Today is World Environment Day and you can celebrate it by participating in a cleanup of Schuylkill River at Bartram’s Garden (5400 Lindbergh Blvd). The cleanup will be held tonight from 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. and is hosted by United By Blue. Snacks, supplies, and gloves will be provided. In addition to that, free Bartram’s Garden passes will be available for volunteers. If you attend three Bartram’s Garden cleanups organized by United By Blue you can qualify for a free Bartram’s Garden membership.

After the cleanup everyone is welcome to hang around for a post cleanup cookout. If you have questions, please call 215-642-0693. In case you drive, parking is available. For maps and more information, go here.

If you remember the days when you played your favorite games in the neighborhood park, come to Clark Park tomorrow after work for the Old School Game Night. Come out to the park from 4 to 7 p.m. to show your stuff in a four-square tournament, make your way through a giant hopscotch court, and play in the signature kickball match happening in The Bowl. And please bring a positive attitude and a drive for fun!

This event is hosted by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation as part of “Love Your Park” week, a citywide celebration of Philadelphia’s parks. It is open and encouraged for all ages. Evening activities will be accompanied by DJ Patty-Pat’s Back-in-the-Day soundtrack.

Here’s the schedule:

4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.: Hot Potato, Double Dutch, 4-square tournament, Relay Races and more!

6 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Kickball Match (please come between 4 and 5:30 to put your name down for kickball).

Old School Game Night. Tue, May 15, 4 – 7 p.m. Clark Park “B”, 43rd & Chester.

Bartram’s Garden, home to America’s first great native botanist John Bartram and the largest public green space in Philadelphia, is celebrating spring with several exciting events and openings.

Next weekend, May 4-6, visitors of all ages are invited to enjoy a plant sale, hands-on gardening activities and guided tours of the historic site, including a new educational Green Room, native plant nursery and community farm. The Green Room will open in Bartram’s historic stable. Visitors will be able to borrow binoculars for bird watching and watercolors for painting. An educator will be on hand to answer questions and provide tours, and guest feedback will directly influence how the Green Room evolves.

The garden will be open to all on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entrance is free. Day passes, which include a guided house and garden tour, and access to seasonal activities in the Green Room, are $8 to $12 (free for members).

Also on hand Saturday and Sunday: spring planting tips, children’s activities and plant sale. Most of the plants were grown on site in a new nursery, located next to the Garden Shop. While in the garden, also make sure to check out a new orchard, with more than 40 heirloom fruit trees. The orchard is adjacent to Bartram’s new community garden. Last year, workers cleared shrubs and removed unused tennis courts and baseball fields from the southern end of the property to make way for a 1.5-acre community garden.

Finally, this summer a one-mile portion of the Schuylkill River Trail will be completed and connect to the 58th Street Greenway, the Cobbs Creek Parkway and eventually lead to Valley Forge and points beyond.

“This trail, which will wind through Bartram’s beautiful meadow and show off views of the Philadelphia skyline, will not only be a great addition to Bartram’s Garden but to the City of Philadelphia,” says interim director Stephanie Phillips. Stay tuned for information on bike-related events and workshops coming to the garden.

Bartram’s Garden is located at 54th St. & Lindbergh Blvd. For more information, visit: www.bartramsgarden.org. or call 215-729-5281.

This Sunday you could be part of something big and unforgettable. Clark Park is hosting the “Picnic for the Planet” – an Earth Day celebration and an attempt to set a Guinness record for the world’s largest picnic. Clark Park folks will be recording the number of participants and completing required paperwork. This is a nationwide record attempt – simultaneously, picnics like this one will be held in various locations in North America.

Sounds cool, right? So come to Clark Park from Noon until 4 p.m. (record attempt begins at 12:30). Don’t forget to bring your family, blanket and favorite picnic food and enjoy your day in the park. Elevation Burger will provide food for the first 100 participants.

Data Garden, a group of artists that brought The Switched-On Garden, a bio-interactive art and live outdoor musical festival to Bartram’s Garden in October 2011, is working on putting together another outdoor event this year. Over 700 people of all ages and backgrounds got to enjoy The Switched-On Garden, which, according to Data Garden co-founder Joe Patitucci, was a truly transformative day and the biggest event ever to take place at Bartram’s Garden (check out the video here).

For 2012 Data Garden wants to expand the event and increase the ways people can engage with the environment and history of Bartram’s. Same as last year, Data Garden wants the event to be free of charge and accessible to everyone. To get funding to make this event possible for a second year, they launched a Kickstarter fundraising campaign. Additional funds will also allow them to attract and compensate some amazing artists from the US and beyond.

“One thing that we proved last year was that people really enjoy the type of events we produce and find it really refreshing,” Patitucci says. The event was covered by Inhabitat, MTV Brasil, the Philadelphia Inquirer and even Vice Magazine’s music blog among others.

Unfortunately, Data Garden hasn’t reached its funding goal yet and there are only five days left in this campaign. This project will only be funded if at least $7,000 is pledged by Tuesday, April 24 (11:59 p.m.). Click here to donate and help this project.

A group of community members helped clean up and beautify Barkan Park at 50th and Spruce on Saturday. Mark Mendenhall of Garden Court Community Association sends word that the next clean up and Spring Planting at Barkan Park will be held on Saturday, May 19, from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, call (215) 476-2983.