Celebrate Earth Day in Chicago with These Fun Events
There’s much to celebrate in Chicago during the spring: baseball; good-bye to Old Man Winter and hello to 70-degree days; al fresco dining; boating on Lake Michigan; and Earth Day, a day devoted to helping make our planet cleaner, healthier and greener. 
This year Earth Day is on Thursday, April 22. A host of events will be happening throughout Chicago to encourage people to take better care of themselves and their homes and communities.
Some of Chicago’s top Earth Day events include:
Celebrate Earth Day at Chicagoland’s first eco-friendly restaurant prasino (93 S. LaGange Road; map it) on Thursday, April 22, from 11:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. From recycled glass art and live entertainment, to complimentary live evergreen tree seedling giveaways, prasino “will salute all-things-earth-friendly.” Festivities will include an Earth Day Menu with organic-inspired menus items such as gluten-free lobster stuffed avocado with mango salsa and Niman Ranch braised beef short ribs. You can also enjoy a prasino TREEtini - a blend of VeeV Açaí Spirit with fresh agave nectar, club soda, white cranberry juice, lime, and mint. Tip: Anyone who purchases a TREEtini or a kid’s “green tini TREEtini mocktail” will receive a miniature burlap-wrapped earth-friendly live evergreen tree seedling so they can plant a tree in their own backyard. You can also bring your own old glassware to prasino and glass artist Jason Mack will transform them into recycled glass designs. Mack is Italian-trained in the traditions of Venetian glass blowing and will provide glass blowing demonstrations throughout the day.
GO Green Management’s annual Earth Day Celebration will be on Thursday, April 22 at the Flair Tower (222 West Erie; map it). The event kicks off at 5 p.m. and includes educational talks, as well as cocktails and food from local Chicago restaurants. Tickets are $40 at the door (or $30 in advance).
If you are a runner or a walker, celebrate Earth Day at the Earth Day 5K run/walk event in Logan Square on April 24 starting at 8 a.m. The registration fee is $30 ($35 the day of the event). Cost for kids ages 11 to 17 is $20, and children under 10 are free. After the race, there will be an Earth Day Green Living Expo with educational booths and a farmers market.
To help kids celebrate Earth Day, the Scout Seasonal Workshop will be held on April 24 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chicago Botanical Garden (1000 Lake Cook Road; map it) and includes arts and crafts and a scavenger hunt. Tickets are $12.
Extra Tips: If you are a coffee fan, Peet’s Coffee (1000 W North Avenue; map it) will have the following Earth Day specials on April 22:
- 10 cents off a cup of coffee when you use your own mug.
- 25 cents off when you reuse your coffee bag.
- Free coffee grounds for your composter.
- Free medium cup of coffee when you purchase a Recycled Tumbler, Peet’s Jute Tote Bag, or a Peet’s Bamboo Canister.
Also, if you are looking for new spring fashions for clothes and jewelry, check out Chicago-based Mata Traders – this sustainable, fair trade company in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago is owned by two women who design their own clothing and jewelry and then have the designs hand made by female artisans in developing countries, helping to employ women in India and Africa.
Photo credit: SXC
