From community cleanups and eco-friendly festivals to scenic trails, local markets and sustainability workshops, here’s how to get involved.
by Lily Kane

Caring for the City of Oaks goes far beyond just one day of the year, which is why Earth Day has turned into a whole month of opportunities — and it’s the perfect time to get started. There are countless ways to celebrate the planet in the Raleigh area, like pulling trash from our local waterways, taking a hike or heading to a festival. However you choose to participate, consider this your guide to celebrating nature and community while you make a meaningful impact this April.

Cheer on the Carolina Courage for the Go Green Themed Game

It’ll be a match between East and West at this home game for the North Carolina Courage. They’ll take on the Portland Thorns and, in honor of Earth Month, the theme for the evening is Go Green. Expect activities and vendors that celebrate Mother Nature and learn how the team and their venue, the First Horizon Stadium, practice sustainability throughout the season. The first 1,000 fans to show up to this match score a reusable North Carolina Courage tote bag! 
April 4 | 6:30 p.m.; From $20; 101 Soccer Park Drive, Cary; nccourage.com

Head to the NCMA for “Wild Ideas: You Are a Force for Nature” 

Since 1983, Triangle Land Conservancy has worked to protect and preserve nearly 30,000 acres of land and water in the Triangle area. This Earth Day, celebrate their impact and learn how you can do your part to protect the environment at their annual Wild Ideas event. Hosted at the NCMA’s Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park, the event features activities from an array of local organizations, including a stream restoration hike, a nature journaling session, a presentation on raptor conservation and a solar observation with the Raleigh Astronomy Club. It’s free and open to everyone, but some activities have limited capacity, so be sure to check their website and pre-register so you don’t miss a thing.
April 11; 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; free; 1800 Blue Ridge Road; triangleland.org

Learn How to Create a Sustainable Wildlife Habitats at Home

Gardener and writer Helen Yoest is hosting an educational program titled “How to Create a Wildlife Habitat Through Sustainable Gardening” where participants can learn how to attract wildlife like birds, bees and butterflies to their own yards or community gardens. The session will take place at Yoest’s Bee Better Teaching Garden on her own property, which won the City of Raleigh Sustainable Award for its use of native plants. How-to handouts will be included, and Yoest’s latest book, Cultivating Native Plants for Pollinators: A Comprehensive Guide to Attract Birds, Bees, and Butterflies, will be available for signing.
April 18; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; $25; 3412 Yelverton Circle; beebetternaturally.com 

Head to BeeLoved Community Garden’s Plant Sale + Recycling Event

The BeeLoved Community Garden, an offshoot of West Raleigh Presbyterian Church, has been serving Raleigh as a pollinator habitat and community hub for nearly 10 years. They’re hosting their annual native plant sale this April, so head over to bring some North Carolina flora home to your own garden — most of the plants come from the BeeLoved garden. You can also bring recyclable materials like electronics, metal, plastic and batteries to donate to local recycling initiative Anything with a Plug, and be sure to hit up Che Empanadas, which will be serving up fresh meals from their food truck all afternoon. 
April 19; 1 – 4 p.m.; free; 27 Horne Street; seven-oaks.net

Celebrate with Sound Rivers and Raleigh Brewing

Local nonprofit Sound Rivers has spent 45 years protecting the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River watersheds and fighting for environmental justice. This Earth Day, Raleigh Brewing is hosting them for a fun festival.
April 22; 6 – 9 p.m.; 3709 Neil Street; raleighbrewing.com

Celebrate with the City at Dix Park

Head to Dorothea Dix Park on April 26 for the City of Raleigh’s fifth annual Earth Day Festival, a celebration of sustainability and environmental stewardship. During the day, shop green-themed vendors and explore hands-on activities for both kids and adults. Be sure to stick around for the city’s Trashion Show, featuring outfits made by local students and designers using recycled materials, then finish the festival with an outdoor movie.
April 24; 5 – 10 p.m.; free; 1030 Richardson Drive; dixpark.org 

Join a Community Clean Up

There are several environmental cleanups this month. On April 24, North Carolina State University is hosting a Lake Raleigh Clean Up. Meet at the fishing pier in closed-toe shoes to collect litter from the trails and anywhere else you can access safely to improve the health of this 9-acre forest surrounding a 75-acre reservoir. (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; free; 2300 Main Campus Drive; calendar.ncsu.edu). Or join in with the Great Raleigh Cleanup, a group of volunteers that meets several times a month to clear the litter from our streets and streams. They’re hosting an Earth Day collaboration with Keep North Carolina Beautiful on April 25. (9 – 11 a.m.; free; meetup.com). Inspired? You can continue the work all year with the City of Raleigh’s Adopt-A-Creek and Adopt-A-Trail programs. Sign up by yourself or with others to commit to a few yearly cleanups of a section of stream or trail. (raleighnc.gov)

Celebrate Raleigh City Farm’s Bearthday

It’s been a big year for Raleigh City Farm, who expanded to a second location in East Raleigh this year. And in late April, they’ll be marking 15 years of serving our community with their annual Bearthday celebration. Past iterations of this event have included live music, lunch specials with food sourced from the farm, plein air artists, farm tours and the chance to shop at their pay-what-you-can farmstand. Stay tuned for more details about this year’s bash, which is free and open to the public.
April 25; free; 10 a.m.; 800 N. Blount Street; raleighcityfarm.org

Hit the Trails

Raleigh’s Capital Area Greenway boasts more than 100 miles of trails, connecting our city through scenic biking and walking paths. Take a bike ride along the picturesque (and flat!) Neuse River Trail, go birdwatching at Crabtree Creek or explore the North Carolina Art Museum’s park with a stroll on Reedy Creek Trail. To get even more immersed in nature, head over to Umstead State Park, which offers multi-use paths and more secluded single-track trails across more than 5,500 acres of forest, creeks and lakes. Or explore our county nature preserves, like Robertson Millpond Preserve, where you can fish and paddle through Wake County’s only blackwater swamp habitat. The best part? It’s all free.

Shop at the Local Farmers Markets

Dive into the bounties of spring by exploring one of our seasonal farmers markets. On the second and fourth Sunday of every month, the Black Farmers Market comes to the Southeast Raleigh YMCA, bringing a mix of locally grown produce, baked goods and wellness products. (April 12 & 26; 1 – 4 p.m; 1436 Rock Quarry Road; blackfarmersmkt.org) Also be sure to hit up Midtown Farmers Market at North Hills’ The Commons. Their market season kicks off on April 11 and will run every Saturday through the end of October. (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.; 4191 Main at North Hills; midtownfarmers.com) Charming downtown Cary’s Farmers Market starts its regular season this month on Saturdays and is conveniently located near the recently renovated Downtown Cary Park, in case the kids need to blow off some steam. (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.; 327 S. Academy Street; caryfarmersmarket.com) 

Utilize Public Transport or Up Your Biking Game

Cut down on emissions and explore the Triangle and broader North Carolina in a more sustainable way by rethinking how you get around. Hop on GoRaleigh to navigate the city with ease, or use GoTriangle to venture beyond the city limits to nearby spots like Chapel Hill and downtown Durham. Within downtown Raleigh, the R Line is a free bus service that routes downtownFor longer trips, you can even take Amtrak to Greensboro and Charlotte, or along the East Coast up to New York City. Prefer two wheels? Check out Oak City Cycling (707 N. Person Street), a community-focused bike shop that offers rentals, repairs and group rides to help you ride more and drive less.

Shop At These Second Hand or Vintage Shops

Did you know that roughly 92 million tons of clothing end up in landfills each year? Fortunately, Raleigh boasts several stylish consignment secondhand shops that are doing their part to keep vintage clothing and other goods in circulation. A few of the bigger ones: Father and Son Antiques offers a range of vintage clothing, furniture, records and jewelry, with a specialty in Mid-century finds. (302 S. West Street) TrunkShow is an eclectic boutique packed with treasures like artwork, decor, clothes and handmade crafts. (1526 Wake Forest Road). If you’re looking for a curated shopping experience and designer goods, visit Revolver in downtown, which has been selling luxury secondhand clothing items to the Raleigh community for more than 20 years. (610 Hillsborough Street #101) MODE in the Village District also offers a collection of designer and name-brand clothing, shoes and accessories on consignment. (510 Daniels Street) 

This article was originally published on March 26, 2026 on waltermagazine.com