1 |Â Earth Day celebrations coming to Richmond, April 18 & April 25
Earth Day will be celebrated across several Richmond locations this week.
The city and several local nonprofits are co-sponsoring an Earth Day celebration that gives residents a hands-on way to connect with the environment and their community. Attendees can meet and greet alpacas, go horseback riding and get creative with tie-dye. There will also be a smoothie bike ride and a clothing swap to encourage upcycling.Â
Earth Day celebration, Sat., April 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Unity Park Community Plaza, 1605 Ohio Ave. Free
The Watershed Project is inviting Richmond residents to help plant a public garden at the newly renovated Shields-Reid Park. Volunteers will cultivate two areas in the park where a selection of herbs and edible native plants will be grown in raised beds for anyone in the community to harvest. The activities will include a workshop about how to use native plants in home gardens and kitchens.Â
Earth Day garden planting, Sat., April 18, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Shields-Reid Park, 1410 Kelsey St. Free
Urban Tilth is bringing North Richmond together for an Earth Day creek cleanup and community celebration. The environmental group is organizing volunteers to help clean up Wildcat Creek and its surrounding habitat. Tools and supplies will be on hand. A community get-together is scheduled afterward at the North Richmond baseball fields.Â
Earth Day Wildcat Creek clean-up, Sat., April 18, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lucky A’s North Richmond Baseball Field, 1925 Fred Jackson Way. Free
The East Bay Regional Park District is marking Earth Day with an invasive plant removal at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline in Richmond. Bags, disposable gloves and other supplies will be provided.Â
Earth Day invasive plant removal, Sat., April 25, 9 a.m. to noon, Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, 5551 Giant Highway. Free
2 | Silent Book Club heads to Marina Bay Park, April 19
Enjoy some solitude in good company at the Silent Book Club’s afternoon reading in Marina Bay Park At this monthly event, there are no assigned books and no required discussions. Participants are urged to set up a folding chair or blanket for an hour or two of quiet reading. Food from the nearby farmers market and coffee from Elu Café are also available nearby.
Silent Book Club meetup, Sun., April 19, noon to 2 p.m., Marina Bay Park, 1280 Melville Square. Free
3 | Richmond Art Center holds reception for student art show, April 21
The city is celebrating its young artists at an opening reception for an exhibit of student artwork at the Richmond Art Center. The reception highlights the 60th annual WCCUSD Student Art Show, on display at the art center through May. The exhibit features works from more than 300 students at 15 West Contra Costa Unified School District campuses.
WCCUSD Student Art Show opening reception, Tue., April 21, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Ave., Free
4 | Golden Gate Bird Alliance leads easy bird watching walk at Alvarado Park, April 21
Acorn woodpeckers, Steller’s jays and red-shouldered hawks await on an easy, half-mile bird watching walk at Alvarado Park. The Golden Gate Bird Alliance has organized the outing, which is free but limited to 15 participants. Registration closes on Mon., April 20.
Golden Gate Bird Alliance walk, Tue., April 21, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Alvarado Park, 5755 McBryde Ave. Free
5 | Calm your soul while building a collage, April 22
Richmond artist Erin McCluskey is bringing calm and creativity to adults through a collage-building workshop at the Richmond Art Center. The Collage & Care for Adults class will be taught by McCluskey, a third- generation Richmond resident who is a teaching artist with the 92nd Street Y in New York and the Richmond Art Center. She will guide class participants in collecting, sorting, cutting and gluing while they produce botanically inspired collage. Class attendees are encouraged to experiment with ideas, and all materials are provided.Â
Collage & Care for Adults class, Wed., April 22, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Point Richmond Community Room, 139 Washington Ave. Free
6 | Harlem-themed casino night fundraiser for NAACP, April 25
The local NAACP chapter is hosting a Harlem-themed evening of fun and fundraising, and tickets are on sale now. The NAACP Casino Night will feature hors d’oeuvres, drinks and desserts along with music, dancing and casino games. A costume contest will be held for the best Harlem speakeasy attire. Tickets are $150. Only a limited number of tickets will be available at the door, so advance purchase is recommended.
NAACP Casino Night, Sat., April 25, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., CoBiz Richmond, 1503 Macdonald Ave., $150
Also check out our list of ongoing things to do (many of which are free). And add your events to our free community calendar.
