Fun & Free Things to Do Earth Day Weekend with LA Kids: Books, CicLAvia, and Mother Earth: April 20- 21

4/18/13 - By Toby B

We here at Mommy Poppins are all about mothers, and this weekend, we’re celebrating the biggest mother of them all: Mother Earth. We are blessed to live in a region full of outdoor destinations, many of which host Earth Day festivities. Naturally, we’ve compiled a guide to the best Earth Day celebrations.

What’s more natural than kids and garbage? Earth Day ushers in the season of Sanitation Open Houses. Kids can tour sanitation yards, attend recycling fairs, visit landfills, and even ride in a garbage truck.

Oh, mama, wait til you read what our kid critics have come up with! Check out their reviews of some of the films in the upcoming Los Angeles Children's Film Festival. Be sure to leave comments on your favorites: the critics with the most comments win exciting prizes. (Plus, if you use the links in their reviews to purchase your festival tickets the school of your choice gets a donation!)

And, of course, our thoughts are with the people of Boston and now Waco. We are inspired by the resilience of these communities, and by the courage and strength of those who run towards the disasters to assist others.

Keep reading for our favorite picks for the weekend…

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

ALL WEEKEND

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books USC
LA’s biggest and best known book festival takes over the USC campus, with panel discussions, author readings, and booths from publishers and booksellers. Highlights on the Target Children’s Stage include Lisa Loeb, Lemony Snickett & Jon Klassen, Disney’s Choo Choo Soul with Genevieve, and the Imagination Movers.

Pasadena Model Railroad Club Spring Open House - Pasadena
Model railroaders wait months for the chance to view this club's fantastically lively and detailed display of trains.

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium Earth Weekend & Nothin' But Sand Beach Cleanup- Santa Monica
Kids can help save the environment and earn a reward! Participants in Saturday’s beach cleanup receive free admission to the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium’s Earth Weekend celebration.

Earth Day Expo Weekend Griffith Park
L.A. Zoo’s Earth Day festivities include recycled crafts, information booths, and entertainment that celebrates California wildlife.

Topanga Earth Day Festival Topanga
Celebrate Earth Day in Topanga! The 14th annual festival promises art, music, organic food, drumming, dance, youth programs, crafts, face painting, puppet shows, and all sorts of educational workshops.

Cavalia: Odysseo - Burbank
Whoa, Nelly! It’s the last weekend of Cavalia’s extended run.

Renaissance Pleasure Faire - Irwindale
Huzzah! Nickelodeon’s Mike the Knight visits the Renaissance Pleasure Fair to meet young lords and ladies. (Saturday only).

Sleeping Beauty Dreams - Costa Mesa
The Marionetas de las Esquina theater company visits the Segerstrom with a Sleeping Beauty for the 21st century, performed in both English and Spanish.

Day Out With Thomas 2013 - Fillmore
Thomas fans can enjoy a 25 minute ride with a full-size Thomas the Tank Engine, with Sir Topham Hatt on hand to meet passengers.

California Poppy Festival - Lancaster
Vibrant orange poppies dominate the landscape at this annual festival.

America's Family Pet Expo - Costa Mesa
Families can touch lizards and tarantulas, watch police dogs and performing birds, and make their own aquariums, while taking in the world’s largest pet and pet product expo.

Annual SpringFest - Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach's 31st annual Spring Carnival & Community Festival features carnival rides and a Kids Zone, arts & crafts, and a food court with gourmet food trucks.

SATURDAY APRIL 21
Earth Day Bird Fest Celebration - San Pedro
The Earth Day events at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium start with a beach clean-up; then families can learn about the environment and create projects to take home.

Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival - Pasadena
Pasadena gets the Earth Day ball rolling, with live music, an interactive drum circle, a "skill share" swap meet, and a bicycle tour of Pasadena's sustainable sites. Kids can participate in Earth-friendly arts and crafts.

Descanso Earth Day Celebration - La Canada Flintridge
Earth Day activities at Descanso Gardens include a performance of memorable love scenes by Shakespeare, the Mobile Homeboys in concert, and exploring nature through hands-on activities.

Earth Day 2013 at the Burbank Recycle Center - Burbank
Families can get in the Earth Day spirit at the Burbank Recycle Center. Activities include close-up tours of the recycling plant, native and edible gardening presentation, simple living panel, live music, kids games, and face painting.

Tales from Around the World: A Tale of India - Santa Monica
Grab your passports and put on brightly colored clothes: the Broad Stage takes families on a cultural adventure to India.

Baby Loves Disco returns to LA! - Hollywood
Kids can get down and boogie at a dance party the whole family can enjoy.

peace. love. swap. Kids' clothing and gear swap - Manhattan Beach
Reduce, reuse, recycle.  Swap your kids outgrown clothes for ones that’ll fit them better.

Haugh Saturday Series for Kids - Glendora
Haugh Performing Arts Center presents the story of Skippyjon Jones, a Siamese cat who thinks he's a chihuahua.

Public Star Party - Griffith Park
What better way to appreciate Mother Earth than to spend an evening looking at the stars?

SUNDAY APRIL 22

CicLAvia - To the Sea! - Downtown to Venice
For the first time, CicLAvia extends its route to the coast,  as families run, bike, and stroll from Downtown to Venice Beach.

Children's Earth Day at the STAR Eco Station - Culver City
Families can enjoy live performances, celebrity guests, crafts, food, games, and much more at this tropically-themed annual outdoor festival. New this year are a Toddler Area, recycle themed maze and drum circle, and appearances by  the cast of Disney’s A.N.T. Farm, Radio Disney’s Daphne Blunt, Radio Disney, and the Chi-Town Finest Breakers/Monster Kids.

Andell Family Sundays - Make it Green - Mid-Wilshire
LACMA adds special activities to the Andell Family Sunday for Earth Day, including artist-led workshops, a music jam with instruments made from recycled materials, storytelling, sketching from nature, and a guided walkthrough of the natural art on campus. Admission is free with a bike helmet!

Earth Day Kite Flying Festival at Ascot Hills - El Sereno
Bring your favorite kite on Earth Day and join other fliers for the third annual Kite Flying Festival at Ascot Park.  Watching kites soar through the skies seems a fitting way to celebrate Earth Day and the glory of nature.

Circa: 46 Circus Acts in 45 Minutes - Malibu
46 acts in 45 minutes? This Australian circus isn’t clowning around!

As always, there are many more activities listed on our daily events calendar. Whatever you choose to do this weekend, we hope you have a spectacular time. Now get out there and enjoy all our planet has to offer!