The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is hosting its annual Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The first 300 people through the gate will receive a free gift to celebrate a milestone at this year’s festival.

The event will include a groundbreaking ceremony for the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience at 11 a.m., marking a new chapter in how the community will experience, understand and protect the systems that sustain Southwest Florida’s way of life. Featuring new spaces, program offerings and continuously evolving, highly interactive exhibits, the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience will inspire individuals to take action and support the Conservancy’s critical mission to preserve Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future for generations to come. 

The groundbreaking is part of the Conservancy’s Earth Day Festival programming, which features free, family-friendly activities including face painting, arts and crafts, games, Glen Beitman’s Super Science Show, boat rides, animal encounters, vendors, food trucks, a live performance by Moonstone Riders, and special presentations. The full schedule of events is available online at Conservancy.org/EarthDay.

“The Earth Day Festival allows us to showcase our vital work to protect Southwest Florida’s natural resources to the hundreds of community members and educate them about how they can be part of that mission,” said Conservancy President and CEO Rob Moher. “This year, we’re especially excited to break ground on the transformational John & Carol Nature Experience, which will offer an entirely new way for guests to connect with nature through immersive new spaces.”

The Earth Day Festival was voted Best Local Event in Naples by the Community’s Choice Awards, and admission is free. The event will take place on the Conservancy campus and at the Nature Center, located at 1495 Smith Preserve Way in Naples.

Festival attendees can also connect with several of the Conservancy’s environmental partners and local vendors. Organizations including Naples Botanical Garden, Naples Zoo, Big Cypress National Preserve, Captains for Clean Water, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, and the Great Canoe Races of Naples will be on site alongside vendors offering a variety of products, including treats from Nothing Bundt Cakes and locally grown goods from Stropharia Mushroom Farm.

For more information on the Earth Day Festival, including a schedule of presentations and a full list of vendors, visit Conservancy.org/EarthDay.

About the Conservancy of Southwest Florida
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a nonprofit environmental organization that has protected water, land and wildlife in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties for more than 60 years. Through environmental science, policy, education and wildlife rehabilitation, the Conservancy safeguards Southwest Florida’s natural resources for future generations.

Headquartered in Naples, Florida, the Conservancy is home to Collier County’s only native wildlife hospital and its vibrant Nature Center. Currently open to visitors, the Nature Center is undergoing a major transformation into a new, impactful community offering—the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience, set to open in 2028. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a gateway to conservation, offering immersive exhibits, hands-on learning and expanded programs to inspire environmental stewardship and enhance the region’s quality of life.

Learn more and support Southwest Florida’s environmental future at Conservancy.org.