Family-Friendly Earth Day Events in Milwaukee’s North Shore
Earth Day (April 22) is a wonderful time for North Shore families to celebrate our planet together. From park clean-ups and nature hikes to sustainable fairs and craft workshops, there’s something for all ages. Below is a comprehensive guide to annual Earth Day events and traditions in the North Shore area, including event details (locations, times, registration info) and key activities for families.
Regional Volunteer Clean-Up Events (All Communities)
Milwaukee Riverkeeper Annual Spring Cleanup
Photo from Milwaukee Riverkeeper
What: A massive riverbank and park cleanup that mobilizes thousands of volunteers across Greater Milwaukee each Earth Day. It’s Wisconsin’s largest volunteer Earth Day event, with over 90 cleanup sites along the Milwaukee River, its tributaries, and shorelines. Families join to pick up litter and help restore natural beauty. Kids are welcome with supervision – it’s a hands-on lesson in caring for the environment.
When: April 26, 2025, 9 am - noon.
Where: Multiple North Shore locations. You can choose a convenient site in or near your community – for example, Kletzsch Park in Glendale, Estabrook Park in Shorewood, Lincoln Park (border of Glendale), or Atwater Beach in Shorewood. (Sites vary each year; a full map is provided during registration.)
Registration: Free. Sign-up in advance on Milwaukee Riverkeeper’s website to select your site and ensure enough supplies. Day-of walk-ups are also accepted at most sites if you arrive at 9 am. All cleanup materials are provided – gloves, trash bags, and even free T-shirts for volunteers. Bring a reusable water bottle and wear old shoes/clothes that can get dirty.
Key Activities: Removing trash and debris from rivers, streams, and parks. Each year volunteers collectively remove over 100,000 pounds of trash (much of it plastic) in just a few hours – a hugely rewarding effort! Families can see immediate results as they fill bags with litter that would otherwise pollute our waterways. Site leaders often educate participants about local ecology and recycling as you work.
Post-Event Celebration: After cleaning up, everyone is invited to the Rock the Green Earth Day Celebration that afternoon – a free, zero-waste festival featuring a live concert on a pedal-powered stage, sustainable food vendors, and eco-education booths. In recent years this celebration has been held from 12–3 pm at the Harley-Davidson Museum (downtown Milwaukee). It’s a fun way to reward volunteers: enjoy music, Earth Day games, and local “green” organizations’ exhibits in a family-friendly atmosphere. No tickets or fees required for this celebration. Just show up after the cleanup, grab some sustainable snacks, and celebrate your hard work with the community.
Shorewood: Earth Day Films & Community Clean-Ups
Shorewood Conservation Committee Film Festival (Winter/Spring)
Each year, Shorewood’s Conservation Committee hosts a free Environmental Film Festival in the lead-up to Earth Day. Several eco-documentaries are screened at the Shorewood Village Center (3920 N. Murray Ave) on weekday evenings (often in January, February, and March). No admission fee or registration is required – just drop in. After each film, Conservation Committee members lead a short discussion about how residents can take local action on the issues raised. Topics vary by year (recent films have explored wildlife, plastic pollution, sustainable gardening, etc.). It’s a family-friendly event (recommended for older kids and teens interested in the environment), and a great indoor way to build up to Earth Day with education and conversation.
Shorewood Community Clean-Up Traditions
Shorewood residents roll up their sleeves for Earth Day by caring for local parks and beaches:
Milwaukee River Cleanup (Shorewood sites): Shorewood is an avid participant in the Milwaukee Riverkeeper Cleanup described above. Neighbors often gather at Estabrook Park or Hubbard Park in Shorewood to clean the Milwaukee River banks. Hubbard Park, for example, has been an adopt-a-river site where volunteers meet by the river to collect trash (waders are provided for those who venture into the water). Families in Shorewood can easily join these nearby efforts on Earth Day morning – it’s a short walk or bike ride to your local park, making it very kid-friendly. Just sign up via Milwaukee Riverkeeper (or through Shorewood’s Conservation Committee if they advertise a specific team) and enjoy a morning of stewardship close to home.
Atwater Beach Clean-Up: Keeping Shorewood’s Lake Michigan beachfront clean is another Earth Day tradition. Local environmental groups (such as the Surfrider Foundation or school green clubs) have in past years organized an Atwater Beach Cleanup around Earth Day. Volunteers (including families and student groups) comb the sand and bluffs at Atwater Park to pick up litter, especially plastics that wash ashore. This is usually a free, drop-in event – bags and gloves are provided at a check-in table near the beach playground, and you can come for as long or little as you like. Cleaning the beach is a great hands-on activity for even young children (who doesn’t love a treasure hunt in the sand?). Keep an eye on Shorewood community pages for an announcement of the date (often on Earth Day itself or the closest weekend).
Neighborhood Projects: Even if you can’t attend an organized event, Shorewood encourages residents to “go green” at home on Earth Day – for example, by planting native flowers in your yard, starting a compost bin, or simply picking up trash on your block. The Conservation Committee sometimes provides free seed packets or tree saplings around Earth Day (at Village Hall or events) to promote native planting. Check the Shorewood Spring Yard Clean-Up Day schedule as well; the Village may coordinate a special yard waste collection or street sweeping after Earth Day to assist with neighborhood clean-ups. All of these small actions are family-friendly (have the kids help rake, plant, or litter pick) and contribute to Shorewood’s eco-legacy.
Shorewood Bonus: Each fall, Shorewood also hosts the “Fish & Feather Festival” at Hubbard Park (usually in October) – while not an Earth Day event, it’s an environmental education fair with salmon spotting, bird watching, and kids’ nature crafts. Keep it in mind as another annual family nature tradition in the North Shore!
Glendale & North Shore Library: Local Earth Day Efforts
Glendale’s Earth Day Encouragement
The City of Glendale doesn’t hold a single large Earth Day festival, but it actively encourages families to celebrate Earth Day in the community. In recent years, Glendale’s city newsletter has shared Earth Day tips and invited residents to help beautify the city. For example, on Earth Day 2023, the city asked: “Are you looking for an activity to make Glendale more beautiful today? Check out the ... Earth Day activities that you can do from home!” This included suggestions like picking up litter in your neighborhood park, starting a backyard compost, or planting a tree or garden in your yard.
Glendale families can make a big impact with these at-home projects. Consider organizing a block clean-up with neighbors – grab some bags and remove trash from your street or a nearby vacant lot. Or visit one of Glendale’s parks (like Kletzsch Park) on your own schedule to spruce it up. Glendale is home to the beautiful waterfall area at Kletzsch Park, along the Milwaukee River – an impromptu clean-up or hike there on Earth Day is very rewarding.
The city often provides free garbage bags for clean-up volunteers (available at City Hall) and may even pick up the filled bags if you call after. By empowering families to celebrate Earth Day in their own yards and neighborhoods, Glendale ensures everyone can participate easily.
Glendale is also home to the North Shore Public Library, which serves residents of Glendale, Fox Point, Bayside, and River Hills. Be sure to check out Earth Day programs at the library:
Earth Day at the Library (Glendale – North Shore Library & Whitefish Bay Library)
Local public libraries frequently host Earth Day–themed events for kids, which are free and fun. For instance:
North Shore Library (6800 N. Port Washington Rd, Glendale): Around Earth Day, the North Shore Library often puts up special book displays on recycling, nature, and going green. They have offered children’s activities like an Earth Day Storytime or craft in past years. While specific 2025 events aren’t announced yet, you might find a family storytime the week of Earth Day featuring environmentally themed stories and songs. The library’s youth services staff sometimes prepare a drop-in craft project – e.g. making Earth Day buttons, a coffee filter planet Earth craft, or planting a seed in a cup to take home. Call or check the library’s online event calendar in April for any “Green Storytime” or kids’ workshops. These activities typically require no registration (or just a quick RSVP) and are geared toward young children.
Whitefish Bay Public Library: Similarly, the Whitefish Bay Library has a tradition of family craft days. In one recent year, they held an Earth Day Craft Saturday, where families could drop in between 10 am–2 pm to make “recycling-friendly” art projects. The library provided all materials for free, and kids created things like seed paper, upcycled paper bag kites, and other eco-crafts to celebrate “Green Day in the Bay”. Keep an eye on Whitefish Bay’s library newsletter for a possible repeat of an Earth Day craft or an Earth Day storytime for toddlers. These library events are a great low-cost (usually free!) way to involve even the youngest family members in Earth Day.
Tip: If your kids attend school in Glendale (or other North Shore schools), watch for school-organized Earth Day activities as well. Schools often do playground clean-ups, tree plantings, or poster contests for Earth Day. While not public events, they’re wonderful traditions that you can talk about and reinforce at home (ask your child what they did for Earth Day at school and how your family might build on it).
Village of Bayside’s Adopt-A-Tree Program
The Adopt-A-Tree Program is a community initiative designed to enhance and diversify Bayside's urban forest. By participating, residents contribute to the village's environmental health and aesthetic appeal. Participants can choose from three hardy and environmentally beneficial species: Common Hackberry, Espresso Kentucky Coffeetree, and Red Oak.
Adoption Options and Pricing:
Residents have two options for tree placement: For a fee of $350, the village provides the selected tree for planting on the resident's own property. Planting in the Public Right-of-Way: For $300, residents can sponsor a tree to be planted in a designated public area, enhancing communal spaces. The village collaborates with participants to determine optimal planting locations.
How to Participate: Application Process: Interested residents can apply through the village's official website or contact the Department of Public Works directly. Planting Schedule: Trees are typically planted during the spring and fall seasons, depending on optimal growing conditions. Maintenance Guidance: The village provides information on proper tree care to ensure the longevity and health of the adopted trees.
By participating in the Adopt-A-Tree Program, residents not only beautify their surroundings but also contribute to the environmental well-being of the Bayside community.
Whitefish Bay: “Green Day in the Bay” Celebration
“Green Day in the Bay” – Whitefish Bay’s Earth Day Festival
Whitefish Bay’s hallmark Earth Day event is Green Day in the Bay, an annual eco-celebration that brings the whole community together. It’s usually held the first Saturday in May (a couple of weeks after Earth Day) as a grand finale to spring environmental activities. In 2025, for example, Green Day in the Bay is set for Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Location & Time: Centered at Klode Park (5900 N. Lake Dr., Whitefish Bay) with satellite activities nearby. Festivities typically run from morning through early afternoon (roughly 8 am–1 pm). Some portions have specific times (see below). Parking is available around the park and on surrounding streets, but many families walk or bike in.
Cost: Free admission to all the park events and fair. (If you join the 5K run or are dropping off recyclables, see notes below – those are also free or low-cost services). No tickets needed; just show up!
Registration: No registration needed to attend the festival or fair at Klode Park. If participating in the 5K “Run the Bay,” you’ll need to pre-register and pay the race fee (often benefiting a local charity or school). For the Recycle Day drop-off, no registration – just check the list of accepted items beforehand and queue up in your car. Any hands-on clinics or demos at the park are open to all on a walk-up basis.
Key Activities:
“Run the Bay” 5K and Kids’ Fun Run – A casual 5K run/walk through Whitefish Bay’s scenic streets. Stroller-friendly, and a Kids’ Fun Run option is included.
Recycle Day Drop-Off – A large-scale recycling drive for hard-to-recycle items, located at Dominican High School’s parking lot.
Eco-Fair at Klode Park – Dozens of booths from environmental groups, sustainable businesses, and local organizations.
Kids’ Activities – Arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, face painting, and nature games.
Food & Refreshments – Sustainable food vendors and free water stations for refilling bottles.
Bayside & Fox Point: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center & Doctors Park
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Earth Day Programs
Schlitz Audubon offers guided hikes, nature education, and volunteer opportunities for Earth Day, including:
Beach Cleanup – A morning volunteer event to remove litter from the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Family Workshops – Seed bomb-making, tree planting, and guided birdwatching.
Nature Hikes – Explore the trails, observe spring wildlife, and visit the Raptor Barn.
Doctors Park “Weed-Out” & Beach Cleanup
Spring “Weed-Out” Volunteer Day – Families help remove invasive plants to restore natural biodiversity.
Beach Cleanup – A casual, community-led effort to keep Tietjen Beach clean.
River Hills: Lynden Sculpture Garden
“Kites Over Lynden” – Earth Day Kite Flying
Families are invited to build and fly kites made from recycled materials.
“Dog Days” at Lynden
A special day where dogs are allowed at the sculpture garden for a nature walk.
Mequon: Mequon Nature Preserve & Arbor Day Festival
Mequon Nature Preserve
Earth Day Celebration – A guest speaker, guided hike, and kids' activities.
Woodcock Wander Night Hike – Observe the bird’s unique courtship display.
Volunteer Workdays – Tree planting and invasive species removal.
Mequon’s Arbor Day Festival
Free Tree Giveaway – Hundreds of native tree saplings are distributed.
Eco-Fair – Booths from nature organizations, plus family-friendly activities.
