Earth Day Events, Crowds and Closures in Seal Beach

Seal Beach will be buzzing this weekend with Run Seal Beach, a Save Our Beach Earth Day Cleanup and an “Ohana” Family day at the pier by the Surfrider Foundation and Kohl's Department Stores.

The Ohana Day celebration from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday will feature programs on environmentalism, shoreline ecology, and ways to create "ocean friendly gardens" that don't pollute the waterways. There will be hands-on activities, demonstrations, gifts, music by the Oiginalities, and more.

About 4,000 people are expected at the event, including staff of the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, who will teach how to reduce ocean pollution and protect endangered species. Families will also have the opportunity to watch Seal Beach Junior Lifeguard workouts, get wet with outrigger canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, or fly kites. Local wetsuit shop Coral Reef is bringing its surf team and setting up a dunk tank

In a written statement Surfrider Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Chapter Chairperson Tony Soriano emphasized the importance of getting kids involved in protecting the environment.

"lt's all about the kids," said Soriano.

Ohana Day won’t be the only opportunity for locals to celebrate the environment. Seal Beach’s nonprofit Save Our Beach will host a beach cleanup from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., starting at the 1st Street beach parking lot. Save Our Beach provides free parking, reusable trash bags, reusable gloves and community service certificates.

And the first and largest event of the day featuring more than 5,500 runners, walkers and volunteers is Run Seal Beach. The annual race that has raised more than a $1 million to support community recreation and athletics, will begin with the Kids 1K Fun Run at 7:30 a.m., followed by the 5K/10K run at 8 a.m. and the 5K walk at 8:05 a.m. The race will start at the Seal Beach Community Center, 151 Marina Drive.

Several streets will be closed for the race between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., including portions of Marina Drive, First Street, Ocean Avenue, 7th Street, Electric Avenue, and Seal Beach Boulevard.