Earth Day Activities in Washington State (2026)
Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22, and Washington has organized events in every corner of the state. Here is what is happening this year, from the coast to Spokane, plus the one thing every resident in the state can do regardless of where they live.
All 146 State Parks Are Free on April 22
Washington State Parks waives the Discover Pass requirement for day use at all 146 state parks on Earth Day every year. You do not need to buy or bring a pass. Just show up.
That covers parking and day use from Cape Disappointment on the coast to Riverside State Park in Spokane and everything in between. Overnight camping and reserved facilities still require payment, but if you are going out for the day, the fee is gone.
Browse all 146 Washington State Parks on EWS if you need somewhere to start.
Washington Coast Cleanup
Washington State Parks cohosts the Washington Coast Cleanup every April, typically on a Saturday near Earth Day. Volunteers spread out across beaches along the outer coast and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca to collect and log marine debris.
It is one of the larger organized volunteer events in the state, and the outer coast beaches genuinely need it. The 2026 date was not confirmed at time of publication. Check CoastSavers.org for current registration details.
Seattle: Washington Park Arboretum Work Party
The Arboretum Foundation, UW Botanic Gardens, and Seattle Parks and Recreation run an Earth Day volunteer event at Washington Park Arboretum each year. Volunteers pull invasive weeds, spread mulch, and help restore the plant collections and natural areas in one of the most used green spaces in the city.
Open to volunteers 15 and older. Check arboretumfoundation.org for the confirmed 2026 date and registration.
Location: 2300 Arboretum Drive East, Seattle
Bellingham: Squalicum Creek Restoration Work Party
The City of Bellingham runs an Earth Week work party at the Squalicum Creek restoration site each year. In 2025 it was held the Saturday before Earth Day from 9am to noon. Expect a similar setup for 2026.
Check cob.org as April approaches for the confirmed date and any registration requirements.
Tacoma and Pierce County: Meridian Habitat Park
Pierce County hosts a free outdoor Earth Day celebration at Meridian Habitat Park in Puyallup each year. The event is geared toward families with outdoor activities and an environmental focus. No ticket required.
Earth Day South Sound (earthdaysouthsound.org) also coordinates community events across the broader South Sound area throughout April. Worth checking if you are in Tacoma, Olympia, or anywhere in between.
Tri-Cities: Earth Day Expo at the REACH Museum
The REACH Museum in Richland hosts a free annual Earth Day Expo, typically held around April 20. Past events have included hands on activities, workshops, and programming from partners including Sustainable Tri-Cities, Citizens Climate Education, and Battelle.
The 2026 event is in planning. Check visitthereach.org for confirmed details closer to the date.
Location: 1943 Columbia Park Trail, Richland
Southwest Washington: WSU Master Gardeners at Pacific Park
If you are in the Vancouver area, WSU Extension Clark County Master Gardeners is hosting a volunteer morning at the Natural Demonstration Garden at Pacific Park on April 22 from 10am to noon. The focus is sprucing up the garden and its surrounding grounds. No experience needed, just show up ready to work outdoors.
Spokane: Pollinator Workshop and Arbor Day Events
On Earth Day itself, April 22, there is a free event at West Central Community Center from 6 to 7:30pm focused on planting for pollinators. The evening covers gardening strategies for attracting bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and beetles to your yard.
Location: 1603 N. Belt Street, Spokane
Four days later, Spokane celebrates Arbor Day on April 26 at Finch Arboretum with a tree planting ceremony at noon and a full program from 11am to 2pm.
How to Find Something Near You
Earth Day events happen across the state throughout all of April, not just on the 22nd. A few reliable ways to find something local:
Earthday.org has an event search tool. The 2026 global theme is “Our Power, Our Planet.” Most organized events in the state register there.
Eventbrite covers smaller, locally organized events. Search your city and “Earth Day” and filter to the week of April 22.
King County Environmental Stewardship (kingcounty.gov) lists Earth Week volunteer opportunities for the greater Seattle area including trail restoration and invasive species removal along regional parks and streams.
RE Sources (re-sources.org) organizes annual beach cleanups in the Bellingham area around Earth Day, including sites at Cherry Point, Fidalgo Bay, and along Bellingham Bay.
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Explore Washington State has been covering the real Washington for more than a decade. State parks, small towns, back roads, rest stops, and the people who make this place worth exploring. What started as a hyperlocal project covering individual communities grew into a full media project with more than 340 podcast episodes, a weekly newsletter with 3,800 subscribers, and coverage of all 146 Washington State Parks. The content here comes from people who have actually been to these places: locals, regulars, and lifelong Washington residents who care more about getting it right than getting clicks.
