Earth Fest

Earth Day expands into Earth Fest at this UW-Madison event that’s all about education, inspiration and motivation, across genres. Monday at 7:30 p.m., the “Earth Signals” concert brings the UW Bridge Ensemble to the Hamel Music Center. The group draws on jazz and classical; it will play an El Niño-inspired composition by doctoral candidate Ben Ferris. Tuesday at 7 p.m. the Oscar-nominated documentary Planetwalker will screen at the Marquee at Union South with an appearance by the subject of the film, activist John Francis. See the full schedule for each day of the week at earthfest.wisc.edu. Note: many events request pre-registration.

media release: Looking for fun and free ways to celebrate Earth Day this year? From volunteer work parties and nature hikes to film screenings and research lectures, UW–Madison Earth Fest has an event for every interest. Held on campus from April 21 to 29, Earth Fest boasts 50-plus events, most of which are free and open to the public.

The inaugural Earth Fest, held in April 2024, drew thousands of students, faculty, staff, and community members. Building on this success, this year’s celebration will introduce a series of “headliner” events that highlight traditional sustainability topics like energy — for instance, a discussion with the Wisconsin Energy Institute about UW–Madison’s renewable electricity strategy — while bringing to life the vital overlap between environment and the humanities with events like the Earth Signals Concert and a screening of the film Planetwalker.

At its core, Earth Fest honors an enduring, shared commitment to the one resource and place we all share: our world. Fifty-five years after the first Earth Day teach-in was organized by Wisconsin U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, drawing participation from approximately 20 million Americans across the nation, UW–Madison’s intersecting missions of research, education, and service continue to contribute to a more livable planet for all.

Want to be the first to get Earth Fest updates? Head to your favorite social media platform and follow us: @nelsoninstitute or @sustainuw. Not on social? Check your inbox for periodic updates. Mark your calendars — and get ready to celebrate!

Find events here: https://earthfest.wisc.edu/schedule/