” for your service to the town.
- This year, there will be a “story walk” on the Parade Path. It's an informational “walk” about how to manage trash better, compost and recycle.
- Learn more here.
Ridgefield
April 22-23, Rid Litter Days, townwide
Salem
April 22, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Salem Town Hall
- Sign up, pick a Salem town road to clean and enter a raffle, pick up a roll of trash bags and help with the cleanup.
- Get more information here.
Simsbury
April 22, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Simsbury Community Cleanup Day
- Sign up for the location that suits you best below.
- Stop by the Town Hall parking lot at 933 Hopmeadow St., at 9:30am for gloves and trash bags before heading out to clean up. Trash bags can be returned to a trash bin at Town Hall by 12:30 p.m.
- Pre-registration is not required, but is helpful to organizers for planning purposes.
- Learn more here.
Stafford
April 22, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Stafford Community-wide Cleanup
- Participant check-in is from 8 a.m.. to 10 a.m. in Hyde Park in Downtown Stafford. Volunteers and groups will receive their cleanup kits and invited to enjoy coffee and donuts.
- Participants also have the option to pick up supplies in advance at Town Hall on Wednesday, April 19 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. or Thursday, April 20, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Once the litter and debris is collected, trash bags may be returned to Hyde Park for free disposal from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- After the work is done, you're invited for a Volunteer Appreciation Picnic in the Park from noon to 2 p.m. It will include food, music, and hands-on Earth Day activities.
Stamford
April 21, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Storrs
April 22, Earth Day Hike and Trail Clean Up at UConn Storrs
- 10 a.m. to noon, New Storrs Cemetery, 85 North Eagleville Road in Storrs
- Mammal expert Dr. Erin Kuprewicz, from the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, will lead a guided educational hike and trail cleanup at UConn Storrs.
- Sign-in begins at 9:45 a.m. in W-Lot on Tower Loop Road, followed by a two-hour guided hike and trash pickup.
Suffield
April 29, 9 a.m. to noon, Community Cleanup Day
- Volunteers will be assigned a designated area to meet and help clean the town.
- Trash bags will be available for pick up at the Town Hall, 83 Mountain Road, the week of April 29. Wear long sleeves and gloves. More details can be found when you sign up.
- Sign up at https://www.suffieldct.gov/i-want-to/volunteer
- Community Service hours are available for students.
- Learn more here.
Waterbury
April 22, 9 a.m. to noon, Waterbury Citywide Earth Day Cleanup
- Anyone who would like to participate should meet at the Brass Mill Center, in the former Sears Automotive Parking Lot to pick up bags, gloves, and water.
- All participants will receive lunch from PAL at noon at the Brass City Mall Sears parking lot.
West Hartford
April 22, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Foundation Fun Day, Town Hall parking lot at 50 South Main Street
- This is the 25th anniversary with the first Foundation Fun Day and the event is recognition of this milestone and Earth Day.
- There will be a town-wide scavenger hunt, a silent auction, and a raffle drawing. There will be free family-friendly activities like face painting as well as Earth Day-related educational and interactive games and activities.
- The town-wide scavenger hunt opened on April 15. Teams will use their mobile devices to unlock clues which will take them all around West Hartford. Rankings will be posted in real time on the scavenger hunt app and prizes will be awarded at the Foundation Fun Day event.
Weston
April 22, noon to 4 p.m., Earth Day at Lachat Town Farm.
Windsor
April 22, 10 a.m. to noon, Wilson and Deerfield Earth Day Community Cleanup.
- Celebrate Earth Day by cleaning up the Wilson and Deerfield areas and helping pick up trash and debris.
- Meet at Sharshon Park on Skitchewaug Street.
- The rain date is April 29, 10 a.m. to noon.
- Learn more here.
Woodbridge
April 22, Rid Litter Day
- Beginning at 10 a.m., stop by the library for trash bags and a list of roads in need of attention.
- Learn more here.
Virtual Events
EARTHDAY.ORG, the global organizer of Earth Day, has several virtual events.
