Where to Celebrate Earth Day 2026 in San Diego: Festivals, Swaps + Cleanups

Sustainability is taking center stage in San Diego this April. From massive clothing swaps that keep textiles out of landfills to wellness events and clothing swaps, there are plenty of ways to give back to the planet while refreshing your body and soul. Here's where to celebrate Earth Day in San Diego:

Led by students but often open to the community, this free swap focuses on fast-fashion alternatives and educating the next generation on the impact of the garment industry. Held every Friday from 11am-3pm.

CALPIRG at UCSD, Front Lawn at UCSD Main Gym – La Jolla

Carlsbad is celebrating Earth Month with a free fair focusing on zero-waste living. Bring your quality pre-loved items for a clothing swap and stick around for workshops on composting and eco-friendly home swaps. Free to attend, pre-registration encouraged.

I Love A Clean San Diego & City of Carlsbad, Poinsettia Community Park – Carlsbad

Join the City of La Mesa for a free community-wide fair featuring a dedicated clothing swap. Learn about local transit, water conservation, and renewable energy while browsing the community exchange. Free to attend, pre-registration encouraged.

I Love A Clean San Diego & City of La Mesa, MacArthur Park – La Mesa

Spend the day giving back to the land at Chollas Creekside Park. This stewardship event includes habitat restoration, trail maintenance, and community education on local ecosystems.

Urban Collaborative Project, Chollas Creekside Park – San Diego

This free family-friendly festival at the gardens features a day of environmental education, hands-on activities for kids, and local art. Connect with nature while learning about plant conservation and sustainable gardening practices.

Alta Vista Botanical Gardens, Vista

Enjoy a beautiful day and learn more about community stewardship and conservation. Participate in interactive activities including crafts and a volunteer park beautification project.

San Diego County Parks, Lindo Lake County Park -- Lakeside

Kick off your morning with a high-energy mat Pilates session designed to make you feel strong and grounded. Afterward, participate in a curated clothing swap. Bring your gently used activewear or everyday favorites and find something "new to you" in a fun, social setting.

Beehive, Kate Sessions Park – PB

Get your garden ready for the season at this seed exchange – trade heirloom seeds, tips, and tricks for a successful San Diego harvest. Free to attend, must pre-register.

True Organics Products, Dixieline – La Mesa

Celebrate our planet with a multicultural lens. This long-standing free festival features live music, dance performances, vegan food vendors, and workshops focused on Indigenous wisdom and global environmental justice.

WorldBeat Cultural Center, Balboa Park

Don't let those "only used once" beauty products go to waste. This unique swap allows you to trade clean beauty products and stylish apparel, proving that luxury and sustainability can go hand-in-hand.

Sanctuary Social San Diego, Stone Brewing – Liberty Station

Gather for a free zero-waste family event full of eco crafts, live animals, nature education, bounce house fun, & more. Celebrate spring sustainably together

San Diego County Parks, San Dieguito County Park -- Del Mar

Honor Mother Earth with a heart-opening cacao ritual. This ceremony focuses on gratitude for the planet’s resources and setting collective intentions for environmental healing.

Maya Moon Collective, Normal Heights

Immerse yourself in a sensory wellness journey that combines movement with mindfulness. Featuring a stick mobility class, followed by a breath to motion vinyasa flow and ending with a Pilates fusion class. Free to attend, must pre-register.

AVNU Wellness Club, Sorrento Valley

Learn how to better care for your leafy friends! This free meetup includes plant care workshops, troubleshooting for "fussy" plants, and a chance to meet fellow local enthusiasts.

Maya Moon Collective, Normal Heights

Help improve a Bird + Butterfly Garden by removing invasive plants and spreading road base materials, while spotting birds and butterflies. Ages 18+ event. Water and snacks will be provided.

San Diego County Parks, Tijuana River Valley Park

This inclusive event features a clothing swap specifically for the queer community, alongside a mending station. 

Collective Coalition SD, Honest Thrift Studio – Old Town

Join thousands of volunteers across San Diego County for the largest single-day environmental cleanup in the region. Help protect our inland waterways and coastal beaches by removing litter and debris before it reaches the ocean at one of 100+ volunteer cleanup sites.

I Love A Clean San Diego, Various Locations – San Diego County

San Diego EarthFest is a FREE Earth Day celebration featuring over 100 eco-friendly food, product and service vendors as well as environmental, conservation and animal rescue groups.

EarthFest, Balboa Park

This is a "happy hour with a conscience." Sip on locally crafted beverages while trading clothes, books and puzzles with fellow San Diegans. It’s a low-pressure, high-style way to promote sustainable fashion.

Gather, The Lost Abbey Brewing Co. – Vista

Enjoy the best of both worlds with a mat pilates flow followed by an athleisure clothing swap. It’s an intentional evening focused on moving your body and reducing your carbon footprint through the circular economy.

Club Pilates San Marcos, Local Roots – Vista

Calling all plant parents! Bring your healthy cuttings and propagated pups to trade with others. It’s the perfect way to expand your indoor jungle for free while chatting with fellow green thumbs.

Honest Thrift Studio, Old Town

As any parent knows, kids outgrow clothes fast. This free event is a lifesaver for families looking to trade out-grown outfits for the next size up, saving money and reducing textile waste.

SD United Training Center, Kearny Mesa

Browse our San Diego Wellness Events Calendar to find a wellness workshop or events near you. Have events you'd like to share with our community? Join our Directory to create your business listing and then you can events directly to our calendar.