Earth Day Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Earth Day Celebration

Join us for the Santa Cruz 2023 Earth Day Celebration at this multi-site event. Read below for more specific details and what will be included at each location.

This is a free family-friendly community celebration to promote environmental stewardship, healthy living, and sustainability.

Come build community and lean into climate action while you enjoy performers, live music, eco-minded exhibitors, inspiring conversations and arts and crafts.

Cooper/Pacific (off Abbott Square)

We are very excited to bring back our annual Earth Day Santa Cruz celebration in 2023! This year we bring the event to a new location, in beautiful Downtown Santa Cruz on Cooper St, Abbott Square, and the MAH. We look forward to gathering local businesses and organizations for a day of fun and environmentally focused activities and education. We will feature live music from Coffee Zombie Collective, face painting, a photo booth, lots of food options from Abbott Square and our other downtown eateries, and many activities for kids to take part in and even earn a sweet treat by participating in our interactive Passport Program. We will also be putting on an environmentally focused fashion show featuring local kids from the Fashion Teens program. We look forward to seeing all of you for Earth Day 2023!

Free parking will be available at the County building, located at 701 Ocean St. It is a short walk across the pedestrian bridge to the event.

Enjoy FREE ADMISSION plus these following presentations and festivities brought to you by the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History:

Abbott Square Activities:

* Family fun with the Hoopin Honey’s
* Bubbles, Arts & Crafts

MAH Activities:

Free MAH Admission includes access to:

Exhibitions on view: Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales, Writing on the Wall, Santa Cruz & the Santa Cruz County History Gallery

Earth Day Scavenger Hunt with Prizes

MAH Earth Day, Big Basin Park Presentations:

* 1-2pm: The Unique Role of Santa Cruz in Saving Big Basin Talk by Traci Bliss
* 2:30-3:45pm: Post CZU Fire: The Big Basin Experience panel discussion: Forest Sustainability, New Programs and Park Access.
* 4-6pm: Video Screenings by Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks and Mountain Parks Foundation.

Abbott Square Stage:

* Coffee Zombie Collective
* Teen Fashion Show
* Teen Science Awards

And just over the San Lorenzo Bridge visit the Earth Day celebration hosted by Hotel Paradox, located at Upper San Lorenzo Park for more fun, activities, and environmental education!

Hotel Paradox/Upper San Lorenzo Park Celebration

A day to celebrate this beautiful park in Santa Cruz and a day to acknowledge the many hands it took to open the space up for the community to enjoy safely and beautifully. At Upper San Lorenzo Park, we are bringing together the community to share what they do best.

Activities for all to partake, Maker’s Market featuring local Artists, Food Trucks, Beverage Vendors, Lounge areas, mini-Yoso spa, Coffee station, informative booths from the History of San Lorenzo Park to sustainable tips, Paradox VIP lounge and a day of entertainment: Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band, DJ set, La Familia de la Calle, Ripatti & Rose and Soul Majestic! Great day to celebrate!


Organizing Sponsors:

The City of Santa Cruz, the County of Santa Cruz, Ecology Action, the MAH, UCSC Sustainability Office, and Hotel Paradox.