Every year we look forward to a Car Free Earth Day, and this year, it is back in a big way in all five boroughs. It is celebrated annually on the weekend before or after Earth Day, which is April 22nd this year.
Here we post some of the highlights which will be held on april 22nd and Car Free Earth Day, Saturday, April 23rd from 11am to 5pm.
Earth Day at Union Square begins on Thursday, April 21st with a Festival and Visual Stage.
Union Square will hold a virtual format around the world and an in-person event from Noon to 7:00pm. The Earth Day 2022 Festival will include exhibitor booths and a broadcast of Earth Day Virtual Stage events featuring a full line-up of activists, experts, and entertainers.
Exhibitors include ~ 511 New York Rideshare + Bowery Farming + Build a Better Planet + Building Electrification Institute + Braceltote + Broadway Green Alliance + Changing Room + Clean Air NY + COCOMAT + coolhaus + Custom Collaborative + DeliverZero + Department of Sanitation New York + Eco-Friendly Parks for All (EFPA) Coalition + Extinction Rebellion + FABSCRAP + Food and Water Watch + Foodprint + Fridays for Future NYC + From Sea to Rising Sea + Gen E + Green City Challenge + Green Mountain Energy + Groovy Globe + Groundcycle + Grouphug + Harlem Grown + HeadCount + Le Botaniste + Local Nature Lab (WSP Eco Projects) + Lower East Side Ecology + March for Science NYC + New York Passive House + New York Restoration Project + NYC Climate Action Alliance + NYC Department of Environmental Protection + NYS Department of Public Service + OPI + Vapes Are Trash + Precycle + Ripplfect + Sahaja Yoga Meditation + Sri Chinmoy Center + Social Closet + Sustaining All Life + The Humane League + The OpenAir Collective + The Spare Food Co. + Tradewater + U.S Veg Corp + Urban Green Council + Waterkeeper Alliance + Youth at the Center + Z100 New York
The Virtual Stage will take place from 1:00 to 8:00pm and will broadcast live from events in Union Square. Check out the line-up below:
The Virtual Stage lineup in Union Square includes ~ Al Gore + Elizabeth Warren + Bill Nye + Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. + LeAnn Rimes + Kyra Sedgwick + Sarah Wayne Callies + Alysia Reiner + Ian Somerhalder + Joseph Gordon-Levitt + Former UN Climate Chief for the Paris Agreement Christiana Figueres + Katherine Hayhoe + Kate Marvel + Broadway performers from Hamilton and Jagged Little Pill + United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon + climate scientists + prominent environmental activists
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Join the Art Students League in a Free Sketch in Central Park for Earth Day ~ April 22
The League is excited to announce a special Free Sketch in Central Park to celebrate Earth Day. Anyone who’s looking for an opportunity to sketch or paint a beautiful local landscape is invited to join us for this special free workshop led by renowned League instructor Ricky Mujica at the Arthur Ross Pinetum in Central Park. Practice plein-air alongside other artists and make Mother Nature your muse in a fun event that mimics the practice of many of The League’s upcoming spring and summer classes—available in-studio, and, occasionally, outdoors, on the streets of New York City. Share your artwork online via #ArtmakersEarth and after the event Mujica will select three winners on Instagram. Winning artists will receive a free plein-air painting kit courtesy of The League’s Art Supply Store. Join us, April 22 at 4 PM in the Arthur Ross Pinetum in Central Park (near 86th Street Transverse) and help us celebrate the beauty of nature and the power of art making. Register HERE.
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On Friday, April 22nd, join Queens Farm and Bee-A-Pollinator for an Earth Day Service Day.
Earth Day is every day at Queens Farm! Join Queen Farms outdoors for a volunteer service day marking the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day. Farmed since 1697, Queens Farm is one of the longest continually farmed sites in New York State. Celebrate our legacy by helping us preserve this historic farmland with an afternoon of outdoor activities highlighting simple ways you can give back to the farm and our planet.
Volunteers will assist with sifting compost, spring clean-up in the Children’s Garden, mulching, weeding, and more. This Service Day also includes apiary talks with the farm’s resident beekeeper, a compost giveback, Adopt-a-Worm composting tips at the ConEdison Ecology booth, tractor-drawn hayrides ($5/person), a self-guided scavenger hunt, and free giveaways. It’s a day of service, learning and fun!
This service day admission program is free for all ages ($8 donation encouraged).
ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED as space is limited.
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Saturday, April 23rd is NYC DOT Car Free Earth Day. This year’s celebration will connect over 100 Open Streets, 22 plazas, and access more than 1,000 miles of the NYC Bike Network. NYC DOT events will be presented at nine locations. Check out the maps, beautifully illustrated by local artist Lindsey Balbierz, below.
Midtown, Broadway, East 17th Street to West 42nd Street. Here are a few of the activities, workshops and demonstrations ~ Participate in a leisurely ride along the Car Free Earth Day Broadway route, starting at 42nd Street at 11:00am. Then join the Brown Bike Girl for bike law trivia at the Flatiron Open Street from 1:00pm – 5:00pm.
Join the Flatiron BID for family-friendly games and activities on the Flatiron Open Street, Broadway from 25th Street to 27th Street.
The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Office of Fleet Management will be displaying electric vehicles which will be the future of the City of New York’s municipal fleet as we transition to an all-electric fleet by 2035. The City’s fleet currently contains over 2,415 electric on-road vehicles with another 1,000 on order. Vehicles on display will include an all-electric garbage truck and an all-electric NYPD police car.
Join the Times Square Alliance for family-friendly games and activities in Times Square Plaza, Broadway from 42nd Street to 43rd Street.
Participate in family friendly, interactive fitness sessions throughout the day at Broadway Boulevard Plaza, Broadway at 40th Street, presented by Zing! Fitness.
Performances include Fogo Azul ~ Catch one of three energy-filled drumming performances by Fogo Azul in Union Square Plaza, Flatiron Open Street and Broadway Boulevard Plaza.
On the Lower East Side, Avenue B, East 6th Street to East 14th Street. Here a a few of the activities, workshops and demonstrations ~ here is one of my favorites, Bio Bus! Scientists help participants investigate the environment through a different lens, and develop scientific reasoning skills in a mobile biology lab.
Children are invited to enjoy activities and pony rides from 1:30pm – 4:30 pm. The Black Cowboys of Brooklyn are committed to sharing Black Cowboy culture and heritage with children in urban environments.
Participate in arts and culture workshop led by team of artists and organizers working to preserve, strengthen, and grow the cultural vibrancy of the Lower East Side, presented by FABnyc East Village Community Coalition.
Celebrate the reopening of the Community Garden season with a popup garden, seed and plant giveaways. LESReady and FDNY home safety advocates are partnering with LUNGS to distribute emergency preparedness information, kits, and giveaways at the popup, presented by Loisaida Open Street Coalition and Loisaida United Neighborhood Gardens 9th Annual Spring Awakening.
Materials for the Arts will have a booth set up where everyone can make their own art pieces out of an inspiring selection of found objects and re-used materials including hundreds of leftover shiny CDs. People can make puppets, wands, and whatever else their imagination decides upon at this art-making station that celebrates sustainable strategies.
Enjoy a plant giveaway and interactive workshop with The Hort! Presented by The Horticulture Society of New York.
Performances include Batala New York at 1:00pm; Drag Queen Story Hour at 11:30am designed for children ages 3-8; The Marching Cobras at 2:00pm; and Teresa Fellion Dance Performance at 4:00pm.
In Brooklyn, Tompkins Avenue, Gates Avenue to Halsey Street. Here are a few of the actives, workshops and demonstrations ~ Participate in an interactive experience that ties together landscape architecture, public space, and earth-centric activities presented by EDSA.
Join volunteers from the Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op in bike repair workshops.
Participate in Department of City Planning’s (DCP) “What is Urban Design?” workshop and learn about refreshing urban design principles to address sustainability and resiliency.
Stop by for two great activities with Street Lab. The Street Marker installation features chalk and custom chalk tools to draw, mark streets, and create expansive murals. BUILD is a pop-up, interactive building station featuring Lego, Magna-Tiles, and more.
Enjoy Earth Day planting activities with The Hort! Presented by The Horticulture Society of New York.
Upper Manhattan, Dyckman Street, Quisqueya Plaza to Dyckman Marina, with activities, workshops and demonstrations like ~ Join Creative Art Works for youth-oriented, interactive art-making projects at Car Free Earth Day. Experience and celebrate the power of art and learn about program opportunities.
Visit the Literacy Inc. tent for a book giveaway and learn more about their community work.
Children are invited to participate in soccer games and fun soccer drills with Uptown Soccer Academy.
NYC DOT Safety Education invites the public to participate in bike safety activities and win prizes.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will be onsite to share Information regarding emergency preparedness, for both humans and pets. Pick up comic books and coloring books for kids.
In addition, activities on St. Nicholas Avenue between 181st and 190th Streets.
Events in the South Bronx will be located at Roberto Clemente Plaza, 3rd Avenue, 148th Street to 149th Street. Here are just a few of the actives, workshops and demonstrations ~ The Third Avenue BID will be on hand to provide bike safety information and equipment giveaways. Bring the kids for giant street games set up on the Willis Avenue Open Street.
Mazarte Dance Company will present colorful, cross-cultural, family-friendly, free, and ridiculously fun dance performances and workshops. The performances will be held at 2:00pm, 3:00pm, and 4:00pm.
Watch Silver Shoes Dance Club members perform on the plaza and join in an interactive dance workshop. Performances will be held at 11am and Noon.
Events will be held along Southbound Mosholu Parkway, Van Cortlandt Avenue East to Bainbridge Avenue, which will include activities, workshops and demonstrations. Here are just a few ~ Keep an eye open for The Bird Team. They will be on site to provide support with downloading the Bird app, sharing information about discounts, doing a helmet giveaway, and conducting demo rides on B3 scooters.
Take a demo ride on a Lime scooter and learn about discount programs. Staff will be on hand to provide information on rider safety and distribute helmets.
Participate in healthy eating/healthy beverage demonstrations and learn about NeighborFood nutrition and food access programs, community gardens, and the Rethink Your Drink program. All brought to you by Montefiore Medical Center.
Participate in DCP’s “What is Urban Design?” workshop and learn about refreshing urban design principles to address sustainability and resiliency.
Veo will showcase their electric vehicles including the Cosmo sit down scooter, Astro VS4 stand up scooter and wheelchair accessible device.
Enjoy animal trivia, biofact presentations, educational activities, and free giveaways with the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Enjoy Flatbed Follies, a circus variety show featuring delightful performances! The mission of Bindlestiff Family Variety Arts, Inc. is to bring joy and wonder into the world. They are founded upon a respect for circus tradition and a drive to create new work that speaks to contemporary American culture.
Straight from the Boogie-Down Bronx New York… True circus legends celebrating over 50 years – The King Charles Unicycle Troupe will astound local Bronxites with an unbelievable game of high-energy Basketball and jump rope routine on Unicycles.
Queens, 34th Avenue,, 69th Street to 94th Street, with activities, workshops and demonstrations including Pop-Up learning activities with Street Lab.
Enjoy a plant giveaway and interactive workshop with The Hort! Presented by The Horticulture Society of New York.
Participate in DCP’s “What is Urban Design?” workshop and learn about refreshing urban design principles to address sustainability and resiliency.
Performances include pianist and singer, David Bishop; cultural dance performances by Lotus Dance; a variety of performing artists in a show hosted by Michael Rosman; and performances by Queensboro Dance.
Staten Island, Minthorne Street, Bay Street to Victory Boulevard, with activities, workshops and demonstrations including ~ Aly Stoffo owns Glam Gardener NYC, a business that offers herbal products, education, and art under one roof. As an environmental educator, she teaches others to harvest wild edible plants as a means to get connected with nature, an activity called foraging. She combines her education in Sustainability Sciences with her love for New York City greenspaces to inspire fellow New Yorkers to explore our city-based natural ecosystems.
Join HONK NYC’s Craftivation: My Musical Garden! What grows in YOUR musical garden? Bring your dreams to life at HONK NYC’s craftivation for Car Free Earth Day. Make a marching band hat, build a cardboard horn you can play, color the flowers and insects that live in your musical garden.
Participate in DCP’s “What is Urban Design?” workshop and learn about refreshing urban design principles to address sustainability and resiliency.
Come join the fun at the Snug Harbor Earth Day station to celebrate Open Streets and eco-friendly art practice. Learn about the importance of organics recycling with the NYC Compost Project Hosted by Snug Harbor. Explore the world of plant-based inks and take home an ink wash painting of your own, along with an edible planting from the Heritage Farm.
Performances include DJ Jen & Nutmeg of Maker Park Radio will DJ at Minthorne Street. MakerParkRadio.nyc is a non-profit free streaming community radio station airing from Staten Island’s North Shore. Featuring 130 DJs who host programs across many music genres, MakerParkRadio.nyc also does remote DJing with their pop-up, tiki bar themed DJ booth that runs on solar power. Vinyl Record and Digital DJs range across many genres, celebrating the music of soul, disco, house, reggae, rockabilly, funk, indie, salsa, international music and more!
Enjoy a performance by Mambembé NY at Noon; and a performance by The Dal Segño Brass Band at 2:00pm.
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In addition on Saturday, April 23rd, Celebrate Earth Day at MoMA PS1 for a Free event at 2:00pm.
Celebrate Earth Day with a Day of Service on Governors Island at 10:00am
Celebrate Earth Day with Freshkills Park Alliance for an Earth Day Festival on Staten Island at 11:00am
Celebrate Earth Week with NYC Parks Department! with events from April 16th on, including a B’earthday Bash at the Audubon Center at the Boathouse in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, Earth Day at Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, Ecology Hikes, Tree Plantings and more.
Celebrate Earth Week in Battery Park beginning April 17th!
Take a look-back at Earth Day 2020, Earth Day 2019, and Earth Day 2018