April officially begins the observation of Earth month, a dedication to celebrating the Earth and encouraging the conservation and preservation of the natural world. While cities worldwide will be observing, Indianapolis is a hub of many different events happening across town.
Earth Month at Indy Parks
Earth Day is officially celebrated on April 22, but Indy Parks is encouraging guests and visitors to help clean up the parks all month long. Beginning April 1, guests can visit any family center of any park to receive trash bags and gloves provided by Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.
“I think our parks provide different things for different people, but overall, it’s a public green space that everyone can use. It’s on us to make sure they’re protected,” said Alex Cortwright, chief communications officer for IndyParks.
To find a park near you, visit parks.indy.gov to get involved in the clean-up coalition.
Indiana Earth Day Festival
Indy also welcomes Earth Day celebrations in music form with GaiaFest- A Concert Celebration of Mother Earth, a concert series that takes place on April 21 from 2 p.m.- 6 p.m. and features an all-female lineup of local singer-songwriters. The concert will also feature a keynote address by notable author Diana Ensign as well as food trucks, beverage services and exhibitors. Located at the Unity Auditorium, tickets start at $20 and can be purchased through earthdayindiana.org.
Earth Day Indiana will celebrate its 34th annual festival on June 1 from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. at Garfield Park. With over 110 exhibitors, live music, food trucks, a beer garden and activities for children, the Earth Day Indiana Festival seeks to encourage visitors to enjoy a completely free experience in nature with family and friends.
“Our festival is a fun, educational, environmentally-focused celebration and day of fun,” said Greg Ziesemer, Executive Director of Earth Day Indiana, “We want it to be a more sustainable community for everyone…[the festival] embodies Earth Day more today than it ever has.”
Earth Day at the Children’s Museum
Earth Day at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis means getting you and your little one’s hands dirty through a wide range of fun activities and informative talks from local experts. The annual Earth Day celebration this year takes place on April 20 at 10 a.m. with activities continuing throughout the day. Spanning from hydroponic farming experiences to creating soybean necklaces and a Green Thumb STEMlab, the Children’s Museum and their sponsors work to recognize the importance of Earth Day for everyone in the city.
Power Recycling Day at the Indianapolis Zoo
Presented by Technology Recyclers, the Indianapolis Zoo recognizes Earth Day through Power Recycling Day on April 13 from 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. Participants can bring their old electronics to the designated Recycling Zone in the south parking lot where they will be recycled responsibly, rather than diverted to a landfill. According to the Indianapolis Zoo, more than 102,000 pounds of materials were recycled through this program since 2019.
Electronics can include any of the following: cell phones, wires, cables, batteries, TVs, microwaves and computers. For a full list of recyclable materials please visit indianapoliszoo.com and click ‘events’.
Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
The Indiana State Museum opens its gardens to the public for a free self-guided walk through the grounds on April 27 from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. in observation of their Arts of the Earth Day event. During the tour, there are opportunities to meet the artists that work around the sites and view the newly bloomed spring flowers. Limestone carver Sidney Bolam will also be providing a stone carving demonstration for visitors to view.
In addition to the gardens tour, the Indiana State Museum is offering tickets to the Teddy Bear’s Picnic, an event that encourages children to dress up their teddy bears and bring them to the museum to hear a story time reading of “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” by Jimmy Kennedy. Story time will be followed by cookies and lemonade in the garden and several games and activities for the whole family to enjoy. The Teddy Bear Picnic will take place April 27 from 1-2 p.m. Tickets are $4 per child and free for adult caregivers. For tickets and more information visit indianamuseum.org.
Contact Staff Writer Hanna Rauworth at 317.762.7854 or follow her at @hanna.rauworth
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
