Raleigh Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebration
2024 Highlights
2,000 people came out to celebrate trees and the natural environment, taking home over 350 native tree seedlings!
Thank you to our 74 volunteers who made the festival possible.
Demonstrations
The festival was packed with meaningful moments and memorable experiences. From inspiring speakers and live demonstrations, to interactive walks and creative performances, each featured event brought the community together to celebrate trees and protect the natural environment.
Growing Native Plants from Seed
Jeff Hawkinson shared the basics of growing native plants from seed. He explained two methods for growing plants and identified several types of common native plant seeds. He even gave out some baby butterfly weed to some lucky festival attendees!
Walk with an Arborist
Folks had an opportunity to walk around Flower’s Field with an arborist and ask your questions about trees! Thank you Basil Camu, Fiona Matthews, and Hayden Gould of Leaf & Limb for sharing your knowledge!
Rain Barrel Demonstration
Charles McClay, from Wake County Lake Crabtree Park, demonstrated how to make a 55-gallon rain barrel to start your own water conservation program at home. Thank you, Charlie!
Why You Should Leave the Leaves
Mary Abrams from Wake Audubon shared the many benefits of leaving your leaves in your yard. Thank you, Mary!
Don’t miss our next event
Visit We Plant it Forward’s online calendar to stay up to date on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities in the community, including tree plantings, tree giveaways, and more!
Event sponsors
The Raleigh Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebration is a free, family-friendly event made possible by the generosity of our sponsors. Their support helps us provide meaningful programming, community engagement, and a memorable experience for all who attend.
Become a sponsor today
The Raleigh Earth and Arbor Day Celebration is an annual, family-friendly event, free for all to attend, but we depend on sponsors like you to make it happen.
If you would like to take your support to the next level, consider sponsoring the upcoming festival, and help make this celebration a success!
Event gallery
Take a look back at the energy, learning, and community spirit that made our festival unforgettable! From hands-on environmental activities and educational demonstrations to trivia, music, and delicious food, the day was filled with fun and purpose.
Browse the gallery below to see how we came together to celebrate trees and inspire action to preserve and restore the natural environment.
30 environmental educators came to share their knowledge with festival attendees
Festival attendees learned about nature through hands-on activities
At the festival, we demonstrated proper tree planting
This family-friendly festival is open to the public
The Tree Giveaway is one of the festival's most popular events
Cisco volunteers prepared tree seedlings for the Tree Giveaway
Volunteers gave away over 350 native trees
Festival attendees received instructions on how to care for their new trees
The City of Raleigh showed off their electric vehicles
Did you know 65 volunteers made the festival possible?
David Rahahę•tih Webb of the Tuscarora Nation gave the tree dedication
Over 60 volunteers carried larger-than-life puppets with the Paperhand Puppet Intervention
Paperhand Puppet Intervention brought life-size puppets to the festival
One Tribe led a drum circle in celebration of the ceremonial tree planting
The ceremonial tree planting was a great success, celebrated with music and dancing
Sunny the Fun Fairy appeared to spread her good cheer to everyone at the festival
Thank you to our dedicated volunteers