Chelan Earth Day Fair

Every third Saturday in April, Riverwalk Park in downtown Chelan, Washington transforms into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most quietly compelling outdoor gatherings. The Chelan Earth Day Fair, now in its 37th year, runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on April 18, 2026, with approximately 90 vendors, four live performances, and the kind of community energy that forms when a small lakeside town rallies around something it genuinely cares about. The theme for 2026 is “Building Local Resilience,” and the programming reflects it at every booth.

Chelan sits at the southern end of Lake Chelan, one of the deepest lakes in the United States, fed by glacial snowmelt and stretching 55 miles into the Cascades. Riverwalk Park runs along the Chelan River outlet and offers views across the water with the mountains as a backdrop. It is a setting that gives the fair an outdoor quality most urban environmental events cannot replicate, and it draws families from across North Central Washington as well as visitors already in the region for spring winery season.

Music, Markets, and Environmental Booths

The entertainment stage runs continuously through the day. Jeff McLaren, a local singer and guitarist rooted in Tom Petty and Neil Young, opens the morning. Singer-songwriter Brittany Jean, based in the Pacific Northwest, follows with original material. The afternoon belongs to the Kevin Jones Band, a returning fair favorite featuring Kevin Jones on guitar and vocals, Doyle Wood on mandolin, Mike Gamble on bass, and Doug Williams on drums. Closing the stage for the first time at the Chelan Earth Day Fair is pH Factor, a jazz and Latin rock group from Okanogan formed in 2010, featuring Bob Hougham on trumpet and flugelhorn, Nate Brown on vocals, Andrew Lenowitch on bass, Jake Pearce on drums, and Don Pearce on keyboards.

The roughly 90 exhibitor booths range from community conservation groups to plant starts, handmade goods, recycled-material arts, and electric vehicle displays. Organizations including the U.S. Forest Service, Chelan Fire and Rescue, the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Chelan Douglas Land Trust, the Cascadia Conservation District, and the Lake Chelan Research Institute maintain educational booths throughout the event. Keep It Blue Lake Chelan uses its booth to discuss water quality protection on Lake Chelan, a particularly relevant conversation in a town whose economy and identity are inseparable from the lake’s health. The Chelan Public Library holds its annual book sale, and local plant vendors bring starts for the kitchen garden and the native pollinator beds.

> Quick Tips
> April weather in Chelan is famously unpredictable. Temperatures can range from the low 40s to the mid-70s in a single day, and wind gusts along the river park are common. Dress in layers and bring a rain layer regardless of the morning forecast. All food vendors are required to use compostable containers, so recycling and composting stations are clearly marked throughout the park.

Getting There and Getting Around

Chelan is approximately 180 miles east of Seattle via US-2 and US-97. The drive over the Cascades is part of the appeal. Parking for fairgoers is available in the large lot east of the fire station on Emerson Street. Exhibitor parking fills quickly on the morning of the event, so arriving before 9:30 AM is recommended for the best access. Admission is free.

> If You’re Going With Kids
> The 4-H Chelan-Manson Fashion Squad hosts its annual “Trashion” show on the main stage, featuring clothing made from recycled and repurposed materials. It is one of the most popular children’s attractions of the afternoon and a genuinely clever piece of programming for younger fairgoers interested in sustainability and creative design.

Lake Chelan Before and After the Fair

The fair closes at 4:00 PM, which leaves the early evening for a walk along the Lake Chelan shoreline at Lakeside Park, a few blocks from Riverwalk. The lake’s southern end near Chelan has calm swimming water and a public beach that sees far less traffic than the resort-heavy town of Manson across the bay. If you plan to stay the night or the weekend, the south-shore wine trail runs through several well-regarded tasting rooms within a short drive of downtown.

Find Your Spot on Lake.com

For visitors making a weekend of it, Lake.com’s listings near Lake Chelan include waterfront vacation rentals along the south shore with private dock access, mountain views, and proximity to both the fair and the lake’s wine country. Spring availability moves fast in Chelan; book several weeks ahead.