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Contra Costa Earth Day Events 2023

Earth Day Events

All Month

  • Iron Horse Trail or Online: Go With The Flow – A biking (or walking) tour of Central San’s service area, following the flow of wastewater for 21 miles along the Iron Horse Regional Trail from San Ramon to Martinez. Explore all or part of the route in person, or travel it virtually with the guided map tour.
  • Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda: Lamorinda Zero Waste Challenge – A fun, free and friendly competition between the cities of Lafayette, Orinda, and Moraga. Sustainable Contra Costa will provide a weekly set of two simple and impactful actions. Each time a participant submits an action shot, they’ll be entered into that week’s drawing for amazing local gift cards. April 3-May 14.

Saturday, April 15

  • El Cerrito: El Cerrito Earth Day & Appreciation Lunch – Residents can volunteer at work parties across the city, helping clean up and beautify the city, starting at 9am, followed by a volunteer appreciation luncheon at the El Cerrito Community Center from noon to 1:30pm.
  • Online: Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour – In a series of live garden visits passionate garden owners will take you on private tours of their gardens. In addition, you can learn about the must-have plants for your garden, how to create a pollinator pathway, how to garden for birds, butterflies and bees, and more. 10am-3pm, Zoom or YouTube.

Sunday, April 16

  • Online: Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour – In a series of live garden visits passionate garden owners will take you on private tours of their gardens. In addition, you can learn about the must-have plants for your garden, how to create a pollinator pathway, how to garden for birds, butterflies and bees, and more. 10am-3pm, Zoom or YouTube.

Saturday, April 22

  • Antioch: RecycleSmart Annual Compost Giveaway – Alamo, Diablo, Danville, and Walnut Creek residents can register in advance to pick up free compost at Creekside Community Church in Alamo. 9am-2pm.
  • East Bay Regional Parks: Visit the EBRPD Earth Day Programs & Activities Page to see what outdoor events are happening Earth Day weekend.
  • El Sobrante: Earth Day Cleanup & Celebration – Join the El Sobrante/94803 Green Team and SPAWNERS at the El Sobrante Library for their annual cleanup and celebration. Sign in and join Green Teams to clean up streets or SPAWNERS to clean up creeks. A celebration will follow the cleanup, featuring food, children’s art activities, entertainment, speakers, electric car and bike demos, and more. Cleanup 9:30am-12pm / Celebration 12-2pm, El Sobrante Library.
  • Martinez: John Muir Birthday – Earth Day – A wonderful fun-filled family day in the sun, at the grounds of the John Muir National Historic Site, which includes his 1880s Victorian home and an authentic 1849 Mexican Adobe, along with his orchards and vineyard. There will be food and live music along with many displays relating to history, ecology, and nature. 10am-4pm, John Muir Historic Site.
  • Martinez: Earth Day Rocks – The Martinez Public Library is hosting a make-and-take craft event for teens and tweens all day (9am-5pm) Saturday, April 22. For each participant, they will supply a rounded rock, 3 paint colors, and a paintbrush, which they can use to paint animal faces, a flower, an insect, a message to the earth or whatever else they like. 9am-5pm, Martinez Library, 740 Court St.
  • Oakley: Earth Day Community Clean-Up at Dutch Slough – River Partners and the California Department of Water Resources are hosting a community clean-up event at Dutch Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration. This is a great opportunity to connect with nature, get your hands dirty, and learn about the beautiful freshwater tidal marsh. RSVP required. Bring a water bottle, work gloves, sturdy shoes, a hat, and layers. 9am-12pm, Dutch Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration, 7199 Sellers Ave.
  • Pinole: Pinole Earth Walk – A three-mile paved loop walk beginning and ending in Fernandez Park. Snacks and refreshments will be provided at the finish line, and there will be kids’ activities and local environmental organizations to connect with. 9am, Fernandez Park.
  • Pinole: Point Pinole Beach Cleanup – Join the East Bay Regional Park District to celebrate Earth Day at Point Pinole with a shoreline Cleanup. 9am-12pm, Giant Highway Staging Area.
  • Pleasant Hill: Pleasant Hill Instructional Garden – Expert talks, informative displays, a garden tour, and hands-on demonstrations to understand how small efforts can make a difference to help the Earth, reduce our impact on climate change, and improve sustainable practices. 12:30-4:30pm, Pleasant Hill Instructional Garden, Santa Barbara Rd & Hawthorne Rd.
  • Richmond: Earth Day Celebration // Celebración del Día de la Tierra – This celebration honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources. 9-11:15am: Different volunteer activites at 3 locations. 12-1pm: Community celebration at Unity Park with games, speakers, bike-powered smoothies, a petting zoo, food trucks, and live music. Unity Park (1605 Ohio Ave).
  • Richmond: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Trail Ride – Rich City Rides will lead a ride across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to honor Earth Day and celebrate Trails Day. Meeting at the Richmond BART plaza at 2:30pm and rolling out at 3pm. 3pm, Richmond BART.
  • Richmond: The Watershed Project’s Earth Day of Action and Celebration – The Watershed Project will be hosting a Creek Cleanup at Wildcat Creek and a Native Plant Garden Planting at 320 Grove Ave, then moving to the North Richmond Ballpark for celebrations and family-friendly games and activities. 9am-12:30pm.
  • Walnut Creek: Walnut Creek Earth Day. Live music, speakers, and a kids’ eco art zone. Civic Park, 11am-2.
  • Walnut Creek: Broadway Plaza’s Earth Day Celebration – Take the pledge to use reusable bags each time you shop and receive a free reusable shopping bag then get to visit the Pixie Pop-Ups Flower Truck to build your own beautiful bouquet. There will also be face painting for the kids. 11am-3pm, Event Plaza at Broadway Plaza.
  • Walnut Creek: Downtown Earth Day Beautification Project – Join a team of over 60 volunteers and show off your artistic side by contributing to the “Painted Pianos!” project. 9am-1pm, Downtown Walnut Creek.
  • Walnut Creek: Parkmead Neighborhood Earth Day Cleanup – Meet at the Tice Creek Elementary School parking lot from 9-11:30am. Groups will head out on pick-up routes that will hit the highest litter areas, including Olympic, South Main, Tice Creek and Parkmead Schools. 9-11:30am, Tice Creek Elementary.
  • Walnut Creek: Unity of Walnut Creek – Tending Our Sacred Grounds – During the event, volunteers can enjoy an Earth Day ceremony, clean up the grounds including the Labyrinth at 1871 Geary Rd and feel free to bring a potluck item to join others who care about the environment. 1:15-3:30pm Cleanup projects. 4-5pm: Plant-based potluck. 1-5pm, Unity Center of Walnut Creek, 1871 Geary Rd.

Sunday, April 23

  • Concord: Lime Ridge Open Space Earth Day Celebration – Volunteers are needed to plant native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, as well as to work watering, picking up litter, removing invasive non-native plants, and spreading mulch. There will be a nature walk also. Bring gloves. 9am-12pm, Lime Ridge Open Space Community Building, 3701 Treat Blvd.
  • Emeryville: Shorebird Park Shoreline Cleanup – Come on out Sunday any time from 9am-noon. Snacks and refreshments provided. Meet at Shorebird Park. As always, bring what you can (e.g. gloves, grabber, garden digging claw). Organizers will have limited supplies for those who show up without any of the above. Shorebird Park, 9am-noon.
  • Lafayette: Lafayette Earth Day Festival – Learn how you can help our planet at a family-friendly festival featuring kids’ activities, educational exhibits, a petting zoo, food vendors, and more. Lafayette Plaza Park, 11am-2pm.

Free Test Drives of EVs & E-Bikes at DVC’s Pleasant Hill Campus on October 25

If you’ve been considering getting an electric vehicle, bicycle, or scooter, Diablo Valley College (DVC) is the place to be on Monday, October 25.

The DVC Pleasant Hill Campus will be hosting a test drive event, giving attendees the opportunity to test drive new and used EVs, and test ride e-bikes and e-scooters.

The event also offers:

  • Free food from the DVC Culinary Department for the first 100 test drivers.
  • Information on credits, rebates, grants and loans which help make EVs and e-bikes more affordable.
  • The opportunity to talk with local EV drivers and e-bike riders.

People looking to test ride bikes and scooters can simply visit the Ridepanda E-bike Showcase and Test Ride Zone to try them out. Attendees interested in driving EVs need to select a 30-minute test drive time slot when registering. Note: Individuals must be 21 or over and have a current drivers license and proof of vaccination to drive an EV.

E-Bike Buyer Bonus: Event attendees will receive a promo code for a $100 credit at Ridepanda.com good toward the purchase of a new e-bike. This offer will be valid for the first 5 Contra Costa residents who use the code before November 8. You can learn more about this bonus offer at the event.

All attendees are asked to register. If you’re planning on taking a test drive, you’ll want to register now and lock in your time slot before they’re all gone.


This event is sponsored by 511 Contra Costa, DVC Sustainability Committee, Charge Across Town, Drive Clean Bay Area, and Ridepanda.