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Photo: Lakewood Sustainability.

Earth Day Play for the Whole Family

Here's where to celebrate the power and beauty of nature near Denver.

Join other planet-loving families in activities meant to celebrate the Earth, from volunteering to picnicking to simply playing on a beautiful day.

Earth Day at Rock Ledge Ranch

April 16, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Garden of the Gods Nature and Visitor Center and Rock Ledge Ranch invite families to celebrate Mother Earth with free admission to the Ranch. Visit the historic homes for inside tours and a history lesson. Stop by the blacksmith shop to test your mettle, and pop in the general store for some old-fashioned provisions. Picnics are also welcome. All ages. Free. Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, Colorado Springs

City of Trash: Puppet Performance and Workshop

April 18 and 28, 4 to 5 p.m.

The City of Trash residents need to rescue their beloved city that’s become overrun with waste. This Earth Day, puppet superheroes will help save the city. During the performance, audience members are guided through a puppet-building workshop to build their own trash superheroes using household objects. Ages 5-12. Registration required. Free. Virtual Event

Party for Our Planet

April 22 to 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Celebrate this big, beautiful planet Earth at the Children’s Museum of Denver. Meet some critters, try Earth-friendly recipes, and make crafts inspired by nature. The Colorado Beekeepers Association will bring a hive for kids to observe, Openenergi will bake cookies for attendees using solar power, and Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu will give a performance. Reservations are required. Included with admission: $13 age 1, $15 ages 2-59, free under age 1 and members. Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, Denver

Earth Day Celebration

April 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tour the Resource Central Reuse facility, get inspired for summer DIY projects, and enjoy family activities at this celebration of conservation. Irish rock group Big Paddy will perform followed by amazing bands from the School of Rock. Go Green Gourmet’s food truck will be on site. Free. Eco-Cycle CHaRM, Boulder

Family ​Spring South Platte Stewardship Day

April 23, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Give back to a local park and the planet at South Platte River Environmental Education’s family-friendly volunteer event. Start the day with a trash pick-up, then enjoy crafts and activities that can be brought home or completed in the park. Bring closed-toe shoes and a water bottle. Registration required. Free. Johnson-Habitat Park, Denver

Earth Day Cleanup and Celebration

April 23, 9 a.m. to noon

Meet other LoDo community members and beautify the waterway, community playground, and public gardens. A light breakfast, refreshments, music, and all necessary equipment is provided. Partners of LoDo Cares and community-based organizations will be featured. All ages; youth under 18 will need a waiver signed by a guardian. Free. Rothman Children’s Playground, Denver

Earth Day River Clean Up

April 23, 9 a.m. to noon

Join Breckenridge Brewery, River Network, South Suburban Parks and Recreation, Carson Nature Center, Denver Audubon, and Aspen Grove in preparing trails and parks for spring and summer enjoyment. Volunteer activities include trash cleanup, mulching, wildfire brush mitigation, and shrub planting. Choose a location nearest you. Registration required. Free. Reynold’s Landing, Littleton; Reynold’s Landing, Littleton; Carson Nature Center, Littleton

Earth Day Environmental Fair

April 23, 10 a.m. to noon

Chat with local experts in sustainability and recycling at this outdoor open-house style fair. Leave with information on how to be earth-friendly and reduce your carbon footprint. Take a spin on an electric bike. All ages. Free. Smoky Hill Library, Centennial

Earth Day Celebration

April 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Enjoy guided nature hikes, bird walks, planting in the native plant garden, special presentations of live raptors by HawkQuest, nature crafts, and a volunteer opportunity all along the Aurora Reservoir landscape. All ages. Registration is required for the volunteering and bird demonstration. Free. Aurora Reservoir

Earth Day Fort Collins

April 23, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Share Earth Day love by engaging in yoga, drumming, clothes mending, and kid activities such as a scavenger hunt and compost lesson. Listen to live music and speakers. Bring a non-perishable item for the Larimer County food bank. Free. Civic Center Park, Fort Collins

Wild Earth Weekend

April 23 to 25, event schedules vary

Join Wild Bear for an array of events including Nature Adventure Days outdoor education programming for kids ages five to 12, a festival complete with live animal demonstrations and recycled crafts tables, a concert inspired by the natural world, and a hike. Free to $75 depending on the activityWild Bear Nature Center, Nederland

Lakewood Earth Day Celebration

April 23, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Take your family (and pile of recyclable electronics) to the park and spend the day listening to live music, enjoying food from local vendor trucks, making art at a craft station, and getting active with yoga and Zumba classes. Kids, adults, and pets are invited to wear a favorite animal costume for a “Parade of Species,” that will wind through the event in the afternoon. All ages. Free. Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, Lakewood

Celebrate Mother Earth at Larimer Square

April 23, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Stroll the Square in a Search the Earth Scavenger Hunt; be the first to find the one green carnation that’s hidden each hour in a different location around the block and take a photo to win a prize from a sustainable business. Stop by Compost Colorado’s Simple Swap Shop to find reusable items and locally made soap. Learn from The Potted Peace Project, an organization promoting racial healing via plant love. Family-owned Integrity Juice will be selling fresh, organic, cold pressed juices. Free. Larimer Square, Denver

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