2026 Earth Day Festival

It was a cold and rainy day (after a week with 80 degree weather!) at the 2026 Earth Day Festival, but thousands of New Yorkers still came out to celebrate Mother Earth!  We asked New Yorkers why they want NYC to be a “Swimmable City” and built a tapestry from recycled textiles with their input for public display.

A few of our favorite reasons for making NYC a Swimmable City?

+ Healthy ecosystems

+ Good water quality

+ Happy marine life

+ Sewers Underground, NOT in waterways!

New Yorkers also sat down and wrote letters to the mayor encouraging him to sign the Swimmable Cities Charter, an international charter signed by mayors and municipalities from around the world who support the idea that a Swimmable City is a health city!