Park District seeks volunteers to clean, mulch, lay fibar on Saturday, April 20
In celebration of Earth Day, the Chicago Park District and Friends of the Parks will unite Chicagoans to conduct the annual Citywide Parks Cleanup on April 20, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Chicagoans will distribute mulch, fibar and clean up litter at 102, and counting, sites citywide.
“Environmental stewardship of Chicago’s parks is a point of pride for our staff, and we are excited to share the resources and knowledge for the public to participate as well,” said Chicago Park District Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño. “We invite patrons of all ages to pitch in at local parks, collaborate with neighbors, and experience some of Chicago’s most historic natural landscapes. Your commitment to caring for these spaces is paramount to ensuring our parks look and function at a world class capacity!”
The Chicago Park District’s annual Earth Day cleanups are not possible without the participation of volunteers, whose responsibilities include organizing a cleanup crew, promoting volunteer signup, and coordinating to get garbage bags and gloves for their clean-up site. Currently, over 102 sites have taken the initiative to lead volunteer efforts at parks citywide. Patrons interested in volunteering can visit chicagoparkdistrict.com/earth-day.
"In our nearly 40 years of partnering with the Chicago Park Ditrict to organize Earth Day clean ups around the city, we have discovered the day is not just about tending to parks, but also connections to park stewards and advocates," said Friends of the Parks President Gin Kilgore. "Earth Day is a shining example of the hard, impactful work Chicagoans do to make our parks clean, safe, and welcoming to all."
In addition, five other Earth Month events will take place between April 13, 2024 and April 27, 2024, including an Earth Month Resource Fair at Dvorak Park, and other clean-ups at Revere, Grant, Mt. Greenwood, and Wicker Parks. All of these efforts ensure that parks are safe and vibrant environments going into the summer.
Several events will take place in the days ahead and following the annual Earth Day Clean-Up. View the listings below for more on these unique offerings throughout the month of April:
Earth Day Resource Fair at Dvorak Park
First, on April 13, 2024, the Earth Day Resource Fair at Dvorak Park, located at 1119 W. Cullerton St., will educate children and families on environmentally conscious gardening, infrastructure, and water use habits. The event will also feature guided nature hikes and bike safety tips from the Chicago Park District and Chicago Department of Transportation’s Bike Safety Ambassadors program. Also, local astronomer Astro Joe will allow attendees to look up at the stars through a telescope. Finally, interactive music will be performed by Vivian “Miss Vivian” Garcia and puppeteer Chio Cabrera. The event is free to all ages, and registration is not required.
Earth Day Clean Ups After April 20, 2024
In partnership with Friends of the Parks, the Chicago Park District will conduct Earth Day Clean-ups at select parks throughout the city beyond the main Earth Day Celebration. Below are the schedules for cleanups:
Citywide Park Clean-Up at Revere Park
Sunday, April 21, 2024
2509 W. Irving Park Rd., 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Citywide Park Clean-Up at Grant Park
Sunday, April 21, 2024
331 E. Randolph St., 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Citywide Clean-Up at Mount Greenwood Park
Monday, April 22, 2024
3721 W. 111th St., 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Citywide Clean-Up at Wicker Park
Saturday, April 27, 2024
1425 N. Damen Ave., 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Volunteering in the Parks
Looking for a group, individual, or corporate volunteering excursion on an occasion other than Earth Day? The Chicago Park District is always welcoming help at chicagoparkdistrict.com/get-involved/volunteer.
Earth Day activities at home
If you're looking for more ways to enjoy nature at home or around your community, try our "30 Days of Nature" series of on-demand activities, available for free on the Chicago Park District's YouTube channel.
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Friends of the Parks inspires, equips, and mobilizes a diverse Chicago to ensure an equitable park system for a healthy Chicago. FOTP envisions a well-balanced Chicago park system, protected by Chicagoans for Chicagoans, to advance the individual, community, public, ecological, and economic health and well-being of our city. For more information about Friends of the Parks, visit www.fotp.org.