Earth Day is on April 22, 2018, and the environment is celebrated with the Party for the Planet outside Surrey’s City Hall and a small parade in Vancouver.

Earth Day Celebrations in Vancouver

Party for the Planet is definitely the largest Earth Day event in the Lower Mainland, but smaller events on the weekend include the Annual Earth Day Celebration, March and Festival on Commercial Drive.

NOTE: Although Earth Day is on Sunday, April 22, most events take place on the Saturday or even the week before. As not much official happens on the actual day, do your own thing – get outdoors and explore a park or other place in nature!

Pilgrimage to Burns Bog

The Pilgrimage to Burns Bog is one of the few Vancouver Earth Day events that actually takes place on Sunday, April 22.

The Earth Day Pilgrimage to Burns Bog starts at the Delta Nature Reserve at 1:30 pm. At the family-friendly event there is singing, drumming and dancing while participants walk together through the trails of the park.

The Delta Nature Reserve is located in northeast Delta off Nordel Court and Nordel Way just south of Annacis Island.

Click Burns Bog Pilgrimage for more information.

Party for the Planet 2018

In 2018 the Party for the Planet runs from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday, April 14, at 13450-104th Avenue at the City Hall Plaza in Surrey. So it doesn’t actually take place on Earth Day; rather, it happens just over 1 week before.

Concerts and performances take place on three different stages throughout the day. Appearing at the event in 2017 were a Raptor Ridge Birds of Prey exhibit, Bobs & Lolo to entertain children and concerts by Virginia to Vegas, Willa and Shawn Hook, plus lots more. 2018 performers will be similar, and the headliner band for the event is Sam Roberts.

See Party for the Planet for more information.

Earth Day Celebration, March & Festival

The annual Earth Day Celebration, March & Festival is a small student-organized event that took place in 2017 along Commercial Drive on Saturday, April 22, starting at 1 pm. In 2018 the event takes place on Saturday, April 21, so the day before Earth Day.

Students from Windermere High School’s Youth for Climate Justice put on the event, and the procession goes from the corner of Commercial Drive and Broadway to Grandview Park. After the parade, at the park, there are speakers and live entertainment.

Click Earth Day Parade for more information, including videos on the event.

Earth Day in Stanley Park

The Stanley Park Ecology Society hosts a fairly “down-to-earth” Earth Day event from noon to 4 pm in the area of Stanley Park’s Nature House which is located on the southeast shore of Lost Lagoon at the north end of Alberni Street (so close to the edge of the park and the city).

In 2018 the Earth Day event with the Stanley Park Ecology Society takes place on Saturday, April 21.

Activities at the Stanley Park event most years include bracelet and basket crafts using invasive species of plants, planting native plants in the park and helping dig out invasive blackberry bushes (so bring your gardening gloves and dirty clothes).

Also at the Stanley Park event there are activities for children and exhibitor tables. Free earth cookies and complimentary coffee are also usually available.

See the Stanley Park Ecology Society website for more information.

Earth Day at Everett Crowley Park

The Champlain Heights Community Centre hosts a special Earth Day event in South Vancouver on Saturday, April 21st, from 11 o’clock until 3 in the afternoon.

The community centre is located at 3350 Maquinna Drive and the event takes place outdoors at Everett Crowley Park. Weather permitting, between 200 and 300 people are expected.

Activities include the community planting of flowering native shrubs, interpretive walks, and entertainment by the Tiddley Cove Morris Dancers. Free refreshments are also served.

The event’s theme is “Rewilding and Renewing our Urban Forest.” Bring your gardening gloves!

Click Earth Day at Everett Crowley Park for further details.

Earth Day in Maple Ridge

Maple Ridge celebrates Earth Day on Saturday, April 21, from 10 am until 2 pm at the Memorial Peace Park.

At the Maple Ridge celebrations there is a Freecycle event where people can bring their gently-used sports equipment, toys, books and clothing. At the same time and place they can find great “new-to-them” treasures to take home, all for free.

Also at the event there is live entertainment, a selection of food trucks and a number of farmers’ market vendors.

For more information check out the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society website.

Tips and Advice

Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most out of your Earth Day experience.

TIP #1: It’s Earth Day, so don’t drive your Hummer to the event. Ride your bike or take public transit instead!

TIP #2: If you’re out in Surrey anyway for the Party for the Planet event, consider dropping by beautiful Bear Creek Park. The spring flowers are starting to come out, so it’s another perfect place to celebrate Earth Day. If you’ve never been, it’s worth visiting.

TIP #3: Do something nice for the environment – join an invasive weed pull in your neighbourhood, go for a bicycle ride, turn off your lights early in the evening and go green for the day.