Earth Day is on Monday, April 22, and Earth Week this year is Sunday through Saturday, April 21-27. Sitka will host a variety of activities for Earth Week, including a couple of spring clean-up events, a couple of gardening classes, free bus rides, a herring potluck, and the 18th annual Earth Day Parade of the Species. For a calendar link to the events list, click here.
There is a community-wide spring clean-up event from April 20-28, when people can bring in a variety of large items and hazardous materials to the transfer station and the Sawmill Cove Scrap Yard (hazardous materials are only accepted April 27-28). This event is hosted by the City and Borough of Sitka Public Works Department.
The RIDE public transit in Sitka will offer free bus rides again this year during Earth Week (April 22-26). This has been a yearly offering from the RIDE, which is operated by a partnership between Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the nonprofit Center for Community.
Exchange students in Sitka will take part in Community Conversations About Earth Day, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, at the Sheet’ká Kwáan Naa Kahídi.
The Ugly Side of Plastic art show takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18-19 at 124 Lincoln Street, in the small upstairs entryway next to The Silver Basin store.
There is a Tlingít potato workshop from 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, April 19, hosted by the U.S. Forest Service Sitka Ranger District and Sitka Tribe of Alaska. This event takes place at the Sitka Ranger District office, 2108 Halibut Point Road.
The 18th annual Parade of Species, hosted by the Sitka Conservation Society, is on Friday, April 19. Parade participants are invited to dress as their favorite animal or plant and gallop, slither, swim, or fly with us. We will meet in Totem Square at 3:15 p.m. and parade down Lincoln Street to the Sitka Sound Science Center starting at 3:30 p.m. There will be a number of community organizations with hands-on Earth Day inspired activities for the whole family from 3:30-5:30 p.m. after the parade. Prizes will be awarded for Best Use of Recycled Material, Most Realistic, Best Local Plant, Best Local Animal, Best Group Costume, and Best Costume Age 18-plus. For more information, contact Claire Sanchez at claire@sitkawild.org or call 747-7509. Click this link for a slideshow of scenes from the 2018 Parade of the Species.
Sitka National Historical Park and Sitka Sound Science Center are hosting an Eco-Challenges event for youth of all ages from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 20, starting at the Sitka Conservation Society office above Old Harbor Books.
Alaskan Brewing Company will sponsor a Coastal CODE Cleanup from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, meeting at the Sitka Sound Science Center. There is a barbecue at 4 p.m. for all participants.
The Alaska Raptor Center will host an Earth Day celebration for the whole family from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, at the Alaska Raptor Center.
Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School and Sitka Conservation Society will host a “We Love Our Fisherfolk” lunch from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, at the school.
Finally, at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, in Room 229 at the University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus, there will be a Natural History Seminar on Sitka’s Landslide Warning System. Future landslide geology studies and the related social science research on developing a landslide warning system unique to Sitka will be addressed. For more information, contact Cora Siebert at 747-8878, extension 11.
Sitka Trail Works will kick off its 2019 summer series of weekend hikes on Saturday, May 4, with a moderate to strenuous bike ride of up to 10 miles along the Cross Trail. Meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Cross Trail access point near the Sitka Performing Arts Center (behind Sitka High School) to join the ride.
The series of weekend hikes are led by various members of Sitka Trail Works, and there also are occasional geocaching events, bike rides and kayak trips on the schedule. Most of the hikes near town are free (donations are accepted), but some of the hikes require a boat trip and those have fees. The schedule runs through the end of August.
Walk Sitka 