What to do this Earth Day weekend in Hamilton, from bloom watch to book launches

Spring has sprung in Hamilton, and while the forecast predicts rain this weekend, there’s still plenty to do in the city. 

Here are some highlights of what’s on. 

Cherry blossoms at Gage Park, Bayfront Park, RBG

Cherry blossom trees are in bloom on front lawns and in public parks across the region.

Three popular spots to check out the flowering trees locally are in Gage Park, Bayfront Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Burlington.

It might not be as warm as last weekend, but the blossoms are still in bloom, and there are plenty of other spring flowers to watch out for, like tulips, hyacinths and rhododendrons. 

Clean up Hamilton for Earth Day 

Saturday is Earth Day and there will be litter clean up gatherings across the city. 

A clean up of Fifty Creek in Stoney Creek will begin at Fifty United Church on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. The church will provide clean up crews with garbage and recycling bags and gloves. 

Mountview Park is hosting its own clean up on west Hamilton Mountain, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Beautiful Alleys is hosting three clean up events, with three command centres across the city: one at the parking lot at 555 Concession St., one at the Memorial Elementary School at 1175 Main St. East, and a final location at the clubhouse in Powell Park at 53 Birch Ave. 

Medicine plant walk at McQuesten Urban Farm

This weekend’s rainy forecast won’t stop the Earth Day activities at McQuesten Urban Farm, near the non-profit organization, Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg.

The event runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can help with an Earth Day clean up, then enjoy a medicine plant walk at 2 p.m., where visitors will learn different plants and their uses. A youth and family drum circle will follow at 3:30 p.m.

The farm is located at 785 Britannia Ave in east Hamilton and visitors need to register before the event. 

EcoHamilton’s Earth Day Market in Gage Park

While you’re enjoying the spring flowers, you can stop by the second annual EcoHamilton Earth Day Market in Gage Park, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Vendors will be selling recycled party decorations, bulk refill hair and skin products and second-hand clothing. 

Visitors are asked to bring reusable shopping bags and empty reusable containers for their purchases from the eco-conscious vendors. Visitors can also donate food and hygiene products, bring in electronics that need to be recycled and broken items that need to be repaired. 

GritLit literary festival

A rainy weekend is a good time to crack open a new book at the final, in-person days of GritLit: Hamilton’s Readers and Writers Festival, which is featuring events with 39 different authors over five days this week.

Friday evening programming includes a celebration of the Hamilton literary community at 8:30 p.m., with Nichole Fanara, Fareh Malik, Chris Pannell, Andrew F. Sullivan and Jamie Tennant. 

Saturday’s events begin at 10 a.m. with a book club session with Canada Reads finalist Catherine Hernandez, and her novel The Story of Us. The day will include panels on Earth Day, romance fiction and consumer culture. 

Hamilton author Anuja Varghese will end the festival Sunday with a launch and discussion of her new story collection, Chrysallis, which GritLit says centres “women of colour and explore queerness, family, and community.”

Events are at the Homewood Suites by Hilton, at 40 Bay Street South. Tickets and weekend passes are available online.

Monster Jam at FirstOntario Centre

Grab your ear muffs and head down to FirstOntario this Saturday to watch 12,000 pound monster trucks battle it out at Monster Jam. 

Tickets are still available online.