Earth day logo

The department's 2024 Earth Day celebration event will be held Friday, April 19, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the south lawn of the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.

Since 1994, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has hosted an annual Earth Day celebration, bringing together statewide agencies and organizations to offer hands-on educational activities and displays to students from across Missouri. Earth Day offers a variety of fun and educational opportunities for students interested in finding out more about how they can improve the world around them. This free, annual event usually includes activities such as live presentations by the World Bird Sanctuary, crafts made from recycled items, stage games with prizes and several hands-on and interactive activities. Activities are tailored for fifth graders, but all ages are welcome.

Check out our photos from the 2023 event.

Register to Participate

Tap the image above to register for Earth Day 2024.

Teachers, register to participate! While open and free to the public, the Earth Day 2024 activities are geared to the educational needs of fifth-grade students. Teachers can register their classes for Earth Day 2024 online now. Preregistration allows us to better prepare for the event, as well as make sure registered teachers receive all the necessary information to make sure their students get the greatest educational benefit possible from attending the event.

Schools may be eligible to apply for financial assistance through the department’s bus grant program to assist with transportation expenses!

Slogan Contest

2024 Earth Day Slogan Contest

Fifth graders from across Missouri submitted numerous creative entries for this year's Earth Day slogan contest! MoDNR will review the entries and the winning slogan will be announced in the coming weeks.

The winning student will receive a $50 gift card donated by Central Bank in Jefferson City and a Missouri rock and mineral set donated by Missouri Geological Survey. Their teacher will also receive something special.

2023 Earth Day Slogan Contest Winner

Harlee Tanner, a fifth-grade student from Rolla Middle School won the slogan contest with the entry: "Join the race to make the world a better place." Harlee was among more than 260 Missouri fifth graders from 21 schools who entered the annual slogan contest.

As the slogan contest winner, Harlee was our special guest, honored during a presentation on the Earth Day stage during the Earth Day opening ceremony. Harlee received an Earth Day proclamation signed by Gov. Mike Parson, a $50 gift card donated by Central Bank in Jefferson City and a Missouri rock and mineral set donated by Missouri Geological Survey. Harlee's teacher, Dr. Heather Light, also received a special award.

Congratulations to Harlee and Dr. Light and thanks to everyone for entering!

Activities and Information

Held in the shadow of Missouri's historic Capitol, our Earth Day celebration offers a variety of fun and educational opportunities for students interested in finding out more about how they can improve the world around them.  

  • Teachers’ Resource Station – Teachers will be able to review the latest in educational offerings from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and many of our state, local and university exhibitors. This also will include a place to sit and relax!
  • Live stage presentations – Educational stage games (with prizes), presentations by the World Bird Sanctuary and more.
  • Exhibit Booths – Exhibits from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources as well as other state, federal and local agencies.
  • Hands-on crafts from recycled materials – This popular Earth Day activity will return by popular demand.

Attention Teachers!

  • Check out the Missouri State Parks Bus Grant Program page for information about available transportation assistance.
  • Since your bus cannot stay on the Capitol grounds, we will have a secure place for you to check-in your coolers and food. If you are bringing lunches for your class, please plan to use our Cooler Corral.
  • Earth Day volunteer staff will direct you to the Cooler Corral as you unload buses.
  • Staff at the Cooler Corral will tag your items and give a matching stub to the teacher or responsible adult. Use your stub to reclaim your coolers or food later in the day.
  • To prevent any tampering, items cannot be dropped off without completing a check-in tag and they cannot be picked up without presenting the matching stub.
  • We cannot check or hold other articles or valuables. Please leave articles you don’t need for the day on the bus.

Additional Information

Check back for updates on the following topics for the 2024 event as information becomes available.

Other Events

Events Across Missouri

Many communities in Missouri have Earth Day celebrations and environmental cleanup opportunities. If you would like to submit an event for consideration to be listed on this page, send the details (including a website link) to dnrwebcontact@dnr.mo.gov.

   Festivals:

   Cleanup Activities:

  Environmental Activities:

Events in Missouri State Parks

Visit the Missouri State Parks website often to search for Earth Day events being planned at various Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites.

Missouri Recycling Association

MORA Earth Day Stewardship Showcase

Other Links

EPA 

  • History of Earth Day - Earth Day, which occurs annually on April 22 for the national celebration, involves tens of thousands of events, from rallies and teach-outs to concerts and Earth fairs. You'll find them everywhere, in the world's capitals and in its nooks and crannies — together sending a message loud and clear that this turf is precious, perishable and belongs to all of us.
  • Learning and Teaching about the Environment - Discover environmental education resources for teachers and students.
  • Reducing Food Waste Activity Book - Help Apple and her friends learn how to reduce food waste and help protect the environment
  • EPA Region 7 Trash-Free Waters Challenge - We challenge you to help EPA keep the waters of our creeks, rivers, lakes and oceans TRASH-FREE! Did you know the majority of the trash and plastic items found in the oceans actually came from land a long way upstream? Now that you do, you can help keep trash out of the oceans, even if you live far from the coast. EPA's Trash-Free Waters program is focused on keeping waters trash-free by working with communities to reduce the amount of trash entering U.S. waterways and the world’s oceans.

EarthDay.org

Earthday.org's mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 150,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for our planet. Visit earthday.org's How to do Earth Day 2023 and find an event in your location! 

Heartland All Species Project

The Heartland All Species Projects mission is to provide interdisciplinary eco-cultural environmental education and community building action projects for cities, neighborhoods and villages. Just as the Fourth of July reminds us to love our country, Earth Day reminds us to love and care for the earth and our fellow creatures. Visit the Heartland All Species Project's Earth Day in Your Neighborhood and find ways to put on a your own local activities.

MoDNR Publications