A rare and special behind-the-scenes experience!

Get a first-hand look at thousands of plants being produced for our garden displays, upcoming sales, and trial projects. And our spring ephemerals production will be in full spring swing!

Guided by Horticulture and Facilities Director, Jacob Stidham, and Nursery and Greenhouse Manager, Jeff Margreiter, you’ll be hard pressed to find two more knowledgeable plant pros anywhere.

The 2024 Brightside Spring Schnitzelburg Neighborhood Cleanup is just around the corner!

On Sunday, April 21st, we encourage all residents to take part in our neighborhood cleanup. The event is a great service opportunity for boy/girl scouts, sports teams, faith groups, and community organizations. It could also be a corporate team bonding activity!

Cleanups are an integral part of Brightside’s mission, and without the help of volunteer groups, and many other volunteers throughout the year, Brightside could not achieve their goals of a cleaner, greener Louisville.

Please meet us at Emerson Park at 9:00 AM! We can provide gloves and bags for each volunteer. We will work with Solid Waste Management to have the collected litter bags picked up.

Earth Day of Service at Alberta O. Jones Park

Join us for a day of service planting native pollinators, picking up litter, and a small sustainability resource fair at Alberta O. Jones Park!

This volunteer event is a collaboration between Louisville Metro Government Mayor's Office of Sustainability, the Parks Alliance of Louisville, Beargrass Thunder, and YouthBuild Louisville.

Register here to volunteer!

About Kentuckiana MAPS 2024

As the intersection of environmental sustainability, health, and community development gains significance, it is imperative to foster collaboration among organizations leading efforts in these domains. Recognizing the shared commitment to fostering resilient communities, this meeting aims to explore synergies between climate change, health, outdoor recreation, and community resilience, fostering a holistic approach to address common challenges through a New Vision of Health.

The meeting will be held at the Urban Design Studio at the Envirome Institute in downtown Louisville, KY.

Learn about growing mushrooms!

Learn about growing edible mushroom varieties locally and help with an environmental science student project!

Meet in the parking lot of the Earth and Spirit Center. We hope you can join us!

*Some snacks and drinks will be provided.

*Wear closed-toe shoes and an outfit you don’t mind getting dirty!

Mark your calendars!

Louisville Grows’ annual Seeds and Starts Sale will feature your favorite as well as unique veggies, herbs, pollinators, fruit trees, and berries.

Proceeds from the sale of plants and other gardening items at the Seeds & Starts Sales directly support a sustainable and equitable food system in our community by benefiting community gardens and orchards through our grant and Giving Grove programs.

Friends of Louisville Grows who have made a one-time donation ($50 or more) or are sustaining monthly members will receive an invitation to the Member's ONLY presale in April and a special discount. Click this link for more info.!

Louisville Parks and Recreation, TreesLouisville, and Jefferson Memorial Forest are proud to announce the return of TreeFest—an event to celebrate all things TREES!

TreeFest was introduced to Louisville in 2022 as a way to celebrate Arbor Day and provide community members with an opportunity to learn more about and appreciate our community forest.

This year will include a volunteer tree planting event, family-friendly activities like kids tree climbing, a tree giveaway, and opportunities to meet and learn about different “green” organizations in our city. Local vendors are invited to sell their sustainable wares, and live music, food and drinks are also available, all making for an ideal afternoon to sit in a park and take in the scenery!

Additional information is available here.

Join in Saturday, April 13th for the Brightside & WM Community-Wide Cleanup!

We encourage all residents to take part in Brightside's Community-Wide Cleanups. Held in the spring and fall, the events are a great service opportunity for boy and/or girl scouts, sports teams, faith groups and community organizations. It could also be a corporate team bonding opportunity!

Cleanups are an integral part of Brightside's mission and without the help of volunteer groups, and many other volunteers throughout the year, Brightside could not achieve their goals of a cleaner, greener Louisville.

Neighborhoods can hold their own cleanups at any point throughout the year and we can provide gloves and bags for each Neighborhood Cleanup. We will work with Solid Waste Management to have the collected litter bags picked up. Give us a call at (502) 574-2613 or register online about two weeks prior to your event to schedule your cleanup. Once registered, please contact us at (502) 574-8455 to schedule a supply pickup time.

Thanks to each and every volunteer who supports the Brightside Community-Wide Cleanup, for your time and dedication – we can’t do it without you!

Join us at the State of Black Food Summit, a transformative event addressing food security and justice for Black families.

Join Change Today Change Tomorrow for a groundbreaking event focused on addressing food security and justice for Black families. This transformative summit brings together Black individuals, community leaders, and organizations passionate about creating equitable access to healthy and culturally relevant food.

Engage in thought-provoking discussions, collaborative exercises, and networking opportunities with like-minded individuals. Explore innovative solutions, best practices, and policies to combat food insecurity in the Black community. Together, we will develop concrete action plans and strategies to drive lasting change.

Be part of this movement to empower and uplift Black families, as we envision a future where food security is a fundamental right for all. Join us at the State of Black Food Summit and make a significant impact in our community. Register here!

The Louisville Nature Center (LNC) is excited to partner with Carmichael’s Bookstore for this event!

Join the LNC and Carmichael’s on April 11th at 7:00 PM in hosting George Barnett for his new book, “Foraging Kentucky: An Introduction to the Edible Plants, Fungi, and Tree Crops of the Southeast”! Barnett will also be joined by the extraordinary Lindsay Duncan from Bernheim Forest.

Barnett’s book is a great beginner’s guide to safety and ethically foraging in Kentucky. We hope to see you there!

To celebrate the solar eclipse, Bernheim is hosting a party on Monday, April 8th from 1:30 to 4:30 PM!

For the duration of the eclipse, Bernheim will allow visitors to safely observe the eclipse*, engage in solar-themed activities, create homemade solar eclipse viewers from recycled materials, and more. Maximum sun cover (over 98%) will be observed at 3:07 p.m., but the fun will last all afternoon.

We will have food trucks and a special menu at Isaac’s Café that will be out of this world!

*Eclipse viewing glasses will be handed out on a first-come, first served basis beginning at 1:30 pm. There will also be telescopes with solar filters for safe viewing.

Every now and then I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild…

Join Olmsted Parks Conservancy and Louisville Parks and Recreation in Iroquois Park for an eclipse watch party on Monday, April 8th, from 1 to 4 PM.

The gate to the upper portion of the park will be open 1-4 p.m. The Froggy’s Popcorn food truck will be located near Jacob’s Lodge.

Olmsted Parks Conservancy members will receive free eclipse glasses while supplies last!

Join us at Waterfront Parks Big Four Lawn for an unforgettable experience during the solar eclipse.

While Louisville may not be in the path of totality, we will witness a mesmerizing deep partial eclipse. Enjoy a day filled with engaging activities, various vendors, food and drink concessions and music!

Don’t forget to grab your eclipse glasses, generously provided by kynect, for a safe and stunning view of this celestial spectacle.

• Start of partial eclipse: 1:49pm EDT

• Maximum eclipse (99.25%): 3:07pm EDT

• End of partial eclipse: 4:22pm EDT

Join The Care Project on April 6th from 12 to 4 PM for a Care Day neighborhood cleanup!

We invite you to help us make West Louisville a cleaner place with us. We will provide all sanity materials.

Fill out our volunteer form to join our team. If you can’t make it this Care Day, that’s okay! Still sign up to join our volunteer mailing list.

For any questions, don’t hesitate to DM us or reach out to Lakin Barrett at lakinbarrett0@gmail.com.

Join Louisville Grows to help us improve the health of the residents in the Lucky Horseshoe neighborhood through our Urban Forestry program.

Trained Citizen Foresters will lead groups of volunteers to properly plant trees on residential and business properties, and in the right-of-ways along the streets. No experience is necessary, everyone is welcome to come play in the dirt with us!

*Building Our Blocks is an event that seeks to transform a single neighborhood in one day through projects such as tree plantings, home repair, street safety improvements, beautification, and more. The goal is to be proactive in solving issues our community members face daily by bringing city services to their doorstep.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Community Engagement Manager Ellie at outreach@louisvillegrows.org or 502-694-0120. Click here for more details and registration!

A curated, outdoor, FREE event.

Enjoy plants, flowers, local speakers, garden decor, wine garden and more!

This event is brought to you by The Fleur de Flea Vintage Market and Jefferson County Master Gardeners. Space is filling up FAST. If you sell plants, native plants, shrubs, trees, vintage garden items, or anything garden-related, you are welcome to sign up.

Head to this link for more info. or contact (502) 533-2688.

Spring is upon us and you know what that means… time to hand out some free trees!

Join Trees Louisville for our next Tree Adoption on March 30th and take home up to two trees! Trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with the option to only take home one C tree per person / household.

We are thrilled to be partnering with Churchill Downs this year to offer an adoption location convenient for new communities! Come to the backside of the Downs and find us in the Turquoise Parking Lot.

This workshop, designed for people of privilege, defines solidarity, and supports participants to develop their abilities to engage in solidarity with people who are most marginalized and/or impacted.

Our human nature is to be and act in relationship with one another. One aspect of this relationality is to act in solidarity with others. So by nature, we are designed to act in solidarity. If we aren’t paying attention, however, we tend to act in solidarity, by default, with people who are similar. Men, by default, act in solidarity with other men; white people, by default, act in solidarity with other white people; heterosexual people, by default, act in solidarity with other heterosexual people… It takes intentionality and practice to act in solidarity with "others."

This interactive workshop (link to register), designed for people of privilege, will define solidarity, and will help participants to develop their confidence and abilities to engage in solidarity with people who are most marginalized and/or impacted by injustice and oppression.

The UL Free Store is proud to announce this collaboration with the Louisville Time Bank, Louisville Tool Library, and Lvl1 Hackerspace in our Zero Waste Repair Fair!

Join us for a chance to learn new skills from community leaders. There will be different stations with skills to learn to live a more sustainable lifestyle. There will also be a Free Sale at the event!

This event is open to UL students AND the public—come visit us anytime between 4:30 to 6:30 PM in the Red Barn. We’ll see you there.

Celebrate World Water Day by helping make our waterways safe and clean!

Join Louisville Parks and Recreation at one of several sites across the Mill Creek watershed.

Sign-up here at a location convenient for you! It’s an opportunity to make a big impact and remove hundreds of pounds of trash in a single day!

Locations:

• Watterson Lake Park 1714 S Wheatmore Dr, Louisville, KY 40215

• Sylvania Park 6650 Sylvania 5 Rd, Louisville, KY 40258

• Sun Valley Park 6616 Ashby Ln, Louisville, KY 40272

RED ROVER RED ROVER… We Dare You Come Over.

Play is healthy for us regardless of age. To that end, we have reserved Playcosystem on this evening for adults to gather, have a bit of fun, meet others, build a box fort, and share a playground together. Hilarity will ensue.

We will have adult beverages for all of your refreshment needs. We will be spinning vinyl – so if you have a favorite record you feel good about bringing onto a playground – bring it.

This is a free event. If you’d like more information, click here.

Come join us for our Rain Barrel Workshop where you can learn how to harvest rainwater for your plants!

Our hands-on session will show you the ins and outs of setting up and maintaining a rain barrel system. This event is perfect for beginners or anyone looking to brush up on their water conservation skills. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to save water and help the environment!

Sign up now to secure your spot! The cost is $70 for an attendee and gets you the workshop and a rain barrel with the associated installation kit. There will be two sessions. Register here for the session at 1 PM.

Play an active role in restoring the Louisville tree canopy!

Metro Urban Forestry will provide tool and training on how to plant a tree. Gloves, safety glasses, safety vests, and water refill station provided.

Please bring a water bottle, wear closed-toe shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing. No experience necessary. Sign up here.

Come join us for our Rain Barrel Workshop where you can learn how to harvest rainwater for your plants!

Our hands-on session will show you the ins and outs of setting up and maintaining a rain barrel system. This event is perfect for beginners or anyone looking to brush up on their water conservation skills. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to save water and help the environment!

Sign up now to secure your spot! The cost is $70 for an attendee and gets you the workshop and a rain barrel with the associated installation kit. There will be two sessions. Register here for the session at 11 AM.

Transform your grass into a beautiful pollinator paradise!

Tavia Cathcart Brown will provide step-by-step recommendations for creating a pollinator habitat with native plants. She will share basic permaculture techniques for creating a self-sustaining ecosystem in your garden that is friendly for beneficial insects, pollinators and birds.

Light refreshments, coffee and tea will be served. The cost of the workshop is $25. Register here!

Celebrate March Moon Madness with NASA/JPL’s Dan Price!

On Friday, March 15th, we will delve into the history and beauty of our celestial neighbor, followed by a laser-guided exploration of Bernheim’s night sky, complemented by telescope observations and insights from our dedicated Volunteer Naturalists.

For Bernheim members this activity costs $10; for non-members it is $15.

Registration is required by 4 PM the day prior to the program. Call (502) 215-7155 or click on the button below to register. Space is limited.

This workshop invites participants to locate where we all find joy in our work (individual and collective) for justice, and encourages us to wallow in this joy.

Working towards a just world is long-term work. The work for justice often feels daunting, difficult and at times impossible. There are far too often heartbreaking moments that we experience. Finding, creating and sustain joy in the struggle is critical to sustaining ourselves and each other, and to sustaining our efforts.

This workshop (link to register) invites participants to locate where we all find joy in our work (individual and collective) for justice, and encourages us to wallow in this joy. Participants will also learn some habits for finding, creating and sustaining joy that they can practice.

We are bringing back Evening Litter Walks!

What are Evening Litter Walks? Volunteers rotate throughout different parks based on the needs of our Operation Team on a weekly basis. We make their lives a little easier by helping them collect trash before they mow.

Our first walk is on March 12th at McNeely Lake Park! Garbage bags, pick sticks, gloves, and safety vests will be provided. We recommend bringing sturdy close-toed shoes, clothes that can get dirty, a water bottle, sunscreen, and a hat.

If you have any questions, please contact our volunteer coordinator Kelly Cox at kelly.cox@louisvilleky.gov! We can also schedule a self-directed litter clean-up for individuals or groups that want to help out on different dates!

Air Justice Lou is excited to partner with Eboni Cochran’s Environmental Injustice Tour.

Together, we’re offering a bus tour for the community. You’ll get to see locations around Rubbertown and West Louisville, as well as an introduction to racial injustice as it relates to environmental injustice.

We have TEN spots left on the bus, DM us on our Instagram to reserve your spot! It’s free!