15th Annual Seaside Earth Day Celebration
Sunday, April 19, 1 pm – 4 pm
Laguna Grande Regional Park – Lakeside
1249 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Seaside, CA
Earth Day 2026 is a free, family-friendly event, with activities for all ages to celebrate nature, and work toward a greener future for all!
The 2026 Seaside Earth Day Celebration marks our 15th year and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Laguna Grande Regional Park Joint Powers Agency (JPA). Join us at Laguna Grande Park – Lakeside for a full day of free, family-friendly activities.
Earth Day events are from 1–4 PM.
JPA anniversary activities are from 10 AM–12:30 PM and include an Audubon-led bird walk, nature walk, crafts, and more. Learn more: tinyurl.com/JPA50th-Anniversary
HIGHLIGHTS 1 PM to 4 PM:
• 30+ exhibitor booths
• Live music: Palenke Arts (Danza Mexika, Folklórica & AfroCaribbean percussion) + The Hovering Breadcat Duo with Derek Bodkin and Tommy Knowles
• Kids activities: face painting, bounce house, nature crafts
• Free raffle (Earth-friendly prizes)
• E-waste collection (cell phones, laptops, computers)
• Tomato & herb starts ($2 suggested donation)
• Food available (Big Sur Taco Truck)
ANNIVERSARY ACTIVITIES (10 AM–1 PM):
• 10:15 AM Guided Bird Walk
• 11:00 AM Nature Walk
• All-day: historical displays, Bird Bingo, nature crafts, tule cordage-making, recreation games
Volunteers are invited to be part of our Earth Day Team on the day of the event! Sign up for flexible shifts starting at 10 am (set up), through 4:30 (clean up). Groups are welcome! Lunch will be provided.
Visit the Volunteer Signup website for a list of needs.
Or email sustainableseaside@gmail.com for more information.
Stage Performances
Palenke Arts
Palenke Arts is a multicultural arts organization whose mission is to educate, inspire, and transform the community of Seaside through the arts.
The Center offers free and low-cost arts-based classes and events to many families who would not traditionally be able to afford them.
The Ballet Folklórico and Danza Mexika dance groups, led by Oaxacan-native maestra Jenny Robles, showcase traditional Mexican dances that, just like stories, have been passed down through the generations. The myths and legends are kept alive through their dances.
The Palenke Arts AfroCaribbean Percussion will take you on a musical journey as you experience the vibrant beats originating in the Caribbean, with roots in the African diaspora. The group will perform lively beats, like salsa, reggae, and calypso. Travel through Cuba, Puerto Rico, and South America in this unforgettable celebration of cultural identity and sound!
The Hovering Breadcat Duo
The Hovering Cat Duo performs a mix of Americana originals and familiar tunes with their unique twist. Singer-songwriter Derek Bodkin is a world-champion whistler, banjo/guitarist, and percussionist. Tommy Knowles is an accomplished musician who plays with several troubadour troupes on the Central Coast when he’s not wrangling jellies in his role as Senior Aquarist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Green Living
Organically Grown Tomato Starts
Take home some tomato plants for your home garden. Several varieties have been selected for hardiness in our Seaside / Central Coast growing zone. Suggested (optional) $2 donation per plant.
New this year! Basil starts, also for $2 per plant. Please pay with cash.
E-Waste Collection Station
Bring your old computers (desktops, laptops, tablets), printers, monitors, keyboards, and speakers. Your donated electronics will be donated to Loaves, Fishes, & Computers for data-scrubbing, refurbishing, and distributing to low-income families.
Please, no televisions, batteries, radios, routers, microphones, cables, books, and CD’s.
FREE Face Painting!
Come get your glow on! Monterey Bay Area face painting artist, Yessica Infante-Sanchez, will be at the Earth Day celebration creating stunning, detailed designs in vibrant colors—and it’s completely FREE! Perfect for kids and kids-at-heart.
50th Anniversary Laguna Grande Regional Park Joint Powers Agency (JPA)
🌿 Celebrating 50 Years of Regional Partnership at Laguna Grande 🌿
On February 26, 1976, a visionary partnership formed the Laguna Grande Regional Park Joint Powers Agency (JPA) to protect and enhance one of the Monterey Peninsula’s most treasured natural spaces. For five decades, the JPA has united its member agencies to steward, develop, and care for Laguna Grande Regional Park for the benefit of the entire community.
Today, Laguna Grande is more than a park. It’s a place for reflection, learning, and connection, and a lasting symbol of what collaboration can achieve. As we celebrate this 50-year milestone, we honor the leaders who began this work and look ahead with gratitude and purpose to the next 50 years of shared stewardship and community care.
Help make this a ZERO-Waste event.
Bring your reusable water bottle and fill it at our water refill station.
Thank you to our Co-Sponsors!
Questions? Contact event coordinator Catherine Crockett at (831) 915-7257 or email ccrockett@csmc.eco
¿Preguntas? Comuníquese con Catherine Crockett al (831) 915-7257 o envíe un correo electrónico a ccrockett@csmc.eco
Scenes from our 2022 Earth Day Celebration
Sustainable Seaside’s mission is to help our communities equitably implement sustainable and regenerative practices to slow and adapt to climate change.
Sustainable Seaside is a local action group affiliated with, and working in collaboration with Communities for Sustainable Monterey County, a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
