Festivals, Planting Mangroves, Cleanups and Other Highlights to Commemorate Florida Keys’ Earth Day

The Florida Keys & Key West are putting Earth Day in the spotlight with a wide range of activities throughout the island chain on and around April 22, 2024.

Every day is a reason to celebrate the beauty of the planet in the Florida Keys, full of natural wonders including 10 state parks, two national parks, four federally protected wildlife refuges and the continental United States’ only contiguous coral barrier reef.

While Earth Day highlights in the Florida Keys are listed here, more can be found at fla-keys.com/calendar/. Earth Day activities include:

KEY WEST

Mote Marine Laboratory’s Ocean Fest: This community celebration of the Florida Keys’ marine environment takes place Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Truman Waterfront Park, 35 E. Quay Rd. in Key West. Attendees of all ages are invited to enjoy a fun day of crafts, games, music, food, local brews and shopping as Mote and numerous other environmental organizations provide exhibits and experiences to enhance understanding of the important work being done to preserve coral reefs. mote.org/oceanfest

Earth Day 5k Run/Walk: The Key West Southernmost Runners’ 26th annual Earth Day 5k Run/Walk is set for Saturday, April 20, at Truman Waterfront Park in Key West. Proceeds from the race benefit the Conch Republic Marine Army, a local nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to cleaning and restoring the shallow mangrove habitats of the Florida Keys. Registration is $25 per person. Participants can register online or in person at the race location from 5 to 7 p.m. April 19, and at 7 a.m. April 20 before the 8 a.m. race start. runsignup.com/Race/FL/KeyWest/ED5K

Earth Day Jam with That Hippie Band: Key West musician Gary Dempsey and friends perform as That Hippie Band on Earth Day, April 22, at Key West Theater, 512 Eaton St. The group plays the music of a movement that will help listeners remember the songs from the Age of Aquarius. Audiences can raise their environmental consciousness as the band performs songs from the Moody Blues to Joni Mitchell and all points in between. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the show at 7 p.m. thekeywesttheater.com

Plogging the Keys Earth Day Cleanup: Plogging the Keys, a group that stages numerous cleanups around Key West, is to hold its Earth Day cleanup event in the Triangle area at the entrance to the island city, including the Cow Key Channel Bridge and surrounding streets, starting at 8 a.m. Monday, April 22. Those interested can meet at Tavern N Town restaurant, 3841 N. Roosevelt Blvd. to pick up their vest, gloves, bucket and picker. Participants will clean for one hour, followed by complimentary breakfast sandwiches, coffee and juice from Tavern N Town.

LOWER KEYS

Bahia Honda State Park Earth Day Celebration: Bahia Honda State Park, 36850 Overseas Highway in the Lower Keys, is to stage its 27th annual Earth Day celebration Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees can learn about earth-friendly activities and practices from numerous conservation-minded vendors and enjoy live music and crafts. A scavenger hunt will send kids on a journey to visit the festival’s many exhibitors, including the Florida Keys’ Turtle Hospital, Reef Relief, Save-A-Turtle of the Florida Keys and others. The park adopted the global Earth Day theme for this year’s event, “Planet vs. Plastic,” with a focus on joining together to protect the planet by embracing practices that promote a sustainable and healthy environment. In addition, the Friends of Bahia Honda is hosting its annual Earth Day Online Auction from April 6-20. Gift certificates to over 80 Keys attractions, hotels, restaurants and more will go to the highest bidders. Find the auction here: 32auctions.com/FOBHSP2024. friendsofbahiahonda.org/bahia-honda/bahia-honda-state-park

Plant Mangroves with Plant a Million Corals and Coastlove: Plant a Million Corals’ headquarters at Summerland Farms, 23801 Overseas Highway in the Lower Keys, is now home to both coral and mangrove nurseries. Coastlove, a leader in mangrove restoration, has joined with Plant a Million Corals to create an Earth Day weekend community event at Summerland Farms from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20, with tours of the nurseries and the chance to plant baby mangroves along the shoreline, along with educational activities, live music and refreshments. Attendees will learn how the reefs protect inshore seagrass beds and mangroves from strong ocean waves, and mangroves trap sediment that would otherwise flow out to sea and smother the reefs. Facebook.com/Plantamillioncorals

Stock Island Earth Day Cleanup: The Conch Republic Independence Celebration is to stage a community cleanup around Stock Island from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 20. Participants are to meet at Bernstein Park, 6751 5th St., for the cleanup effort. Vests, pokers and buckets will be provided and people are encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes.

Full Moon Kayak Excursion: Captain Bill Keogh’s Big Pine Kayak Adventures hosts full moon kayak excursions from October through May in the waters surrounding the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key. April’s full moon paddle takes place Tuesday, April 23, the day after Earth Day. Paddlers on the 6:30-8:30 p.m. excursion can explore the quiet beauty of the mangrove estuary, view the brilliance of the full moon light sparkling on the shallow water flats, and learn about the area’s delicate ecosystem. Cost is a $30 donation that supports the Florida Keys Wildlife Society, the friends group for the island chain’s national wildlife refuges. floridakeyswildlifesociety.org/full-moon-kayak-excursions

MARATHON

Visit the Turtle Hospital: Wildlife enthusiasts can celebrate Earth Day — and every day — by touring the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital, 2396 Overseas Highway in Marathon, to view sea turtles undergoing rehabilitation from illnesses and injuries. Visitors can even symbolically adopt a turtle to help support its care. A licensed veterinary hospital dedicated to the treatment of sea turtles, the Turtle Hospital was opened in 1986 with the goal of healing injured sea turtles and returning them to the wild. Turtle patients are released back to their ocean home when fully rehabilitated. Check Facebook.com/theturtlehospital for details on releases around Earth Day and in the coming weeks.

ISLAMORADA

I.CARE Coral Restoration Dives: I.CARE is a nonprofit group dedicated to the restoration and maintenance of the coral reef communities in Islamorada and the Florida Keys. Co-founder Mike Goldberg was named a 2023 CNN Hero for his successful efforts to recruit recreational divers to assist marine scientists in out-planting nursery-raised coral on Islamorada-area reefs. Coral transplant dives are offered every Saturday and the third Sunday of each month — including April 20 and 21 just before Earth Day — with three participating Upper Keys dive shops. Those interested can join the citizen science effort while exploring Keys reefs with other conservation-minded divers who enjoy giving back to the underwater realm that provide so much enjoyment. icareaboutcoral.org/schedule

I.CARE Trash Derby: The week after Earth Day, I.CARE is to hold its second annual Trash Derby and Festival. Set for Thursday through Sunday, May 2-5, it includes two days of debris collection both underwater and on land. Thanks to sponsorship from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation in support of Goal: Clean Seas, the marine debris collection dives are free for certified divers from participating dive shops from Key Largo to Key West. For land and shoreline cleanups, participants can form their own teams or join an existing team. To cap the weekend, a free public festival is scheduled May 5 at Islamorada’s Founders Park, 87000 Overseas Highway. Attractions include an award ceremony for top debris collectors, live music, raffles, silent auction, games and activities, exhibits from coral restoration organizations and other environmentally minded vendors, food and more. icaretrashderby.com

Florida Keys sustainability information: fla-keys.com/sustain

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