The City of Auburn is inviting residents to roll up their sleeves and celebrate the planet with a full slate of Earth Day events on Saturday, April 26.
The day begins at 9:30 a.m. with a guided tour of the Mill Street Hydroelectric Facility, where staff from the Department of Municipal Utilities will explain how the Owasco River’s flow is converted into energy. The tour offers a rare opportunity to learn about local renewable energy efforts firsthand.
From 10 a.m. to noon, volunteers will gather for a cleanup of the Owasco River. Participants are asked to meet at the Mill Street Dam near where Canal Street intersects with Osborne Street. Supplies including garbage bags and leaf bags will be provided, and some tools will be available for those without their own. Volunteers are encouraged to bring gloves, rakes, and clean white packaging foam for recycling.
The festivities will continue with a new Earth Day Swap Shop event from 12 to 3 p.m. at Auburn Public Theater’s Stage Right space at 8 Exchange Street. Community members are invited to bring 5–10 clean, usable household items—excluding electronics—for a free, sustainable shopping experience. All items will be available on a carry-in/carry-out basis, encouraging reuse and landfill diversion.
Residents can drop off items for the Swap Shop during the river cleanup or bring them directly to the theater before noon.
Earth Day organizers say the events are designed to promote sustainability, build community spirit, and highlight the importance of environmental stewardship.
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