BG Celebrates Earth Day
Earth Day 2026: an annual event hosted in Bowling Green
By Dennis Bova on Wednesday, April 1, 2026
HOW DO THESE RELATE, YOU MAY WONDER: Native seed plants, a bicycle slow roll, tree saplings, a wastewater collection truck and a five-foot-tall inflatable globe?
They are among the festivities taking place at an annual event on Sunday, April 19, in Bowling Green. This annual event celebrates the environmental awakening that began 56 years ago and lives on nationwide: Earth Day. Nationally, Earth Day began on April 22, 1970.
It began as an effort led by U.S. Senator John McConnell of Wisconsin to bring the issue of the environment’s health into the national consciousness. In December of that year, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency to address those concerns, leading to the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
“April is Earth Month, and multiple agencies are collaborating throughout Wood County to provide events geared toward conservation, education and family fun,” said Rachel Sizer, sustainability coordinator of the Bowling Green communications department.
The city of Bowling Green is coordinating the event, which will be hosted at the Montessori School of Bowling Green, 515 Sand Ridge Road. At the school’s parking lot at 12:30 p.m., a slow-roll bicycle ride will start, followed by the Slippery Elm Trail tour.
The tour will be led by Craig Spicer, Wood County Park District programming naturalist, who will point out nature facts along the way. Along the hour-long bike tour, bicyclists will stop at the Portage Road intersection for a bike maintenance presentation hosted by Bowling Green State University.
Then, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Montessori School of Bowling Green, tables will be staffed by several community partners. “We’ll have activities for youngsters and presentations throughout that are valuable for people of all ages,” Sizer said, featuring interactive games and learning stations.
There will be three 20-minute presentations to view: a look at native plants by the park district at 2:15 p.m., an explanation of water systems by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency at 2:45 p.m., and a session about planting trees by the BG city forester at 3:15 p.m.
This year, the park district’s theme is native plants, said Jessie Walton-Summers, community and communications specialist. There will be packets of native plant seeds to take home for planting.
Visiting the park at the annual event is the Lorax, the Dr. Seuss character, who promotes environmental care. A large inflatable globe is included for children's hands-on experience for Earth Day.
Also, children will be able to experience (and climb into) trucks from the city’s electric division, public works department, and water distribution and wastewater collection division, “to see how they help keep our environment clean, clear and our homes powered,” Sizer said.
The 14th annual Earth Day event for the Wood County municipality and agencies is free to attend and will be held rain or shine. Sizer said past events drew about 200 people.
For the local event, “Earth Day brings us all together in celebration of sustainability, conservation and what we can do together as a community to help the Earth,” Walton-Summers said. “This is a great part of the park district’s mission to our community: to conserve, enhance and protect the natural space for future generations and all of Wood County’s citizens to enjoy.”
“The goal,” Sizer said, “is learning, making environmentally sustainable things fun. It makes our community partners more accessible. The hope is that visitors take away an excitement for sustainability, and an understanding of what we do and why we do this and that it’s important.”
Sizer concluded, “Education starts young. Getting the youth to events like this has an impact on our future.”
