In celebration of the 54th anniversary of Earth Day next Monday, Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors, Outdoor Chattanooga and the Chattanooga National Park City movement announce Earth Week from April 20-27.
Officials said, "This citywide initiative aligns with Chattanooga's recent nomination by the National Park City Foundation, marking a significant step toward becoming the first National Park City in the United States.
"The Chattanooga National Park City campaign is a community-driven effort to celebrate, elevate and conserve the people, places, civic spirit, and cultures that make Chattanooga and the Tennessee River Valley so unique and irreplaceable.
The idea is to build our city around our unique values, and in doing so, celebrate the best of Chattanooga and those that call it home. This is an an intentionally human-first approach to community conservation that creates more volunteerism and civic engagement around community health, beauty, art and fun.
"While not affiliated with the National Park Service, the movement shares the idea that we protect our most precious resources and places for not only today, but for generations to come. This intends to help our community shape our city around the values that make it so special outlined in the Chattanooga National Park City charter. The goal is for Chattanooga to earn the status of the first National Park City in North America by 2025."
In this spirit, the public is invited to participate in community clean-ups, park planting, festivals and events starting Saturday morning at numerous locations. Over 25 nonprofits, businesses and community leaders will take part throughout the week with with a complete list of events available here. Additional events will take place before and after Earth Week, and the community is welcome to include their events that line up with the Chattanooga National Park City mission.
Highlights of the week include the launch of the Adventure Library in partnership with Outdoor Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Public Library. This new service allows library cardholders to check out outdoor gear, such as tents and hiking poles, lanterns and binoculars. The Adventure Library opens this Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., featuring activities like "Campfire" Storytime, Earth Day crafts and a Digital Outdoors experience. The week will conclude on April 27 at Greenway Farm with a used outdoor gear sale and SpringFest, offering free family activities such as archery, disc golf and more from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Additionally, the week will celebrate the unveiling of "Moonrise," Chattanooga's newest public art installation along the TN RiverPark at the Wheeland Foundry trailhead on Tuesday, April 23 at 5 p.m., featuring a curated experience intertwining meditation, breathwork, gentle movement, sound, forest bathing and a short moonlit walk. Other events include Challenge Air at the Chattanooga Airport for all abilities, a free outdoor movie at Avondale Center Park the evening of the 20ths and more.
Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors will also feature events including:
- Seven days of volunteering with the public and groups in numerous parks, kicking off Saturday at East Lake Park;
- Free yoga retreat at Greenway Farm (booked) on Sunday, April 21;
- National Park City workshop Monday evening at Outdoor Chattanooga at 6 p.m.;
- Silver Adventures wildflower hike along the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail on Tuesday, April 24; and
- Volunteers are also able to join park staff to help plant and mulch at Main Terrain Park on Tuesday, April 24 and along Broad Street on Wednesday, April 25.
See a complete list of all Earth Week events
here.
"The calendar is also available for the public to add their Earth Day-related events or later events that line up with creating a greener, wilder and healthier Chattanooga and join in the conversation on the community page," officials said.
To learn more about the Chattanooga National Park City movement, visit
www.chattanooganationalparkcity.org.