‘Rockstar’ NW celebrity geologist headlines Earth Day event in Tri-Cities
Tri-Citians can celebrate earth and its fellow planets at a series of Earth Day events.
Earth Day is April 22, but activities begin this weekend.
They include a festival featuring Washington’s favorite geologist, Central Washington University Prof. Nick Zentner, as well as the ribbon cutting debut for the Hanford Reach Solar System with sites around the Mid-Columbia.
Tri-Cities Earth Day Festival
If you go: Free to the public from noon-4 p.m., Saturday, April 18, at the Reach Museum, 1943 Columbia Park Trail, at the Richland “Y.”
Nick Zentner, the CWU professor known for his wildly popular Nick on the Rocks videos on YouTube as well as PBS and other channels, headlines the gathering.
He will speak at 2 p.m. at the outdoor amphitheater, overlooking the Columbia River. He said he expects to field questions from guests about the natural forces that created the region.
Want to prepare a few in advance? Check out Zentner’s YouTube channel.
Here are a few favorites that pertain to our region.
- A look at how basalt lava flows formed the foundation of Eastern Washington
- How Lake Lewis formed repeatedly when the catastrophic Missoula Floods backed up at Wallula Gap. This one explains those seemingly random boulders visible on Candy and Badger mountains.
The festival includes interactive activities, exhibitions and a sustainability showcase.
The festival is free and presented by Sustainable Tri-Cities, Citizens’ Climate Education and the museum.
Hanford Reach Solar System Earth Day
If you go: 4 p.m., April 22, at Camp Kiwanis in Columbia Park.
Feeling inspired by Artemis but maybe not quite ready to leave Earth?
Explore the Tri-Cities’ very own 80-mile scale replica of the solar system, reportedly the largest model of the solar system in existence.
Fifteen years in the making, it holds official grand opening at 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 22, at Camp Kiwanis in Columbia Park in Kennewick.
Science educator Trevor Macduff and Silas Education began work to model the solar system some 15 years ago, inspired by students and a desire to inspire curiosity.
The system revolves around the arched model of the sun at the Reach Museum and includes orbital markers for Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune as well as the largest asteroid in the Ceres Belt.
As part of its Earth Day debut, the solar system will unveil a new passport system to help people find the markers.
The markers are placed along orbital paths that encircle the community. They are situated in Kennewick, Richland, Benton City and Prosser, with more planned.
Go to silaseducation.org for information.
This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 12:37 PM.