Each year, UVA Sustainability partners with organizations on Grounds and across the Charlottesville-area community to host Earth Month, a celebration of our shared planet. Earth Month includes dozens of events and activities -- something for everyone -- including volunteer litter clean-up days, workshops, art-making, tours, career fairs, plant swaps, and much more. 

Below is the 2024 line-up. See you out there! 

2024 Earth Day Events

 

Frozen & Refrigerated Food Drive

Friday, April 19, 2024
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: GrandMarc Entrance 301 15th Street

Clean out your freezers and donate your UNEXPIRED and UNOPENED frozen and refrigerated food items! This event is in support of UVA’s Community Food Pantry, which fights food waste and insecurity on Grounds.
#onGrounds #waste #food

 

Earth Day Conscious Dance Party

Friday, April 19, 2024
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Location: Lawn of McGuffey (201 2nd St NW, Charlottesville, VA 2290)

Join a community dance in celebration of life, peace, and well-being for the Earth and all beings. The event is free, inclusive, and open to everyone!
#community #free #dance

 

National Park Week

Saturday, April 20, 2024
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Location: Shenandoah National Park

Entrance fees will be waived on April 20 to kick off the celebration and to encourage everyone to enjoy their national parks in person. National Park Service parks, programs, and partners will host events and activities all week!
#community #outdoors #free

 

Green Dream Festival – Earth Day Celebration

Saturday, April 20, 2024
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location: Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

Join us for free festivities for the whole family, including a tree tour, pollinator walk, and a teen poetry showcase! Caricatures, stroll with a story, kids' crafts, and more. Email [email protected] to register or ask questions.
#community #free #activities

 

Earth Day at Bellair

Saturday, April 20, 2024
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Bellair Farm

Let’s gather together to celebrate Earth Day with good company and earth-loving activities!
#community #free #activities

 

 

Greene County Visitor Center Earth Day Celebration

Saturday, April 20, 2024
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: 9157 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville VA 22968

Join us at the Greene County Visitor Center for our 2024 Earth Day Festival! The event will be filled with fun and family activities to celebrate Earth Day. We'll have a tree giveaway, water conservation demonstration, and games.
#community #family #activities

 

7th Annual Beta Bridge Stream Cleanup

Saturday, April 20, 2024
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Westminster Presbyterian Church, south parking lot (400 Rugby Road)

Enjoy the outdoors while helping to protect our local waterways. UVA Landscape Services will provide trash pickers, gloves, and bags. Volunteers will also enjoy free bagels!
#onGrounds #volunteer #waste

 

National Water Dance

Saturday, April 20, 2024
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Darden Towe

The National Water Dance Project brings together dancers and community members in site-specific movement choirs to bring attention to critical water issues. 
#community #free #dance

 

Earth Saving Trivia

Sunday, April 21, 2024
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Refill Renew in C'ville. 1717B Allied Lane, McIntire Plaza

Drink free kombucha and answer trivia questions! Fun for all ages and everyone earns a prize, with a Grand Prize for the player with the most correct answers!
#community #fun #prize

 

Corner Cleanup

Sunday, April 21, 2024
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location:  Madison Hall

Come join UVA Sustainability, Theta Tau, and AKPsi for the final Corner Cleanup of the semester! Participating in a Corner Cleanup is a fun way to help keep our environment healthy and beautiful.
#onGrounds #free #volunteer

 

Loop de'Ville Walks: Meadow Creek Gardens to Old Ivy Road

Sunday, April 21, 2024
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: Meadow Creek Gardens - 2030 Morton Dr (meet at the RTF Shed) 

This month we are walking the Rivanna Trail from Meadow Creek Gardens (behind the Bodo's on Emmet Street) to Old Ivy Rd. Most of the trail will be on dirt and uneven terrain but there are a couple of tricky road crossings.
#community #outdoors #walk

 

A Community Read Event: Celebrating Women's History Month and Earth Day

Sunday, April 21, 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Central Branch, 201 E Market St, Charlottesville, VA 22902

For our 2024 Community Read, we have chosen the book "All We Can Save" and partnered with local organizations for our Community Read panel event, celebrating Women’s History Month & Earth Day. Join us! 
#community #free #booklover

 

Nature Connection with Hearth Cville

Sunday, April 21, 2024
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Location: Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

During this special event, participants will be invited on a guided “wandering” with the option to share and discuss personal experiences with others. Led by Karolyn Kinane and Anthony DeMauro, co-founders of Hearth Cville.
#community #walk #outdoors

 

Earth Day Veg-Out

Monday, April 22, 2024
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Fresh Food Company Dining Hall (in Newcomb)

Join us at Newcomb for a plant-based lunch and to answer your questions about being a sustainable consumer!! 
#onGrounds #food #learning

 

UVA's Earth Day Eco-Fair

Monday, April 22, 2024
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Peabody Lawn

Let’s celebrate Earth Day! Join the UVA Sustainability team and community partners on April 22 for an afternoon filled with interactive tables, green career conversations, community building, food, and much more. 
#onGrounds #activities #fun

 

Batten Hour with Elizabeth Andrews

Monday, April 22, 2024
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Location: Great Hall Room 100

Join us for a special Earth Day Batten Hour with Elizabeth Andrews, an accomplished environmental attorney who has worked with the state government, nonprofits and universities. 
#onGrounds #learning #law

 

Reclaim Earth Day Rally

Monday, April 22, 2024
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location:  Begin at Rotunda steps (North side)

Organized by student group, DivestUVA, the Reclaim Earth Day march will begin with a rally at the Rotunda, followed by a march around Grounds/Cville. The goal of this non-violent demonstration is to declare a climate emergency and call for more action at UVA. 
#onGrounds #club #students

 

Green Labs Resource Fair

Wednesday, April 24, 2024
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Pinn Hall 2ABC

This event is an opportunity for UVA researchers to explore new resources around lab sustainability.
#onGrounds #science #lab

 

UVA North Grounds E-Bike Demo Day

Thursday, April 25, 2024
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: The Park (1015 Massie Rd, Charlottesville, Virginia  22903)

Come test ride a selection of e-bikes to celebrate Earth Month and in preparation for Cville Bike Month in May!
#onGrounds #bike #free

 

Free Meal Prep Class

Thursday, April 25, 2024
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Location: Teaching Kitchen at the Student Health Building

Learn sustainable food preparation practices by making a customizable stir fry with seasonal vegetables. Register using the attached link!
#onGrounds #free #food

 

Garden Pilates with Club Pilates Charlottesville

Thursday, April 25, 2024
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

Join Club Pilates Charlottesville for an outdoor Mat class in the garden! Move your spine in all directions in this full-body workout designed for all fitness levels. Please bring your own mat and a water bottle.
#community #outdoors #movement

 

Learn About How Toxic Chemicals Affect Wildlife

Thursday, April 25, 2024
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: Online

Wild Virginia invites you to join us and a panel of scientific experts to learn about the impacts of PFAS on wildlife. 
#community #learning #science

 

 

James River Documentary Screening

Friday, April 26, 2024
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: 1515 Studio (1515 University Ave)

Join UVA Clean Water for a screening of "A River Called Home," a short documentary about experiencing, celebrating, and protecting the James River. There will be a Q&A session with the director, as well as free refreshments!
#onGrounds #water #learning

 

 

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days

Friday, April 26, 2024 and Saturday April 27, 2024
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location:  Ivy Materials Utilization Center

Dispose of your hazardous waste safely at this event! Household Hazardous Waste will be taking collections for free to area residents, so be sure to bring paints, motor oil, pesticides, and more!
#community #waste #free

 

Morven Student Days

Friday, April 26, 2024
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Morven (600 Morven Drive)

UVA students are invited to explore, experience, and enjoy Morven’s unique landscape.  These spaces include our Formal Garden, Main House, beautiful historic buildings, and more! On April 26 at 1:00 PM, there will also be a guided walk with faculty director Beth Meyer.
#community #free #explore

 

Kid*Vention

Saturday, April 27, 2024
9:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: Peabody Lawn

Join us for Kid*Vention, the Virginia Discovery Museum’s annual celebration of everything science! Meet dozens of local exhibitors as you investigate all the fields of science through fun, hands-on demonstrations, experiments, and games. 
#community #family #learning

 

Plant Walk with Little Bluestem & Mush Luv

Saturday, April 27, 2024
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Bellair Farm

Join members of Little Bluestem & Mush Luv for a plant walk around the Bellair lands.
#community #walk #outdoors

 

 

Amphibian Walk-Garden After Dark

Tuesday, April 30, 2024
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

Join local herpetologist Chris Asquith for an Evening of Frog Calls.  Participants of this workshop will hear and learn to identify several species of frog that are native to our area and breed in the spring.
#community #walk #learning

 

Events updated daily!

Past Events

 

 

Clothing Swap (Collection)

Monday, April 1, 2024 and Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Afternoons
Location: South Lawn

Stop by to drop off clothing for the clothing swap!
#onGrounds #fashion #reuse

 

 

Young Alumni Panel: Environmental Careers

Monday, April 1, 2024
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Zoom

Join the Sustainability Advocates and UVA Career Center in hearing from UVA alumni in roles pertaining to environmental impact! 
#onGrounds #career #networking

 

Cville Carnival Market

Wednesday, April 3, 2024
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: South Lawn

Participate in the local food system while staying on Grounds by purchasing fresh products from local producers.This SPECIAL carnival market will feature prize giveaways!  
#onGrounds #community #prize

 

Paper Making Workshop

Wednesday, April 3, 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: School of Architecture, 1st Floor Fabrication Outdoor Work Court

Join us to learn making recycled paper! No experience needed. We provide materials. Bring dried flowers/leaves for extra flair!
#onGrounds #recycle #creative

 

Green Plate

Thursday, April 4, 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Fresh Food Company (Newcomb Hall)

Try some delicious plant-based dishes and learn about the benefits of plant-forward diets while enjoying dinner at Newcomb hall!
#onGrounds #food #plant-based

 

Creating a Bird-Friendly Environment at Home

Thursday, April 4, 2024
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: The Center

Join us to learn how to create an attractive environment at home for our local birds from Scott Karr, the owner of our local Wild Birds Unlimited.
#community #learning #animallover

 

Clothing Swap

Thursday, April 4, 2024 and Friday, April 5, 2024
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM and 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: South Lawn

Get rid of unused clothes and swap for or buy new items!
#onGrounds #fashion #reuse

 

 

Planting on E-Way

Friday, April 5, 2024
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Engineers Way

UVA Sustainability Advocates is hosting a planting event on Engineers Way (E-Way) in collaboration with UVA Facilities Management Landscape Services.
#onGrounds #trees #volunteer

 

Garden Site Tour of Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

Saturday, April 6, 2024
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Location: Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

Tours will bring you up to date on all happenings and plans for our exciting public garden. The site tends to be wet so sturdy, waterproof shoes are recommended. Make sure to RSVP!
#community #tour #garden

 

Spring Tree Sale

Saturday, April 6, 2024
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Virginia Department of Forestry at 900 Natural Resources Drive

Visit this volunteer-run tree nursery! They concentrate on native trees, some of which are hard to find from commercial sources.  Plan to get there early as we sell out fast!
#community #trees #sale

 

Baby Animal Day

Saturday, April 6, 2024
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: Bellair Farms

Come visit baby farm animals! To keep animals safe, holding and touching aren’t allowed, but there’ll be local food vendors and walking trails open as well.
#community #animallover #outdoors

 

Free Community Dance Workshop (Water Dance Project)

Saturday, April 6, 2024
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: McGuffey Art Center (201 2nd Street Northwest)

Prepare for the community dance on April 20th, and share the joy of movement and promote clean water in our community! Explore fun and creative movement activities and learn about the National Water Dance Project. All ages welcome. No previous dance experience necessary!
#community #water #creative

 

Sisters Project Peru X Remote Area Medical: Food, Healthcare, and Indigenous Justice Panel Conversation

Saturday, April 6, 2024
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Student Health and Wellness Multipurpose Room 101B

Join our panel conversation exploring the intersection of food equity, healthcare access and Indigenous justice!
#onGrounds #food #justice

 

Corner Cleanup

Sunday, April 7, 2024
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Madison Hall

Join us for a fun way to help keep our environment healthy and beautiful. The Office for Sustainability will provide pickers, gloves, bags, and bagels! 
#onGrounds #free #volunteer

 

 

Hoo’s Cooking Celebrates Earth Month

Monday, April 8, 2024
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Location: UVA Teaching Kitchen at Student Health and Wellness

Join us for a cooking class making “Garlic-Herb Roasted Salmon, Sautéed Asparagus, and Fluffy Basmati Rice” and learn about sustainability around food!
#onGrounds #food #learning

 

Rooftop Solar Open House

Tuesday, April 9, 2024
11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Location: 2420 Old Ivy Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Tour UVA’s latest green investment, the rooftop solar system on 2420 Old Ivy Rd. Meet and mingle with students and staff, and community members who are focused on sustainable initiatives. Refreshments brought to you by The Markets by Tiger.
#onGrounds #energy #learning

 

Create with Nature: Blooms

Wednesday, April 10, 2024
11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Location: Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

Visit the Garden for a nature themed art activity with Bruce Gatling-Austin. Stay for a stroll through the Garden. Keep an eye out for story pages as you enjoy your walk. Walk-ins are welcome!
#community #garden #free

 

Charting Paths in Environmental Law: Career Panel and Networking

Wednesday, April 10, 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: UVA Law, Purcell Reading Room (580 Massie Rd)

Join the Virginia State Bar Association, Environmental Law Section and environmental attorneys for networking and appetizers after a panel discussion with Q&A.
#onGrounds #career #networking

 

Green Drinks Cville

Wednesday, April 10, 2024
5:30 PM - 6:45 PM
Location: Three Notch'd Brewing Company

Green Drinks is an informal monthly "Meet-Up" where environmentally-minded people connect over drinks (alcohol optional)
#community #food #networking

 

Social Entrepreneurs and Ventures in Food Justice

Thursday, April 11, 2024
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Darden - North Grounds, CLA 140

Join us for an insightful panel discussion on food entrepreneurship and waste reduction as part of the annual FEED Week (Food Engagement, Education, and Discussion Week)!
#onGrounds #free #food

 

UVA Employee Service Event at Morven Kitchen Garden

Friday, April 12, 2024
2:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Location: Morven Kitchen Garden (600 Morven Dr, Charlottesville, VA 22902)

Join us for an afternoon of volunteering at Morven Kitchen Garden! Use a portion of your annual service leave (with supervisor approval), enjoy an afternoon outdoors, and learn about sustainable gardening. Snacks and beverages will be provided. 
#community #food #outdoors

 

VA Farm Workers Discussion

Friday, April 12, 2024
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Clark 108

Join us to learn about the farmworkers who labor across VA, helping to put food on our tables, and how they face numerous challenges.
#onGrounds #food #learning

 

Second Fridays Under the Stars

Friday, April 12, 2024
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: Ivy Creek Natural Area

Learn about upcoming celestial events in a short lecture given in the education building and  go outside where local area amateur astronomers will help point out constellations, planets, nebulae, star clusters, and distant galaxies.
#community #free #outdoors

 

2024 Protecting Health in a Changing Climate: Rising Heat & Health in Virginia

Saturday, April 13, 2024
7:30 AM - 3:15 PM
Location: UVA School of Nursing

Attend this conference to learn how the warming climate is changing heat-related illness patterns - help us protect health, particularly for vulnerable communities, through knowledge and advocacy.
#onGrounds #career #healthhttps://www.instagram.com/p/C5n7hfkuJzl/

 

UVA Guided Tree Walk

Saturday, April 13, 2024
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: 145 McCormick Rd

Join Carol Wise and Dana Denbar on this walk at the University of Virginia through beautiful surroundings and spring blooms as we discuss the history of the area, some specimen and native trees. 
#onGrounds #trees #learning

 

An Evening with Dana Milbank

Saturday, April 13, 2024
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Jefferson School African American Heritage Center (233 4th Street Northwest Charlottesville, VA 22903)

Join us for a night with Dana Milbank, a talented writer and speaker, where we'll chat, laugh, and maybe even learn a thing or two about nature!
#community #booklover #learning

 

Greg Wrenn: Mothership

Saturday, April 13, 2024
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E Main St. on Downtown Mall

Join us for a book talk with Greg Wrenn, author of Mothership: A Memoir of Wonder and Crisis. This in-person event will be free and open to the public. We recommend arriving early for the best seating.
#community #free #booklover

 

Neighborhood Community Walk

Sunday, April 14, 2024
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Rose Hill Neighborhood (meeting at Jackson P Burley Middle School, lower lot)

This month we are exploring the Rose Hill neighborhood. This walk will be roughly 2.0 miles on even terrain but there will be opportunities to explore some new projects and meet some local businesses. 
#community #walk #local

 

 

Cville Solar Project

Monday, April 15, 2024
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Scott Stadium

Come and see the Cville Solar Project land an AWESOME project by solar powering a food truck on April 15th from 11am-1 pm! 
#onGrounds #solar #food

 

 

Batten Hour with Daniel Reifsnyder

Monday, April 15, 2024
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Location: Garrett Hall, Great Hall (100)

Come hear from a lecturer and 40-year career public servant focused on federal policy in the environmental sector!
#onGrounds #learning #law

 

Little Nature Explorers in the Garden-Animal Signs & Tracks

Tuesday, April 16, 23, and 30, 2024
10:00 AM - 11:0 AM
Location: Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

A kid-friendly event series exploring the many animals that call the Garden home. Geared towards ages 3-5. Walk-ins welcome. Every session has a new topic and includes story time, art, and nature discovery!
#community #family #animallover

 

Native Plants for Your Landscape

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Zoom

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this event is for anyone looking to enhance their outdoor space with native plants! We're featuring Peggy Singlemann, one of the foremost gardening experts in the nation.
#community #learning #garden

 

Food Waste Seminar

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Newcomb Conference Room 177

Join StudCo Sustainability and the Sustainable Food Collaborative to learn more about reducing your food waste. Food and prizes will be provided!
#onGrounds #food #prize

 

C3 Presents: Climate Change in Our Community

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: The Center at Belvedere

Hear from the Community Climate Collaborative's (C3) Executive Director, Susan Kruse, about local climate impacts, our community's climate goals, and ways to get more involved to help to prevent further climate impacts.
#community #free #learning

 

 

Repurposing Paper Waste into Handcrafted Journals

Wednesday, April 17, 2024
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: School of Architecture, 2nd Floor Outdoor Classroom

Let's transform waste into functionality and unleash our creativity. Whether beginner or pro, let's reduce waste together!
#onGrounds #recycle #creative

 

From Individual Choices to Collective Action: Community Climate Solutions

Wednesday, April 17, 2024
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Location: The Swanson Case Court Room of the Central Library, 201 E Market St, Charlottesville, VA 22902

 Explore climate solutions and resources in Charlottesville & Albemarle with local government, Community Climate Collaborative (C3), Citizens’ Climate Lobby & more. Register now, space is limited!
#community #learning #networking

 

"Through the Lens" with Kathleen Schiro

Thursday, April 18, 2024
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: Zoom Webinar

How do thunderstorms grow? How do clouds change as we warm the planet? Join us as Professor Kathleen Schiro shares her insight into the physical processes behind thunderstorm development and discusses how she studies clouds!
#onGrounds #learning #science

 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Preview- Presented by CHS

April 18 through 21, 2024
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM (2:00 PM - 3:00 PM on April 21)
Location: Botanical Garden of the Piedmont

Join us in the Garden for a performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream presented by CHS Students. This hour long version of the play in our mini amphitheater will immerse you in Shakespeare’s tale of antics among the trees. 
#community #theater #performance

 

Environmental Justice Documentary Screening

Thursday, April 18, 2024
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM 
Location: Newcomb Theater

Join the Office for Sustainability and UPC for a screening of the documentary "Mossville: When Great Trees Fall" 
#onGrounds #movie #learning

 

Scrappy Elephant Creative Reuse Workshop

Friday, April 19, 2024
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: 1745 Allied St Suite C, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Join the UVA Office of Sustainability's celebration of Earth Month for a creative reuse workshop! We will get in touch with you before the event about transportation logistics!
#community #creative #reuse

 

ROSE Program "Shopping Event"

Friday, April 19, 2024
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: 580 McCormick Rd,  on the lower level

A "shopping" day the ROSE program. Allowing more people to learn about and visit ROSE for free office and school supplies. 
#onGrounds #free #reuse

 

Free Meal Prep Class

Friday, April 19, 2024
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Location: Teaching Kitchen at the Student Health Building

Learn about sustainable food preparation practices through a selection of easy brunch recipes. What's on the menu? Sheet pan pancakes, berry smoothies, mini frittatas, and balsamic glazed asparagus!
#onGrounds #free #food