Everything that we have comes from the Earth, one way or another. Celebrate those gifts and give back with these Earth Day specials and events in Columbus, including volunteer opportunities, free food, parties, kids’ activities, and so much more!
Earth Day in Columbus
Volunteer with Green Columbus
Month of April. Dozens of Earth Day Volunteer opportunities in the weeks leading up to and including Earth Day.
Hillard Earth Day Recycling
April 11, 2026 at Franklin County Fairgrounds
Join Go Green Hilliard for the community Earth Day recycling event at the Franklin County Fairgrounds, 4100 Columbia Street, Hilliard. Help us keep Hilliard “green” by recycling this Earth Day!
Enter the fairground at Northwest Parkway to drop off recycling for the following items:
- Polystyrene Styrofoam
- Used or new furniture, doors, appliances, cabinets, lumber, tools, windows, lighting, flooring, and much more for Mid-Ohio ReStore
- Office paper to be shredded onsite; 3 banker boxes (16”L by 12”W by 10.5”H) per car is the maximum.
- Electronics; some items will have a disposal fee: CRT monitors,
See full details at the website
Earth Month in Dublin
The city of Dublin has a full schedule of celebrating and serving for Earth Month. Find a full list of Earth Day activities in April, as well as sustainability resources and more.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Earth Day local events
Make a recycled bottle planter – Hocking Hills
Friday, April 10, 2026 from 2 PM – 3 PM
Meet the naturalist in the Visitor Center to make your own self-watering planter out of an old bottle! Wear clothing that you don’t mind getting messy.
Earth Day 2 Mile Clean-up Hike – Alum Creek
Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Enjoy scenic views of the lake and explore the woodlands on a 2-mile hike with a naturalist, looking for trash to pick up along the way! Moderate difficulty – some hills and roots with potential mud. Best for ages 7+, great for teens and adults!
Meet at the Park Office at 3615 S. Old State Rd., Delaware, OH 43015. GPS (40.227859, -82.979920) Details here.
Nature Notebooks – Alum Creek
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Celebrate Earth Day by making a nature notebook/journal entirely from recycled materials! Materials provided while supplies last. Best for ages 5+.
Meet at the Nature Center at 2911 S. Old State Rd. Delaware, OH 43015. Park in the Camp Store parking lot – nature center is located behind the camp store, down the road. Details here.
Annual Earth Day Celebration at Scioto Audubon
This free family-friendly event will feature local music, food, and drinks from a diverse array of vendors on April 26, 2026 from 11 am – 7 pm at Scioto Audubon Metro Park.
Celebrate Earth Day with Green Columbus and volunteer events
Green Bexley Earth Day and Arbor Day Month
April 2025
Bexley’s Sustainability Department, Green Bexley, and the Bexley Arboretum have put together a slate of programs including a movie screening, author talks, litter pick ups with Mayor Kessler, Repair Café, Green Bexley Cleanup Day, and more!
Earth and Arbor Month programming, and information about the month’s events can be found at bexley.org/earthandarbor.
Columbus Zoo Earth Day Celebration: Party for the Planet
Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, 2026
There will be lots of Earth Day activities focusing on conservation, including games, crafts, Animal Enrichment, Character Ambassadors and Meet & Greets, and more!
Watch the animals receive special Earth Day treats and enrichment throughout the day. Details here.
Chadwick Arboretum Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebrations
Arbor Day Celebration: Friday, April 24, 2026 from 10:00am – 11:30am
The Arbor Day celebration features the dedication of newly planted trees and award presentations including the Tree Hero Award, Collaborator’s Awards, and Aesculus Lifetime Achievement Awards.
This event takes place rain or shine under the Kottman Hall Patio. Paid parking available at Plumb Hall Parking Lot. Details here.
Earth Day Celebration at Lynd’s Fruit Farm
Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 10 am – 5 pm
Enjoy shopping all the native plants grown in the greenhouse by Monarch Meadows. Barefoot McCoy & Foster will be performing (11-2), and CrunchWerks, Tyler’s Pizzaria & Sgt Coffee will be onsite with food and beverages.
NEW this year – OSU Bug Mobile! Free activities include a make & take for kids along with wagon rides to and from the orchard! The market will have favorite goodies and some new items to sample. Crazy Cucumber will be on the porch. Details here.
Lynd Fruit Farm, 9399 Morse Rd, Pataskala Ohio 43062
Earth Day fun in the Columbus Metro Parks
Find more details about these (and dozens of other events each month) on the website.
Kids As Planet Protectors: An Earth Day Celebration at Scioto Audubon
April 18, 2026 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Leave No Trace: Earth Day Stewards at Battelle Darby Creek (ages 6-12)
April 19, 2026 from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Earth Day at Sharon Woods
April 19, 2026 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Earth Day Extravaganza at Homestead
April 22, 2026 from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Earth Day Strike Team at Battelle Darby Creek (ages 10+)
April 22, 2026 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Earth Day Cleanup Hike! at Scioto Grove
April 22, 2026 from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Earth Day S’mores at Scioto Grove
April 22, 2026 from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Children’s Garden Day at Inniswood Metro Gardens
April 26, 2026 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
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ray leard says
Hi!
Ray Leard from The Compost Exchange, a Columbus based collector of food scraps with a mission to collect and recycle the 90,000 tons of food scraps our residents landfilled last year and convert them into nutrient rich compost.
We would like to offer sustainably minded Columbus residents who participate in one of the many Earth Day events around the city a FREE month of curbside composting service when they sign up for a regular cycle.
Thanks!!
Ray