Join the expert gardeners from Gardens for Charlestown for this hands-on event for all ages! 

Drop by the library anytime between 11 and 1 pm to learn the basics of seed starting––perfect for beginners of all ages. Join us with your child, parent, or friend and learn how to plant seeds and watch them grow this summer!

Register to make sure you receive a selection of seeds to take home to start your very own garden.

Celebrate Arbor Day and the end of SustainaVille Week with this picnic and tree planting party at Lincoln Park. Alongside Somerville Senior Urban Forestry and Landscape Planner Vanessa Boukili, volunteers will work in teams of 3-4 people to plant ~10 ft tall bare-root trees. There will also be climate carnivial games, refreshments, and more! Please wear sunscreen, closed-toed shoes, clothes you don't mind getting dirty, and bring a water bottle.

Learn more about the work to grow our urban canopy here: https://mysticriver.org/trees

Get creative on select Free Thursday nights with art-making activities designed by local artists. Plus, visit the galleries, grab a drink from the ICA Wine + Coffee Bar,* and connect over creativity. No experience necessary. 

For Art-Making After Dark ticket holders, participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-serve basis as space allows. Art-making is free and meets in the State Street Corporation Lobby. While all experience levels are welcome, this workshop is designed for adult audiences. *Refreshments available for purchase.

The ICA is free for all visitors every Thursday from 5 to 9 PM. Free tickets are required.

Check-in for Free Thursday Nights begins at 5 PM. Last entry to the museum is at 8:30 PM. On-site reservations are not guaranteed.

Join MyRWA and the City of Chelsea to help keep Chelsea clean!

We will be hosting 4 different trash clean ups to help beautify the city this spring.

Join us for one or all!

All materials will be provided.

Boston’s National Bike to Work Day Festival celebrates National Bike to Work Day. As a “Thanks for riding your bike today.” the City of Boston will celebrate everyone who rides into Boston with a festival at City Hall Plaza. If you ride your bike or a Bluebike, you’ll get a free breakfast and coffee amid an expo. Please be prepared to show your bike, helmet, or Bluebikes key.

Join a group ride leaving from your neighborhood (see map on website for convoy routes) or just show up to the festival between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. for the fun! The blue and red routes on the map below will be led by Bike to the Sea Volunteers.

Celebrate the progress we’ve made in restoring these three cherished urban rivers and hear about the ongoing work to clean up the Charles, Mystic, and Neponset Rivers.

The event will kick off with a reception for visitors already at the museum, where you can chat with fellow river lovers, followed by a speaking portion where attendees will hear from public officials and the Charles, Mystic, and Neponset River Watershed Associations.  

Buy a museum ticket and join us at the CS&T Stage in the Blue Wing!

How much impact does water temperature have on the taste of coffee? Join us as we compare the same coffee made with water heated (or cooled) to different temperatures!

Alongside Somerville Senior Urban Forestry and Landscape Planner Vanessa Boukili, volunteers will work in teams of 3-4 people to plant ~10 ft tall bare-root trees. Supplies and instruction will be provided. Please wear sunscreen, closed-toed shoes, clothes you don't mind getting dirty, and bring a water bottle.

We will meet on the grassy area on the west side of the building.

Learn more about the work to grow our urban canopy here: https://mysticriver.org/trees

Join Patagonia’s Wild Turkey’s Run Club for a group run, as part of our 30k for 30 years of Herring Run and Paddle challenge!

WHEN: Sunday, May 3rd, 9:30-10:30am

WHERE: Meet at the Stop and Shop parking lot in Somerville, located at 105 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Somerville, MA 02144. The group will gather by the side of the parking lot closest to Alewife Brook Pkwy.

The group will follow this route: Alewife Clean Water Action Loop, which takes you past Spy Pond and along Alewife Brook. Alewife Brook has been at the center of one of MyRWA’s biggest water quality advocacy campaigns—the fight to end combined sewer overflows.

Pacing will be about 9-10 minutes per mile, however, feel free to go at your own pace!

Everyone is welcome to join the group run/walk—RSVP encouraged!

Our Power, Our Park!

Why this Event Matters. Your presence is powerful. The Pier 5 Earth Celebration is important because it brings the community together in a meaningful celebration of our planet’s health and future.

Pier 5 Association engages residents, families, and local organizations in fun, educational activities that deepen awareness about environmental stewardship and sustainability while highlighting the beauty and significance of Boston’s harbor. It serves as a platform for learning about climate change, local ecosystems, and actions individuals and communities can take to protect the environment for future generations.

Beyond education, the event fosters social connection, civic engagement, and a shared commitment to clean, resilient, and equitable public spaces — reinforcing that caring for the Earth is both a local and global responsibility.

For Rise UP weekend (more information on our website here: https://www.mos.org/events/rise-up, we have a free community code that can be shared with anyone you are connected to, which will allow anyone to get free admission for MOS for the day. We encourage you to share this code broadly, we want people to use it! Promo code: riseup25

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Join us for our 27th Annual Charles River Cleanup on Friday, April 24th and Saturday, April 25th from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  

Corporate and Community groups, please fill out our 2026 Charles River Cleanup request form:  

GROUP FORM

For individual volunteers, please register here:  

INDIVIDUAL FORM

If you have questions regarding registration, please email our Volunteer & Sustainability Coordinator, Molly Ryan at mryan@esplanade.org.  

The Cleanup is one of the most important events of the year to build awareness and raise funds in support of a cleaner, healthier, and more accessible Charles River. On these days, volunteers and groups will clean up an assigned stretch of the Charles River Basin (Cambridge, Watertown, and Allston/Brighton).

Contact svallieres@thecharles.org for general inquiries.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering as part of the 27th Annual Charles River Earth Day Cleanup! This event will take place on Friday, April 24 from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. and Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. Each group of volunteers will be assigned to a section of the Charles River Reservation in Watertown (east of the Watertown Dam), Allston/Brighton, or Cambridge.

You can read more about the cleanup here, and find out more about other CRC volunteer opportunities here! If you're looking to volunteer elsewhere along the river, including the Esplanade or Muddy River, check out our partner organizations here!

Please email Sasha at svallieres@thecharles.org if you have any additional questions or concerns, and we hope to see you out in the parks this Earth Day!

We hope you will join us for this year’s Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup!

Our cleanup brings together over 3,000 volunteers each year to pick up litter, remove invasive species and assist with park maintenance along all 80 miles of the Charles River.

By volunteering with CRWA, you’ll be able to participate in the cleanup of the parks, forests, and paths of our watershed! We host sites in towns throughout the watershed, so whether you live in Hopkinton, Boston, or anywhere in between, we have a site for you, your friends, or your community group. In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, we encourage volunteers to bring their own pair of gloves. Trash bags, picker-uppers, and other cleanup materials will be supplied to those who wish to participate.

Interested in volunteering for the Charles River Earth Day Cleanup as an individual or a group of 5 or fewer? Use the following button. Note: if you are registering with a small group of friends or family, all participants must still be individually registered.

Register Here

As part of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Annual Park Serve Day, we will be hosting a cleanup along the Mystic at Torbert Macdonald Park in Medford. The event will be on Saturday, April 25th from 10am to 12pm and all cleanup supplies will be provided. Click the link below to register!

Register Here

*Note: You must be 6 years or older to participate. Youth aged 6-11 may participate under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian. Youth aged 12-17 may participate without a parent or guardian present at the event but waivers must be signed by a parent or guardian beforehand.

If you have any questions, please email Daria.Santollani@MysticRiver.org

About Trash-Free Mystic

Most of the trash in the ocean comes from rivers — and the trash in rivers comes from our streets. Each time it rains, trash takes an unexpected journey from the side of the road into our waterways, as part of stormwater pollution. Stormwater (rain) washes everything on the streets into our stormwater system, which releases — you guessed it — into our rivers. By removing litter from parks and paths you are reducing the amount of trash that ends up in the water (think: saving ducks, turtles, whales from eating or getting caught in trash--even ultimately trash in the ocean!). To address this problem, MyRWA launched Trash Free Mystic — a multi-faceted project to stop this trash in its tracks! A main piece of our Trash Free Mystic approach is removing the litter from our parks and paths before it has a chance to enter the river. Join us for a community or self-guided cleanup to contribute to the Trash-Free Mystic effort!

Earlier Event: April 4

GO FISH! Paint a Fish Workshop

Later Event: May 17

30th Annual Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle

MAKE MOAKLEY YOURS by joining a cleanup at the park this season!

Join Boston Harbor Now, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, and Boston Cares at Moakley Park to give back to your community and enjoy the beauty of the city's biggest waterfront park!

The event will run rain or shine, however may be canceled due to severe weather conditions.

When cleanups are: Cleanups occur on the third Saturday of the month from March through October.

What is provided: All necessary tools, including gloves, pickers, bags, and safety instructions + BREAKFAST

What to expect: A volunteer session is 2 hours long, beginning at 9:30am and will require picking up litter and natural debris. We’ll give you everything you need to keep you safe. Just bring a positive attitude as you help make a difference in this City of Boston Park.

What to bring: Make sure you wear work clothes and close-toed shoes (that you don't mind getting wet or dirty). Depending on the weather, you may want to bring a hat, sunscreen, raincoat, or jacket. Don't forget a water bottle!

Directions: Please meet in the park near the picnic tables by the basketball courts near Saunders Stadium (see image below).

*Note*: If the event of your choice is full but you are interested in participating in future Moakley Park Cleanups, please contact volunteers@bostonharbornow.org.

Multiple sites across the Neponset Watershed. (Site details on the registration form.)

Celebrate Earth Day by joining with NepRWA staff and volunteers to clean up waterways and parks across the Neponset Watershed.

We need all kinds of volunteers! Whether you can lift heavy items, pick up small trash, check people in, document our finds, or take photos—there’s a role for everyone.

Bring your friends, family, scout group, green team, or co-workers and make a difference! Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Questions? Please email NepRWA Environmental Science Fellow, Meher Khanna, at khanna@neponset.org

What to bring?

• We provide everything you need for the cleanup: trash bags, trash tongs, rakes, shovels, gloves, waders, hand sanitizer, and bug spray.

• We recommend that you bring hats, sunscreen, water, snacks — and any favorite work gloves (We will also have gloves on-site for you.)

• Long pants and closed-toed shoes are recommended for terrain and poison ivy.

Registration Website (with site locations)

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080944A8A728AAF94-61783054-2026#/

Join ReRooted Productions for an uplifting event celebrating Black folk's inherent divinity and sacredness, focusing on the connection between body, mind, spirit, and ancestry.

Following the sold-out run of Crown of Times, ReRooted Productions is back at the Museum of Science with their new conversation and performance series Soul Speak. This engaging series will explore themes related to cultural identity, community activism, and Black self-care.

This transformative talk series celebrates the inherent Divinity of Black people, offering a space to rediscover and honor the sacredness of Black bodies, minds, and spirits. Rooted in ancestral wisdom, cultural resilience, and radical self-love, we’ll explore how Black individuals can fully step into their Divine nature. Through thought-provoking discussions, creative expressions, and communal healing, we’ll examine how the sacred manifests in Black identity, creativity, and community. This series calls to reclaim visibility, embody sacredness, and collectively envision a future where Black Divinity shines unapologetically and expansively. This conversation will be facilitated by Michele Avery and Yvette Modestin.

The Cleanup is one of the most important events of the year to build awareness and raise funds in support of a cleaner, healthier, and more accessible Charles River. On these days, volunteers and groups will clean up an assigned stretch of the Charles River Basin (Cambridge, Watertown, and Allston/Brighton).

Contact svallieres@thecharles.org for general inquiries.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering as part of the 27th Annual Charles River Earth Day Cleanup! This event will take place on Friday, April 24 from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. and Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. Each group of volunteers will be assigned to a section of the Charles River Reservation in Watertown (east of the Watertown Dam), Allston/Brighton, or Cambridge.

You can read more about the cleanup here, and find out more about other CRC volunteer opportunities here! If you're looking to volunteer elsewhere along the river, including the Esplanade or Muddy River, check out our partner organizations here!

Please email Sasha at svallieres@thecharles.org if you have any additional questions or concerns, and we hope to see you out in the parks this Earth Day!

On Saturday April 18th, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and Massachusetts Bay Lines will host 3 free Marine Mammal Safaris to search for seals and porpoises and share songs and stories of Boston Harbor and the sea. These free trips are open to the public. We welcome school and community groups, youth organizations, friends, families, and children.

Join the Mystic River Watershed Association and ArtsArlington for a fun workshop on painting fish for GO FISH! — a participatory public art project celebrating the heroic herring of the Mystic River! This free event is open to all ages and levels of experience; all materials are provided. We invite you to speak up — through art — for the importance of environmental stewardship, wildlife protection, and a vibrant, creative, diverse community.  With your help, two thousand individually painted fish will swim across the brick walls of East Arlington storefronts this June! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

When: Saturday, April 4, 2026 | 2:00-3:30 pm
Where: MyRWA Office — 23 Maple Street, Arlington MA
More information about the project: https://artsarlington.org/go-fish/

Gather your friends, family or a group from your Temple and join us for a trash cleanup at Shannon Beach as part of the global Bedikat HaMayim Waterfront Cleanup effort organized by Repair The Sea! 

About the Effort: Bedikat HaMayim is more than a cleanup. It’s a time when we clean our homes and remove chametz, the last remaining bits of leavened products in our homes before the holiday. ​

But our home isn’t just our house. Our home is the Earth. And 70% of it is water

We search the shorelines, rivers, lakes, and harbors for a different kind of chametz: plastic snack bags and bottles that once held chametz, plastic cutlery that served chametz, and plastic bags that carried chametz — now lingering in our water long after the holiday has passed.

We call this practice Bedikat HaMayim — the searching of the water.

This event will be on Sunday, March 29th from 12:00pm to 2:00pm at Shannon Beach and all cleanup supplies will be provided. Please keep an eye on your email inbox for event communications — the event will take place rain or shine but is dependent on the ground being clear of snow. **If your group would like to volunteer at a different location, please email daria.santollani@mysticriver.org. We would be happy to provide you with cleanup materials if desired!

Join us for an afternoon of reflection on the balance and newness in this Spring season. We look forward to reflecting and creating together! We will provide snacks and drinks. This event will be led by Harvard Divinity School graduate student and MyRWA fellow, Grace Gallagher.

When: Sunday, March 22nd, 3PM-5PM
Where: MyRWA Office, 23 Maple St, Arlington MA

RSVP

The Malden River Media Makers invite you to join them at the Malden Youth Climate Summit on Saturday March 21st from 12-4pm at Malden City Hall.

RSVP

The Summit is being organized and hosted by Malden River area youth and will bring together youth to engage and discuss a variety of important climate topics, centered around our region. Topics will include workshops on the environmental impacts of Artificial Intelligence, Environmental Justice, Climate Communications, Ecology, and more!

Participants will be able to choose from these topics to learn from various experts and speakers. Participants will also be able to engage with each other and build connections and new friendships :)

Pizza and snacks will be provided. There will also be games with prizes available to win!

If you have any questions, please reach out to friendsofthemaldenriver@gmail.com

MAKE MOAKLEY YOURS by joining a cleanup at the park this season!

Join Boston Harbor Now, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, and Boston Cares at Moakley Park to give back to your community and enjoy the beauty of the city's biggest waterfront park!

The event will run rain or shine, however may be canceled due to severe weather conditions.

When cleanups are: Cleanups occur on the third Saturday of the month from March through October.

What is provided: All necessary tools, including gloves, pickers, bags, and safety instructions + BREAKFAST

What to expect: A volunteer session is 2 hours long, beginning at 9:30am and will require picking up litter and natural debris. We’ll give you everything you need to keep you safe. Just bring a positive attitude as you help make a difference in this City of Boston Park.

What to bring: Make sure you wear work clothes and close-toed shoes (that you don't mind getting wet or dirty). Depending on the weather, you may want to bring a hat, sunscreen, raincoat, or jacket. Don't forget a water bottle!

Directions: Please meet in the park near the picnic tables by the basketball courts near Saunders Stadium (see image below).

*Note*: If the event of your choice is full but you are interested in participating in future Moakley Park Cleanups, please contact volunteers@bostonharbornow.org.

Free and open to the public.

• Registration not required, but appreciated for planning purposes.

• Portuguese translation available. Please register by March 10. | Tradução para português disponível. Inscreva-se até 10 de março.

Join NepRWA and partners for an engaging community conversation about how residents can prepare for extreme weather.

Experts will share insights into the history of weather in the region, highlight Stoughton’s emergency preparedness efforts, and provide practical tips for families, households, and communities to stay safe.

Learn how to build emergency kits, plan for evacuation or shelter-in-place scenarios, support neighbors with special needs, and connect with local resources. Whether you’re a long-time resident or new to the area, this is a great opportunity to understand how our community can face storms together—and stay resilient.

Agenda:

• 6-6:30 PM: Light dinner and beverages

• 6:30-6:35 PM: Introduction: Karen Groce-Horan, NepRWA 

• 6:35-7 PM: Regional History of Extreme Weather: Joe Dellicarpini, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

• 7-7:20 PM: Stoughton’s Emergency Preparedness: Craig Horsfall, Stoughton Assistant Town Engineer, and Michael Carroll, Stoughton Fire Chief

• 7:20-7:50 PM: How Residents Can Be Prepared: Brennan, Riyaz, Xaven, Stoughton High School Environmental Studies 

Questions? Please email Karen Groce-Horan at groce-horan@neponset.org

On Sunday, March 15, we will be hosting new sensory friendly hours at New England Aquarium. These hours will run 8:00-10:00 a.m., with a free movie in our theater from 10:00-10:45. During these hours, we'll modify some of the building lights and sounds, offer designated quiet spaces, and have physical supports available to borrow like headphones and weighted lap pads. Crowds will be reduced to help create a welcoming atmosphere. During the movie, house lights will remain on and some seats will be designated for folks accompanied by service animals. Tickets will be discounted, thanks in part to generous support from the Lowell Institute.

How clean is the water in your town? Is it safe to swim in? Is it getting healthier or worse?

Join us in person or online to hear the answers to these questions and more!

Registration required:

• In person: Click here to register through the library’s online events calendar or call the library reference desk at 781-769-0200 x2

• Online via Zoom: Click here to register

NepRWA River Restoration Director Sean McCanty and Environmental Science Fellow Meher Khanna will discuss water quality conditions in the Neponset River, including recent data and long-term trends for the River, its streams, and ponds.

This is a FREE public event, and light refreshments will be served. Registration required for planning purposes.

With another storm on the way, we wanted to share something fun to look forward to - the 2026 Roxbury Moves Family Event Presented by Children’s Hospital at the Reggie Lewis Center on Saturday, March 8th!  We welcome everyone to come join us for some movement and fun in community with one another!

We have the facility reserved for track-inspired games and races to engage people of all ages and abilities! Walk, run, or try any of the field events. It’s been a long, sloppy, winter and we could all use some time to MOVE together.

The event is FREE and the registration can be found here: https://www.baa.org/event/roxbury-moves/ Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.