Alexandria Earth Month 2026: Lights, Camera, Action: Spotlighting Steps to a Greener Alexandria
Let’s Celebrate our Earth! Join the City of Alexandria in celebrating Earth Day 2026 throughout the month of April with this year's theme, Spotlighting Steps to a Greener Alexandria!
Join us as we commemorate the 56th anniversary of Earth Day with a month full of environmentally focused events, activities, and online initiatives that center on the Eco-City Vision in which Alexandria’s residents, businesses, and City government participate in a vibrant community that is always mindful of the needs and lifestyle of the generations to come. We all need to do our part and what better way than through fun, educational, and engaging opportunities.
In April 2026, let's celebrate and recognize Earth Day as we start “Spotlighting Steps to a Greener Alexandria.” Each week we have various activities focused on our Eco-City principles and initiatives. Check out our schedule of events below.
2026 Earth Month Calendar of Events
Download the full 2026 Earth Month calendar.
The City looks forward to seeing you at an event or having you follow us on social media: @AlexandriaVATES (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).
Date | Event | Location |
| April 1 - April 30 | Alexandria Beautification Commission Beautification Award. The 2026 Alexandria Beautification Awards--recognizing sustainable practices--return this spring! Nominations open April 1 and will be accepted through mid-summer. In celebration of America250, we're introducing a new award category for Best Patriotic Native Plantings (ABC America250 Award flyer). We encourage residents, businesses, and community spaces to showcase red, white, and blue natives. Learn more and submit nominations starting in April at alexandriava.gov/beautification. | Virtual |
| April 3 9am – 11am | First Friday Bird Count. All Ages. Join an environmental educator on the first Friday of each month for a morning bird count at Dora Kelly Nature Park. All experience levels are welcome to spot seasonal species and support conservation efforts. Binoculars available to borrow. Activity Information - First Friday Bird Count | Buddie Ford Nature 5750 Sanger Ave |
| April 6 – April 20 10am - 8pm | Twice Loved Plushies. Beatley Library will be accepting second-hand plush donations April 6-20. Plushies must be small and contain no electric components! Donations must be limited to no more than 10 plushies per patron. https://alexlibraryva.org/event/15820634 | Beatley Central Library 5005 Duke St. |
| April 6 - April 30 | Turning the Lens on Plastic Pollution Through Art. Running through Earth Month, Barrett Branch will feature art created by the Dunbar Boys & Girls Club accompanied by facts on plastic pollution and its impact on our planet. https://alexlibraryva.org/event/16060150 | Buddie Ford Nature 5750 Sanger Ave |
| April 11 9am – 12pm | Historic Holmes Run Stream Cleanup. Stormwater Management Division is hosting a cleanup at Historic Holmes Run near Charles Beatley Library. The group will meet in the parking lot of the Beatley Library for sign-in and pre-cleanup briefing. Bags, gloves, trash grabbers, and first aid will be made available for the event. Please be sure to dress appropriately and bring plenty of water. To register, email Anthony Minnick at anthony.minnick@alexandriava.gov | Charles E. Beatley, Jr Central Library 5005 Duke St. |
| April 11 10am – 2pm | EV Ride and Drive and EV Showcase. Test drive different electric vehicles from local dealerships and talk to local EV owners about their experiences, charging, and the benefits of electric transportation. Don't drive a car? Test ride a scooter or e-bike from a local retailer or one of the City's micromobility operators. | Chinquapin Park 3210 King St. |
| April 11 10:30am – 11:30am | Nature Play. Ages 2-5 with adult. Join our educator-led nature playdates! Kids will explore nature through hands-on indoor and outdoor activities (weather permitting). Each month offers new adventures with both guided and free play. Sign up for each session. Drop-ins welcome. $5 Activity Information - Nature Play | Buddie Ford Nature 5750 Sanger Ave |
| April 13 7pm - 8pm | Unregulated AI Use - Understanding Threats and Regulations. Dr. Finley-Brook will walk us through the harm of unregulated AI use and explain policies experts are working on to reign it in. https://alexlibraryva.org/event/15739528 | Virtual |
| April 15 6pm – 7pm | Green Teen Club. Ages 11-18. The ultimate gathering for nature enthusiasts! Teens will enjoy a variety of outdoor activities and discussions on sustainability, environmental justice, and green careers. There will also be opportunities to connect with the community, network with guest speakers, and make an impact through citizen science. Field trip fees may be required. Meets the third Wednesday of each month. Activity Information - Green Teen Club | Buddie Ford Nature 5750 Sanger Ave |
| April 17 – May 22 | Spotlighting our Alexandria Students Artistic Work Displaying Steps to a Greener Alexandria. For Earth Day 2026, the City of Alexandria is partnering with Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) to showcase sustainability-themed student artwork. Artists from kindergarten to 8th grade are creating works based on their interpretation of the 2026 Earth Day theme, "Lights, Camera, Action." A gallery of the works will be displayed in the Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center lobby throughout the month. | Buddie Ford Nature 5750 Sanger Ave |
| April 18 7am - 11am | ALX Dog Walk's 5th annual 2-mile dog walk, celebration, and Sustainability Festival. Leash up your pup (or come without a pup!) for the 5th annual ALX Dog Walk event and Sustainability Festival. Walkers check-in, grab a Goodie Bag, a free cup of coffee, baked treats, and enjoy the many tables and fun park activities. The 2-mile dog walk begins promptly at 8:15 am and followed by a Park celebration! Register at https://alxdogwalk.com/ | Oronoco Bay Park 100 Madison St. |
| April 18 9am - 12pm | City of Alexandria Hosts Free Shredding Event. In honor of Earth Month, the City of Alexandria’s Resource Recovery Division will host a free shredding event for residents. Residents are invited to bring eligible materials to the parking lot of MOM’s Organic Market for secure, sustainable shredding and disposal. City residents will be able to watch the shredding process via a monitor mounted on the side of the shredding truck. All shredded materials will be securely recycled after the event. | Mom's Organic Market parking lot 3831 Mt Vernon Ave |
| April 18 4:30pm – 6pm | Natural Resources Meet and Greet. Come chat with City of Alexandria’s Natural Resource Managers! | William Ramsay Rec Center 5650 Sanger Ave |
| April 24 – April 27 | City Nature Challenge Accepted! Here we go, Alexandria! The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an international event with a goal of motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities. It’s easy! Just use the iNaturalist app to compete against other cities around the world. To learn more, go to citynaturechallenge.org | N/A |
| April 25 9am – 12pm | Animals in the Park. Join the Jerome “Buddie” Ford Nature Center at Windmill Hill Park to learn about nature and meet live animals! Enjoy hands-on activities and learn how Alexandria is helping animals. Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center | City of Alexandria, VA | Windmill Hill Park 501 South Union St. |
| April 25 9am – 12pm | Macroinvertebrate Monitoring. Volunteers are invited to join the City’s Water Quality Compliance Specialist in the stream to collect and identify aquatic insects and other small creatures that help measure water quality. These events provide an exciting, up-close look at the hidden wildlife of our local streams while contributing to valuable data about the health of Alexandria’s waterways. To register, email Anthony Minnick at anthony.minnick@alexandriava.gov | Angel Park 201 W Taylor Run Pkwy |
| April 25 9:30am – 10:30am | We are Eco-City Alexandria. Join our ACPS students to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day! City Council is invited to join the tree planting and attend the Art Showcase display at the Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center to recognize our young resident’s art projects. This event is focused on meeting our Eco-City initiatives and showing how every resident can make a difference. | Buddie Ford Nature 5750 Sanger Ave |
| April 25 10:30am – 12pm | City Nature Challenge Bioblitz. All ages. You're invited to join our educator-led nature extravaganza where we will be counting the flora and fauna within Dora Kelly Nature Park. https://vaalexandriaweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/iteminfo.html?Module=AR&FMID=79143270 | Buddie Ford Nature 5750 Sanger Ave |
| April 25 12pm – 2pm | Brews, Bikes, and Bulbs with Eco-City Businesses Port City Brewing and Handy Bikes. Participate in hands-on energy demonstrations after your bike ride and learn how you can save energy and money at home with the Eco-City Homes program. | Port City Brewing Company 3950 Wheeler Ave |
| April 25 2pm – 3pm | Celebration of History and Nature. As we celebrate our country's founding, local Virginia Master Naturalists will share information about some regional gems where you can discover history and nature together. https://alexlibraryva.org/event/15073868 | Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library 717 Queen St. |
| April 26 12pm – 4pm | Del Ray GardenFest and Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award. The Del Ray Citizens Association is celebrating Earth Month by hosting GardenFest, where AlexRenew and the Environmental Policy Commission will present this year’s winner with the Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award! Award presentation will occur at 1:00pm. | Colasanto Park Baseball field Commonwealth Ave x Mt Vernon Ave |
| April 28 6pm – 8pm | Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshop. In partnership with the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District and Alexandria Library, the City of Alexandria is hosting a Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshop at Beatley Central Library. Rain barrels cost $55 each and you must register to attend. Registration Link: https://nvswcdevents.myrec.com/info/products/default.aspx?CategoryID=100 | Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library 5005 Duke St. |
| April 28 6:45pm – 7:45pm | Eco:mmunion - Conversations to Sustain People and Planet. Looking for a space to talk about climate change and the things affected that we love? Join us for a monthly discussion focused on a relevant topic. Register to receive the material suggestions. https://alexlibraryva.org/event/15415252 | Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library 717 Queen St. |
| May 1 9am - 11am | First Friday Bird Count. Ages 5 & up. Join an environmental educator on the first Friday of each month for a morning bird count at Dora Kelly Nature Park. All experience levels are welcome to spot seasonal species and support conservation efforts. Binoculars available to borrow. https://vaalexandriaweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/iteminfo.html?Module=AR&FMID=79142501 | Buddie Ford Nature 5750 Sanger Ave |
| May 2 9am – 12pm | Clean the Bay Day. Join the City of Alexandria for Clean the Bay Day and be part of a region-wide effort to protect our local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. Volunteers will work together to remove litter and debris from streams, parks, and storm drain areas, helping prevent pollution from reaching our rivers and the Bay. All supplies are provided, and all ages are welcome. Come make a direct impact on water quality while supporting a cleaner, healthier environment for our community. | Oronoco Bay Park 100 Madison St |
Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award
Congratulations to the 2025 Ellen Pickering Award winners, Bill Hendrickson, a Champion of Sustainable Environmental Policy in Alexandria for 30 Years! Hendrickson launched the Del Ray House and Garden Tour in 1999, with proceeds funding tree planting and other green initiatives. Representing the Del Ray Citizen's Association, Hendrickson played a key role in developing the Potomac Yard Plan. Visit the Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award page for information about the eligibility criteria, nomination requirements, and selection process.
Earth Day Student Artwork
For Earth Day 2026, the City of Alexandria is partnering with Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) to showcase sustainability-themed student artwork. During the month of April, a selection of the works will be posted on the website and a full, in-person gallery of the artwork will be displayed at Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature. Check out last years selections posted to the Earth Day Student Artwork page.