6 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day in Chattanooga

Where to Celebrate Earth Day in Chattanooga!

Outdoor Chattanooga News & Events April 2017

Outdoor Chattanooga's newsletter highlights the awesome outdoor activities happening in and around Chattanooga that will connect you to the outdoors and inspire you to come out and play with us!

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Outdoor Chattanooga Events

Rapid Learning Kayak Skills Program April 4

Outdoor Chattanooga's Rapid Learning Kayak Skills Program final winter session at the Hulsey Wellness Center at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale is Tues., April 4 from 7-9 p.m. There's a $2 pool use fee for participants, so be sure to bring cash to get in. Use our equipment or bring your own. Boats can be dropped off behind the building, but everyone must enter through the main entrance. For more info email Outdoor Chattanooga or call (423) 643-6888.

Family Funday at Greenway Park April 9

Pack a picnic, load up the family and come to Greenway Farms Park to have the ultimate Family Funday full of activity! Outdoor Chattanooga will provide equipment for families to try archery, paddle the creek by canoe or take a self guided nature hike between the hours of 3-6 p.m. on Sunday, April 9. All activities meet at the archery range by the dog park. A liability release form will be required for canoeing and archery. Severe weather or changes in water level may cancel or delay this program. For more information email Outdoor Chattanooga or call (423) 643-6888.

All ages can take aim at the outdoor archery range located by the dog park at Greenway Farms. Outdoor Chattanooga staff will provide all the equipment and instruction for this activity. Available between 3 - 6 p.m. Cost: free | first come, first served. Just show up, take aim and give archery a try!

Outdoor Chattanooga will provide all the equipment needed to paddle the creek at your own pace including tandem canoes, PFD's, and paddles. Canoes are available from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m at the boat ramp behind the gardens. Cost: $25 per canoe | first come, first served. We can only accept cash or check on location.

Full Moon Hike April 11

Explore the trails of Stringer's Ridge on a free, beginner-friendly, guided hike under the light of the full moon with Outdoor Chattanooga on Tuesday, April 11. Approximately 3 miles round-trip, this leisurely paced hike will lead to an overlook in hopes of getting the best view of the full moon rising over the Scenic city's nighttime skyline. Appropriate for ages 10 and up when accompanied by an adult. Hike will last approximately 1.5 hours. Reservations are required in advance. Call 423-643-6888 for more info and to register.

Armchair Traveler: Bicycle Touring in Europe April 11

Outdoor Chattanooga is pleased to present Armchair Traveler: Bicycle Touring in Europe, a series of short videos and stories about cycle touring in Europe. This free event takes place at Outdoor Chattanooga on Tues., April 11 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Chattanooga resident and BikeTours.com founder and president, Jim Johnson, will kick off the evening with tales about bicycle tours he's taken throughout Europe while also sharing his favorite videos. Featured guest, Jacob Ketel from Islandhopping, a German based company that offers bike and boat tours where travelers cruise coasts and islands; will talk about bicycle tourism and show videos of tours and destinations offered by his company. He'll also discuss work his company did in Greece to help build trails and connect with people in rural villages and towns. Check out one of the videos to be shown here. For more info, email Outdoor Chattanooga or call (423) 643-6888.

Leave No Trace Trainer Course April 22-23

Outdoor Chattanooga is hosting a Leave No Trace (LNT) Trainer Course at Lula Lake the weekend of April 22-23. This course is an informative, practical, and fun workshop on the ethics and practice of minimum-impact recreation, camping and travel. Completion of the course certifies outdoor leaders, educators, scouts, and recreation enthusiasts at the trainer level to host and teach awareness classes. Cost: $85 with meals and transportation included. Registration closes April 10. Call Outdoor Chattanooga at (423) 643-6888 to learn more and get registered.

More Outdoor Chattanooga Events

This Month's Local and Global Outdoor Adventure

Six Earth Day Celebrations in Chattanooga

(plus 2 more nearby)

Chattanooga Earth Day Rally: Celebrating Science

What: The Chattanooga Earth Day Rally will be celebrating Earth Day by focusing on the science that helps us protect and understand our planet. The event features guest speakers, live music, vendors, food, and more. This family friendly rally offers education and fun for everyone, while supporting the advancement of science and reason.

Where: Ross's Landing City Park
When: April 22, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Cost: Free

Hike, Bike, and Brew: A Beer Festival Benefiting Lula Lake

What: Celebrate Earth Day by supporting Lula Lake Land Trust and their mission to protect and preserve the Rock Creek watershed. This unique festival will feature local brewers and brews at seven beer stations along the Lula Lake trails, which you can hike or bike to visit. Enjoy nature, vote for your favorite local brewer, and support Lula Lake in one fun event.

Where: Lula Lake Land Trust
When: April 22, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Cost: $35 before April 14, week/day of tickets are $45. ($10 for non-drinkers)

Earth Day Gear Swap & Outdoor Expo

What: Chattanooga's 10th Annual Gear Swap and Outdoor Expo is ideal for all outdoor enthusiasts, whether lifelong or just-found-their-passion. You can buy cheap gear, learn about Chattanooga's outdoor community, or just meet new people and swap stories. You'll be supporting TenneSEA Kids 4 Clean Water, a nonprofit that teaches youth how to protect local watersheds.
Where: The Gear Closet

When: April 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free

Earth Day at the Chattanooga Zoo

What: This education-focused event allows Zoo guests to get hands-on experience with conservation. Sponsored by the Hamilton County Master Gardeners, the event will feature education carts, crafts, and planting stations. Earth Day at the Chattanooga Zoo is a fun way to get outside, learn about conservation, and celebrate the Earth by appreciating its inhabitants.
Where: Chattanooga Zoo

When: April 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Zoo admission

Earth Day MidTown: Healthy and Green
What: This Earth Day celebration will feature local food, vendors, music, and tiny workshops. If you're wanting to learn about and support local, green businesses, this event is the perfect way to spend the evening. It's hosted by the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Alliance, who advocate for the protection and conservation of the watershed.

Where: NEW Family Justice Center
When: April 19, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free

East Chatt Highlight Festival

What: While not specifically about Earth Day, this weekend long, family-friendly festival is definitely worth a visit. Presented by Glass House Collective and green|spaces, East Chatt Highlight Festival is centered around "The Pool," an interactive art exhibit of glowing panels of light, and will have live DJs, a hip hop and spoken word showcase, a family fun picnic, and more.
Where: 1901 Roanoke Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37406
When: April 21-23

Cost: Free

The Fence Post & Fireflies Spring Festival
What: This spring festival features an arts and crafts show, food, live entertainment, and a kids' area with free face-painting, a petting zoo, games, and pony rides. If you're looking to shop for home décor, gifts, or art while supporting small businesses, arts and craft shows are the perfect venue. This is a great way to spend the day outside, especially if you have kids.
Where: 197 New Hope Rd SE, Cleveland, Tennessee 37323

When: April 22- 23
Cost: $3 for parking, admission is free

2017 Horton 100

What: Celebrate Earth Day with an environmentally friendly way to sightsee by participating in the Horton 100 sponsored by Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee. This two day cycling event features a 100-mile route (50-miles a day), a 50-mile route (25-miles a day) and a 5-mile Kids' Ride on Saturday. The full event includes two days of riding and three meals, but there is also the option to only participate for one day.
Where: Henry Horton State Park

When: April 22-23
Cost: $60-$125

How Earth Day Came to Be and Why We Celebrate

It's hard to imagine a time when we didn't celebrate and honor the 3rd rock from the Sun; the place we call home. However, about fifty years ago, that was exactly the case. 1960's America was the land of anti-war protests and civil rights movements; leaving environmental issues on the backburner. Rachel Carson's 1962 book about the effect of pesticides on the countryside, "Silent Spring", was a bestseller; yet people continued driving giant trucks and there were few restrictions on waste disposal from factories. In 1969, Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, witnessed the devastating effects of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, and decided that things needed to change. Humans couldn't go on treating the Earth as disposable.

Senator Nelson wanted to create an environmental teaching day. He chose April 22, since it was between Spring Break and Final Exams for college students, the main group he was aiming to mobilize after seeing their passion for the anti-war movement. He enlisted fellow senator Pete McCloskey as his co-chair and recruited Denis Hayes from Harvard to be the national coordinator. W hile Senator Nelson continued to call his proposed day the National Environmental Teach In, everyone else c alled it a far catchier name: Earth Day.

Th e first Earth Day, which had 20 million participants, led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. It was hugely successful and would eventually earn Senator Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But that first Earth Day was only observed in the United States and there are a lot more people on this planet than just Americans.

In 1990, Denis Hayes was called upon once again to organize Earth Day, this time on a global scale. Earth Day 1990 had 200 million participants in 141 different countries. It featu red the Earth Day 20 International Peace Climb, where climbers from the United States, China, and the Soviet Union summited Mount Everest and organized the removal of two tons of trash from the mountainside. Environmental issues found a worldwide audience and continued to prompt strides in environmental protection.

Today, Earth Day is organized by the nonprofit Earth Day Network and is observed by over a billion people in 192 countries, which makes it the largest civic observance in the world. Learn more about Earth Day Network and their initiatives, such as A Billion Acts of Green and The Canopy Project, click here.

Did you experience this local adventure? Got suggestions for next month's local outdoor adventure? We'd love to hear about it! Share your stories and pictures with us at [email protected]

Community Events

Ocowassee Festival April 8

Hiwassee/Ocoee State Park hosts the Ocowassee Festival at Gee Creek Campground April 8th and 9th. The festival offers a full schedule of outdoor educational and experiential adventures led by park rangers, instructors and advocates! All activities begin from Gee Creek Campground and include: bird watching, wildflower hike, tree climbing (rope ascension), fish shocking, soil exploration, snake education, fungus identification, rock climbing, kayaking, bee keeping info, living history presentations, backpacking 101, mountain biking 101, sunset hikes and of course, campfire roast and storytelling. Outdoor Chattanooga will host an introduction to mountain bike program. Join our staff to learn and try the basics of mountain biking. Participants can use one of the mountain bikes available thanks to the Ironman Foundation and Friends of Outdoor Chattanooga grants.

Weed Wrangle Lookout Mountain Conservancy April 8

Weed Wrangle, is a one-day, citywide, volunteer effort to help rescue our public parks and green spaces from invasive species through hands-on removal of invasive and especially harmful trees, vines and flowering plants, such as honeysuckle, Chinese privet, English ivy, and kudzu. Supervised by experts in invasive weed management, Weed Wrangle volunteers will learn about the adverse impact of invasive plants on the environment and help remove these plants from some of the natural areas in the Chattanooga region. Sign up to volunteer for Chattanooga Weed Wr angles below!

Clean & Green 2017 April 29

Clean and Green is Downtown Chattanooga's annual cleanup and beautification volunteer event. Gather a group of volunteers from your business, civic group, church, friends and family to give back for the day. Sign up to volunteer here.

Community News

Nominate Chattanooga to win $20K to Enhance a Local Park

Help get our Scenic City nominated for the Meet Me at the Park initiative, which kicks off today, Saturday, April 1 for Earth Month. If Chattanooga wins, one of our city parks will receive a $20K grant for improvements. Meet Me at the Park was created by The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Citizenship, Disney|ABC Television Group and ESPN, to help revitalize parks across the country.

You could win too! When you nominate Chattanooga, you'll be entered into a contest to win a tablet outfitted for the outdoors. Help Chattanooga win by nominating and voting for your city everyday in April. When you visit a park in April, take a photo and tag @outdoorchatt on Facebook or Instagram. We want to see how you enjoy Chattanooga's parks. Nominate Chattanooga today and every day in April by clicking here!

New company spotlight: Southeastern Adventure Tours is a new tour company in Chattanooga offering unique boat tours on the Tennessee River. They are also offering a Wilderness First Aid and CPR certification course April 10-12. Cost: $65 CPR only, $200 WFA only, $250 WFA & CPR. Click here to find out more about how to register for the course or call 423-800-4644.