Centennial Park Conservancy announced that Nashville Earth Day, the city’s only official annual event to celebrate Earth Day, will return to Centennial Park Bandshell on Saturday, April 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Presented in partnership with Urban Green Lab and sustained by Amazon, Nissan, and HCA Healthcare Foundation, this free family-friendly event brings the Nashville community together to celebrate our planet, inspire positive environmental change, and support sustainable small businesses and nonprofits. Nashville Earth Day will feature engaging and educational activities from more than 75 exhibitors and vendors, including local growers and makers, nonprofits, sustainable small businesses, and state/metro government agencies.
The event will also include free live music, dynamic Kidsville activities for all ages, and local food vendors. Returning is the popular EarthTalks Tent supported by TedX Nashville which features a diverse lineup of experts providing information about interacting with nature and accessible, actionable sustainable living tips for attendees to apply in their own living spaces, whether it’s a house with a yard or an apartment.
“Nashville Earth Day is one of the most exciting days of the year at Centennial Park,” says Justin Branam, Vice President of Programming for Centennial Park Conservancy. “Centennial Park Conservancy is thrilled to partner yet again with Urban Green Lab, who bring an abundance of sustainability expertise and practical advice for attendees on big and small ways they can make an environmental impact. From fascinating speakers to hands-on activities to incredible live music, our Nashville Earth Day lineup will offer something fun and educational for the whole family.”
“Our mission is at the core of our efforts to ensure this city, and its citizens, realizes that sustainability and conservation are not just trendy buzz words but foundational principles for providing health, wellness and quality of life for all people through an inviting and growing network of parks and greenways. Earth Day is always a wonderful reminder of how everyone needs to help sustain this wonderful place we call earth,” said Metro Parks Director Monique Horton Odom.
Nashville Earth Day Highlights Include:
- The EarthTalks Tent supported by TedX Nashville will feature a diverse lineup of local experts speaking on a variety of environmental issues, including home composting, gardening, recycling, and more. Full speaker and topic list available at nashvilleearthday.org.
- Live Music will be presented throughout the day with performances by local artists, including Erin Rae, Kyshona, Josh Okeefe, Cane and Cancino, and Jarren Blair.
Kidsville’s Active Play Zone will include a Nashville Earth Day passport sketchbook for kids to get stamped at select booths, as well as a nature sculpture area to spark imagination and creativity. Plus, kids are invited to take a Storybook Walk on the Centennial Park Walking Trail around Lake Watauga and explore the pages of the book Be A Tree!, by Maria Gianferrari and Felicita Sala - The 3rd Annual EV Car Show, in partnership with Drive Electric Nashville, will provide Nashvillians with a hands-on experience to learn about a variety of electric vehicles on the market and speak with EV owners. A Nissan ARIYA ride-and-drive will also be available courtesy of Downtown Nashville Nissan.
- The Kidsville Earth Day Parade will take place from 3:45 to 4:00 p.m. The parade will allow kids to use recycled supplies (available all day at the Kidsville area) to create props or costume pieces that tell about their favorite plants, creatures, and other wonders of the earth.
- Nashville Tree Foundation with sponsorship from Amazon will be onsite distributing free trees to event attendees on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- WM returns as Nashville Earth Day’s official sustainability partner. With their support in 2024, Nashville Earth Day festival was able to divert 500 lbs of recycled materials out of landfills, a 15% increase from 2023, and increased the amount of compostables by 30%. WM will continue to coordinate with vendors on material management, lead a team of volunteer Rubbish Wranglers to ensure compostable, recyclable materials, and trash are all diverted to the correct space with Compost Nashville, and provide a post-event sustainability report.
- Small World Yoga will offer a complimentary 45-minute class from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in front of the event stage.
- Turnip Green Creative Reuse will host the Reuse Village and provide free crafts and Creativity Kits for festival-goers, with all craft materials diverted from the landfill. Patrons can participate in hands-on projects, or take them on the go.
- The Artisan Market will provide opportunities to shop local for recycled, reused, up-cycled, and natural products from sustainable small businesses.
Nonprofits and Government Agencies will provide education and inspiration for sustainable living and positive environmental change. - Food will be offered by a variety of local food trucks and vendors, including The Grilled Cheeserie, Retro Sno, Wacomole Mexican Food, Bondi Bowls, and more.
- The Earth Day Pub will serve craft beer, wine, and cocktails for patrons 21 and over along with water and juice options.
- Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee will be sharing sustainable Earth Day fashion tips and helping attendees get ready for the festival. Follow them on social media to get the latest tips and learn about their contest; one person will win a $100 Goodwill gift card.
EVENT TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING
Nashville Earth Day attendees are encouraged to walk or bike to the event and take advantage of free bike valet parking provided by Walk/Bike Nashville. Attendees can also take the bus to Centennial Park via Metro Transit Authority from West End, Charlotte or University Connector. Free limited parking is available in and around Centennial Park.
VOLUNTEER AT THE NASHVILLE EARTH DAY EVENT
Nashville Earth Day is made possible by the many generous individuals who volunteer their time to present this free event for our community. To sign up, volunteers may contact Centennial Park Conservancy at nashvilleearthday.org/volunteer.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter
