Daffodils unfurl yellow petals like little suns amongst rain-soaked garden beds. Crocus and wild violets dot lawns with their little faces of purple and white. Tulips create rainbows along fences, their petals like arms reaching towards the sky. In other words, it has arrived—the magic of spring. Of flowers. Of the gentle return of life after stillness. Just noticing these signs of nature is a start to appreciating the earth and its bounty. 

While last month, I chatted about preparing to bloom and ways to celebrate the arrival of spring, let’s dive deeper this month. Beyond gardens, what can we do this month to take care of the Earth? What are some fun activities for the whole family to learn more about our planet?

If you attend an event this month, practice low waste habits by bringing your own set of utensils, a reusable water bottle, and a to-go mug! Most people have them lying around their kitchen so try and remember to throw these simple items into your bag or your car. Every little action adds up and diverts more things from going to the landfill.

Speaking of reducing waste, pick up trash! Pick up litter while walking or jogging, sometimes called plogging. Bring a bag with you when you’re out with the dog, strolling by the river, or hiking. If you don’t want to do it alone, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer with community events. Established in 2020 by Kyra Kunsman, the Lehigh Valley Trash Pact cleans up a different park every week! In April, sign-up to help out from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm every Saturday. The first weekend is Keck Park, followed by Friendship Park, Stratford Park, and Riverside Park the last weekend of April. Go visit @lehighvalleytrashpact on Instagram to see the calendar.

Local Earth Day Events

From 12:00 – 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 18, bring the whole family to Earth Day in the Park at Cedar Beach Park for an afternoon filled with fun and eco-friendly activities for the whole family! Explore sustainable vendor tables, enjoy tasty local food, and engage in exciting environmental activities and education to celebrate our planet, plus community resources.

Also on Saturday, April 18 Palmer Township is hosting an Earth Day Celebration Drive and will be collecting donations for The Center for Animal Health & Welfare at Fairview Park from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Lafayette College will be hosting their annual EarthFest celebration in honor of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22nd from 3:00 – 6:00 pm at the Quad on campus. This event is free and open to the public where clubs and local vendors alike will be offering products and sustainability initiatives. There will be educational demonstrations, food, thrifting, retail, giveaways, music and more.

In Easton, make sure to check out the Easton Arbor Fest on Saturday, April 25 (Rain date: Sunday, April 26). A free spring celebration with activities, vendors, & Micro-Forest tours from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm in Lower Hackett Park.

Northampton Community College is also hosting an Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 25 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm at the main campus quad. There will be food trucks, vendors, and entertainment for the whole family. 

On Saturday, April 25, Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre and Crooked Row Farm teams up again for a spring edition of their farm and food festival. From 9:00 am – 2:00 pm at Shankweiler’s in Orefield, celebrate the diverse and delicious foods of the Lehigh Valley plus local artists and vendors!

Lehigh Valley Wicked Plant Fest is bringing together the plant community, artisans, food and entertainment on Sunday, April 26, 2026 for this free event. With 100+ vendors selling a wide range of plants, plant accessories, art, candles, crystals, macrame and more! Everything is hand made by local artists. Stop by live music, food trucks, and to maybe grab some seedlings for your garden.

Rainy Day Earth Day Events and Activities

While April showers bring May flowers, here are some indoor activities you can do to support the community or a local business, plus some Earth Day things you can do right at home.

Celebrate Earth Day at Da Vinci Science Center on 815 W Hamilton Street in Allentown on Sunday, April 19 from 12:00 – 3:00 pm. Included with general admission, there’s native plant terrarium making, animal meet and greets, and more. The famous Body Worlds 101 is also currently on exhibit now until May 25, 2026. Tickets for Body Worlds 101 are $10 plus general admission. 

For the adults, Da Vinci Science Center’s Nerd Nite series for April is Straight Outta Compost. This ticketed event on Friday, April 10 from 6:00 – 9:00 pm will have you unearthing the amazing world of compost and foraging. Hosted by comedian Glen Tickle, there will be a DJ, dancing, trivia, admission to Body Worlds 101 and a cash bar.

On 50 N Poplar Street in Manungie, stop by the 2026 Spring Craft Fair at the Macungie Memorial Park. This free indoor event will have two floors worth of vendors. Support local crafters and artisans on Saturday, April 18 from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. 

While the Nurture Nature Center in Easton may be closed, they will be holding their Earth & Sky Adventures series at Phillipsburg Free Public Library on 200 Broubalow Way. April is a great time to join and you will receive your Earth & Sky Adventure Passport at the first meeting you attend. Sky Gazers is the first Tuesday of each month from 6:00 – 7:00 pm and their Earth Explorers is the fourth Tuesday of each month. Mark your calendars for April 7 and April 28! 

Check out the Alliance for Sustainable Communities Lehigh Valley. They have weekly virtual meetings—film night discussion and a beyond capitalism working group. You can also explore their Sustainable Lehigh Valley Directory to shop and support sustainable businesses. The LV Sustainable Business Recognition Program celebrates business owners in the Easton and Bethlehem areas for their commitment to sustainability and climate action.

The bottom line for any sustainable shopping is to, firstly, use what you have, try to borrow, or swap. Thrifting is the next eco-friendly option for buying. You could check out the newly opened vintage clothing shop on the corner East Broad and Center Street—Yung Esau’s Vintage Shop.

Habitat for Humanity is another great company to support! There’s branches in Allentown and Hellertown. Get second-hand decor, furniture, clothes, books, tools, and even home renovation supplies. 

It’s not too late to start seeds! Did you know that the southside branch of the Bethlehem Area Public Library has a seed library? Since 2021 you can get seeds from a local librarian and check out tools. Emmaus Public Library has one too!

Want a cozy movie day? Stream The Biggest Little Farm (2019), a highly acclaimed documentary chronicling John and Molly Chester’s decade-long quest to build a sustainable, biodiverse farm on 200 acres in California. Watch Kiss the Ground (2020) as activists, scientists, farmers, and politicians turn to regenerative agriculture to save the planet's topsoil, and combat climate change.

There’s lot of ways we can support the Earth this month and educate ourselves about eco-friendly living. Whether that’s reducing our plastic use, proper recycling, planting native plants, growing our food, not buying fast fashion, carpooling, walking, or bringing a reusable bag, there are a lot—and I mean A LOT—of ways we can incorporate these habits into our everyday, beyond Earth Day, beyond April, for the rest of the year and the years to come.