EARTH DAY IS CELEBRATING 55 YEARS THIS YEAR!
Did you know Earth Day originated in 1970 from a Senator in Wisconsin? It’s true!
Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22, 2026; and there’s no better place to celebrate than right here in Waukesha County and Lake Country. Whether you’re looking for local Earth Day events, easy ways to teach kids about sustainability, or simple ways to get outside as a family, this guide has you covered.
From community clean-ups and nature center events to simple at-home ideas, these are the best Earth Day activities for families near you.
Please thank our local Earth Day Guide Sponsor:
Divine Consign
The SHOPPING EVENT OF THE SEASON is coming to Lake Country April 14-18th, 2026 at
the Waukesha Expo Center. Who LOVES a great deal? Women and teens are invited to attend a ONE-OF-A-KIND shopping adventure featuring 30,000+ fashionable, unique, vintage, pre-loved, brand name spring/summer items up to 90% OFF retail. Check out this super organized, semi-annual pop-up boutique style THRIFTING event with something for women of all ages, sizes, styles and budgets!
Visit us online for more shopping details & learn how YOU can shop our PRESALES:
https://divineconsignsale.com/shop/waukesha/
Earth Day Events and IDeas in Waukesha County (2026)
Looking for Earth Day events near you? Here are local celebrations, clean-ups, and family-friendly activities happening around Lake Country and Waukesha County.
Visit LCFF Earth Day Pinterest Board for fun crafts & activity ideas!
Earth Day Pinterest Board Here
1. Get Outside and Explore Nature Near You
State parks and Waukesha County Parks are great places to get the family outside and enjoy the outdoors. For my family, there is a field that we ride our bikes to by our house. On our bike ride there, we pass a pond and observe nature and ducks. At the field, we play catch with the balls we’ve brought in the bike trailer. So, celebrate outside and be thankful for Earth! Earth is a beautiful place and it is a gift. We can also celebrate earth day by picking up trash or liter.
Tip: Bring used grocery bags to protect your hands from touching it and another bag to put the trash in.
Tip: Find a new to you park to keep clean
2. Shop Secondhand & Reduce Waste
Did you know that $127 million of clothing winds up in landfills each year after being worn only once?
Divine Consign gives secondhand clothes a chance for a second story. It doesn’t have to be new to be awesome! Shopping secondhand is one of the easiest things we can do to help save the world. Shopping secondhand at Divine Consign allows the opportunity to find the unexpected, the surprises, the hidden gems we never knew we always wanted. Kickstart your unique style with something preloved at Divine Consign. Preloved is reloved. Find out about their April event.
We also love shopping at Once Upon a Child in Brookfield! Our own Stephanie found quite the Easter haul this spring!!
3. Teach Kids to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Have Family Conversations around Recycling and Minimizing Waste.
- Watch a video on Reducing, Reusing, Recycling:
- Make changes to live more sustainably. Here are some great places to start:
- Make some of the simple switches listed here to reduce household waste.
- See what cloth diapering is all about.
- Reduce consumption and avoid fast fashion by shopping second hand. Check out our Rummage Sale Guide.
4. Start a Garden or Visit a Local Farmers Market
- Make Seed Bombs. Find instructions and inspiration.
- Grow Your Own Food. Check out our contributor, Martha’s experiences.
- Support local farms and eat local food by joining a CSA (community supported agriculture). Find more information about local CSA’s.
- Support local farmers markets (most are starting up again soon!). There’s one nearly every day of the week in Waukesha County!
5. Support Local Environmental Organizations
- Waukesha County Recycles Page
- Waukesha County Green Team
- Ice Age Trail Alliance, Waukesha/Milwaukee Chapter
- Pewaukee River Partnership
- Tall Pines Conservancy – We love this organization!!
6. Plant a Tree or Flowers Together
7. Join a Community Clean-Up Event
Gather your family, friends or co-workers, and join the City of Waukesha for the Earth Day Parks Clean-Up on Saturday, April 25 from 9am – Noon. There are just a few parks left to sign-up for! Make sure all our parks are ready for spring. SIGN UP HERE.
There are Bark River clean up days as well as clean up days organized by Waukesha County Parks for the public to attend.
8. Attend a Local Earth Day Event:
- The City of Waukesha Parks, Recreation, & Forestry Department is hosting a 2026 Brush/Branch/Leaf Collection.
- The week of April 6 – April 10 (weather dependent)
- Have your items out by 6am on the same day as your garbage collection.
- Waukesha
- Link for more info from the City of Waukesha
- Stone Bank Farm Market is hosting an Easy Seed Starting & Cool Season Plants to grow your own food.
- April 10, 2026
- Stone Bank Farm Market
- Link to register for the seedling class.
- Trail Maintenance Workshop
- April 13, 2026
- 9:00 am
- Saeger Creek Trailhead, east of the Saeger Rd and Lang Rd intersection, Lac La Belle
- Link to register for the event
- Earth Day Celebration, Cookout & Fundraiser
- April 19, 2026
- 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
- Good Harvest Market in Pewaukee
- Link for more information on the event
- Earth Day Reading with Goats at Royal Roost
- April 22, 2026
- 9:30 am
- Royal Roost, N15W24892 Bluemound Rd, Pewaukee, WI
- Spring Ephemeral Hike at Retzer Nature Center
- April 22, 2026
- 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
- Retzer Nature Center
- Link to more information on the hike
- Sunset and Meditation Hike at Retzer Nature Center
- April 22, 2026
- 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm
- Retzer Nature Center
- Link to more information on the hike
- Story Hike at Retzer Nature Center
- April 23, 2026
- 10:00 am to 11:00 am
- Retzer Nature Center
- Link to more information on the hike
- The City of New Berlin is hosting an Earth Day Celebration
- April 25, 2026
- 9:00 am to 11:00 am
- Lions Park; 14900 Overland Trail, New Berlin, WI
- Come for a native tree giveaway, meet local environment groups, and a fishing clinic!
- The City of Waukesha Parks, Recreation, & Forestry Department is hosting a Citywide Earth Day Cleanup & River’s Crossing Tree Planting – A Century of Parks, People & Play
- April, 25, 2026
- 7:30 am to Noon
- Various (all) the city parks in Waukesha
- Link to sign up through the Department
- The City of Waukesha is hosting at TV/Appliances/Electronics Drop-Off Event
- April 25, 2026
- 9:00 am to Noon
- 600 Sentry Dr., Waukesha, WI
- Link for more info from the City of Waukesha
- Earth Day Celebration at Retzer Nature Center
- April 25, 2026
- 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
- Retzer Nature Center
- Link to more information on the event
- Spring River Clean Up
- April 25, 2026
- 9:00 am to Noon
- Select clean up locations along the Milwaukee River
- Link to the map with more information.
- Harley-Davidson’s “Rock the Green” event
- April 25, 2026
- Noon to 3:00 pm
- Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee
- Link to more information on the event
For me, experiencing nature is a reliable way to switch from a crabby mood into an inspired one and to refresh my spirit. Time spent exploring nature as a family often imprints my soul with a sense of connectedness long after we have returned to our usual daily routine.
Find more local ideas in our Spring Fun Guide.
Find more outdoor ideas in our Hiking Guide.
“We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
-Native American Proverb
Happy Earth Day,
Stephanie
Top 10 Zero Waste Switches
Read on about 10 practical and doable ideas for reducing waste! See what you and your family can implement this Earth Day!
❓ Earth Day FAQs for Families
When is Earth Day 2026?
Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 each year.
What are easy Earth Day activities for kids?
Simple ideas include picking up trash, planting flowers, visiting a nature center, or starting a small garden at home. Start with beautifying your home, then your neighborhood.
Are there Earth Day events near Waukesha County?
Yes! Many local parks, nature centers, and organizations host clean-ups, workshops, and family-friendly events throughout Earth Day week. And we encourage families to gather their neighbors or friends to create their own events.
Why do we celebrate Earth Day?
Earth Day began in 1970 and focuses on protecting the environment and teaching future generations how to care for our planet.
