Earth Day is Sunday, April 22. Celebrate our beautiful pocket of the planet at these Northern Michigan Earth Day events.

Due to the crazy weather we’ve been experiencing, some Earth Day events have been rescheduled for May. We’ve included some of these rescheduled events in this article.


Guided Bike Ride @ 45 North Vineyard Trail | April 21 | 1–4 p.m.

Leelanau Conservancy and Bike Leelanau are hosting a family-friendly guided ride on 45 North’s vineyard trail. Suttons Bay Bikes and Norte will provide free demo mountain bikes, fat bikes, and kids balance bikes to try. Leelanau Children’s Center will supervise the kids’ track. There will be a skills course and lessons on changing tires available as well. All ages and experience levels are welcome. After your ride, enjoy a glass of wine and snacks. Executive Director Tom Nelson will talk about the future of mountain biking at Palmer Woods.

Frog and Salamander Walk @ Grass River | April 21 | 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Learn how to identify local salamanders and frogs at Grass River Natural Area and help record species for research. The program costs $5 per person.

Earthen Day | April 21 | Noon–10 p.m.

The patio will be open at Earthen Ales rain, snow or shine! Enjoy new small-batch beers, $3 mugs for members, $2 mugs for Founding Mug Club Members, and brewery tours on the half hour from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Blackbird Arts will be screen printing special Earthen Day shirts from 6–9 p.m. Grey shirts will be available to purchase, or you can bring your own shirt for a reduced price.

Coffee with Green Elk Rapids | April 21 | 9:30–11 a.m.

Join the Green Elk Rapids committee at HERTH for an informal discussion and Earth Day orientation. The group is celebrating its 10th year as a volunteer organization and is asking for input on future programs. The agenda highlights international Earth Day’s 2018 theme—ending plastic pollution. John Nelson, Bay Keeper Emeritus, will facilitate the discussion, and research intern Bonnie Hamilton will review the status of plastics in Lake Michigan.

Earth Day Bulk Sale @ Oryana | April 22 | All Day

‘Pack-your-own’ bulk items are 10% off on Earth Day. Buying bulk means zero packaging waste and food waste. If you bring your own container to fill, you’ll get an extra 5 cents off.

Earth Day Celebration @ Twin Lakes Park | April 22 | 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

This is a free, family event to raise environmental awareness. Learn about recycling, composting, water protection, invasive species, energy conservation and more! Includes a scavenger hunt with prize drawings, fire brush truck, make-and-take eco-crafts and presentations by Wings of Wonder, Smokey Bear, and more! There will be live music by Jack Pine TC, good eats from Rockwich food truck, and guided nature walks with Grand Traverse County Parks & Recreation. Here’s more event information.

Leo Creek Earth Day Celebration | April 22 | 1–4 p.m.

Explore Leo Creek with your family and learn more about this unique habitat. Leo Creek Preserve has partnered with Inland Seas Education Association, Leelanau Conservation District, Leelanau County 4-H, Leelanau Montessori, Northport Energy, and Leelanau Conservancy for this event. In addition to displays, there will be activities and demonstrations including an eco-scavenger hunt, family games, and more! Plus, 100 plant seedlings will be given away. The event is free but donations are appreciated. The preserve is located in Suttons Bay off the Leelanau Trail; access is only from the trail. Park at the Fourth Street trailhead and walk about 100 yards south.

A Plastic Ocean | April 22 | 1 P.M.

Join Green Elk Rapids at the Elk Rapids Cinema for a free showing of A Plastic Ocean. Donations are welcome. The documentary features journalist Craig Leeson who discovered a startling amount of plastic pollution in our oceans.

The Appleseed Collective @ Tandem Ciders | April 22 | 3–6 p.m.

Enjoy live music from the Appleseed Collective and local hard cider. This event is family-friendly and no registration is necessary. There’s also no cover, but donations to the Leelanau Conservancy are welcome.

Hike-it-Baby @ DeYoung Natural Area | April 23 | 10 a.m.

Join Leelanau Conservancy Natural Areas and Preserves Manager Becky Hill and her 3-year-old son, Ira, for a kid-friendly, hour-long hike at a pace fit for toddlers and little legs. Parents, partners, grandparents, nannies, and friends are all welcome. Meet at the trailhead next to the parking area along the TART trail.

Blooms Hike @ Clay Cliffs Natural Area | May 6 | 2 p.m.

See native spring wildflowers and learn about pollinators’ role in ensuring the future of their species with Leelanau Conservancy docents Ann McInnis, Jane Gale, and Beth Chiles.

Glacial Hills Spring Work Day | May 12 | 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Each group of volunteers will be assigned a short section of the trail to take care of. The focus will be on clearing the trail, trimming back branches, reporting any missing signs, and alerting trail builders to any changes to the trail such as washouts. Bring gloves, snacks, and a water bottle. Some equipment will be available, but bring loppers and hand saws if you have them.

Earth Week 2018 | Leelanau Conservancy

Everyone who makes a gift of any amount between April 14 and April 22 will be entered into a drawing to win a $250 gift certificate and other goodies from M22! You can also enter by signing up to receive their weekly e-newsletter here. Three winners will be drawn April 30.


Environmental Preservation in Northern Michigan

Photo(s) by Kelly Rewa