Clean the coast, then celebrate at Bay Festival, 2023

Celebrate the Bay with an Earth Day coastline cleanup, which you can follow up with a family-friendly festival focused on learning about the Bay and its wildlife.

Come to both or just the one you prefer.

At the coastal cleanup along the Berkeley Waterfront and Aquatic Park, you’d join City staff, community groups, and volunteers from around Berkeley to help clean up trash and plastic pollution.

At the Bay Festival, go on guided bird walks with the Golden Gate Audubon Society. Challenge your preconceptions about pigeons by holding a few and learning from Palomacy Pigeon, a pigeon rescue organization. Observe the Bay’s fish up close in a 1,500-gallon tank. Or go for a free boat ride.  

Of course, like many of our bigger events put on by our Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department, we’ll have live music to dance to and a variety of food vendors.

Come join us at Shorebird Park.

Volunteer to clean up the waterfront

Protect our beautiful Bay and all the creatures that live in it by volunteering to pick up the trash that washed down to the waterfront during this year’s winter storms.

Please register so coordinators can best plan for volunteers. Groups only need one person to sign up as they can register up to 50 volunteers (including themselves).

All participants must fill out a waiver. If under 18, volunteers must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.

Follow signs on University Ave to reach the South Cove Sailing Basin lot, where you’ll check in or register if you haven’t already. Volunteers should plan to wear closed-toe shoes and dress appropriately for the work and weather conditions of the day. A limited number of supplies will be available, so please bring the following if you are able to:

• bucket or reusable bag
• reusable gloves
• a trash grabber
• reusable water bottle

Let’s work together to keep the Berkeley Waterfront clean!

Enjoy food, live music, and educational activities

Over 30 environmental and wildlife conservation organizations from around the Bay will share their exhibits with the public.

There will be food from Curbside Kitchen, Royal Egyptian, Tacos El Rey, Nissa Expresso and Gelato Bar. The music and entertainment includes:

• 11:00am – 11:40am
  The Berkeley Public Library Storytime Band, music for children and families
• 12:00pm – 1:00pm
  Bug Family Band, music for children and families
• 1:25pm – 2:25pm
  Aguacero, Puerto Rican folkloric vocal, drum and dance troupe
• 2:45pm – 3:45pm
  Motor Dude Zydeco, fast-paced Louisiana-style dance band

A 1,500-gallon mobile freshwater fish exhibit will feature the large fish found in the delta and nearby lakes.  East Bay Regional Parks District Staff will bring and host the tank. Golden Gate Audubon, Palomacy Pigeon, and other organizations will also be leading events to help teach about the native wildlife and Bay ecosystem.

At the Shorebird Park Nature Center’s Straw Bale Building, you’ll be able to view marine organisms under high-quality microscopes.

If you’re coming just to play, Adventure Playground will be open for children to build with hammers, nails, saws and paint (with parental supervision). The Berkeley Racing Canoe Center (DragonMax) and Cal Adventures will provide free boat rides.

Dedicated to the protection of Berkeley waterfront

Organized by the City of Berkeley, the festival began in 1937 and continues to create community through live music, performers, food, hands-on educational activities, and free boat rides.

Please consider riding a bike, carpooling, or taking public transportation (AC Transit, bus 51B).

If you do drive, please park in the dirt lot behind Adventure Playground or the South Cove lot east of the Cal Adventures Sailing. Please do not park in the nearby L & M lots which require permits on weekends.

These events are organized by the City's Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department, whose Recreation Division organizes dozens of camps, classes, and other activities for people of all ages. Get a glimpse at the Recreation division's offerings through our recreation portal and events calendar.

For more information, contact the Shorebird Park Nature Center at (510) 981-6720 or naturecenter@berkeleyca.gov. If you are interested in volunteering at this event, call Samantha, (510) 981-6720.

Come out April 22. Help celebrate the Bay by cleaning up our coastline, learning more at the Bay Festival or sampling in all that is offered at our Berkeley Waterfront.

Links

• Earth Day Cleanup
• Register to volunteer for the Cleanup
• Berkeley Bay Festival