Celebrate National Coastweek September 20-27!!
These are just some of the ways your organization can celebrate National Coastweek in your community. Consider combining several activities into a day or week-long event for coast- and ocean-lovers of all ages!
Also, consider collaborating with other organizations in your area. You will reach many more people and can share the planning workload if you partner with other groups. Contact local environmental groups, schools, chambers of commerce, clubs, civic groups, philanthropy organizations, or other educational institutions and join forces to plan and host National Coastweek events. If you don't have a list of local and regional organizations, don’t fret! There are lots of sources, including The Ocean Project, which can send you a list of its member aquariums, zoos, museums, conservation organizations, government agencies, and others in your area.
Get the Word Out
- Create a National Coastweek display addressing a coast or ocean theme, or help others create displays for local libraries, schools, or community centers.
- A lot of communities have fall street festivals: cohost a booth with other organizations and teach festival-goers about coast-friendly tips we can all do to save our natural resources.
- Prepare a news release or public service announcement describing your National Coastweek activities and submit it to a local newspaper or radio station. Don’t forget to submit information to the “community calendar” at newspapers and TV & radio stations that lists activities!
- Host a news conference during National Coastweek to publicize your events. Be sure your message has “news” value (Why is this a problem? How is this event helping?) and highlight things people can do individually to help conserve coastal resources for the future. In addition to news reporters, be sure to invite local newspaper columnists who cover topics of community interest.
- Write an op-ed or letter to the editor of your local newspaper expressing your concerns about coastal issues.
- Advertise! Create a National Coastweek logo (and share with us) to put on posters, t-shirts, everything!
- Post a list of local Coastweek activities on your website. Does your state do a statewide Coastweek, Coast Day, or similar water celebration in the fall? Find out if you can advertise your event with other state or local activities!
- Screen an ocean film with a discussion following. Click here for ideas from The Ocean Project.
Plan Fun Activities
- Have coast- or ocean-themed "paint-offs" and music from local artists to showcase works dealing with the oceans
- Host a kids' art contest.
- Have a sandcastle building contest with coast-oriented prizes.
- Have a coastal scavenger or treasure hunt; make the “treasures” educational so participants learn while they collect.
- Have a special aquarium or zoo sleepover so kids can watch the ocean creatures at night.
- Work with local educational facilities to sponsor nature walks, talks, or cruises. Several estuaries (bays, sounds, etc. where fresh and salt water mix) around the country have special events for National Estuaries Day, on or around September 27.
- Coordinate with places that host large public gatherings … have at an event at a major or minor league ball game: sell group tickets to a special section (many stadiums have revenue-sharing programs for non-profit groups), sell tickets to a pre-game tailgate party, and/or distribute educational materials to game attendees.
- Host a raffle to give away ocean prizes including coupons to local sustainable seafood restaurants, eco-tours, etc., with proceeds going to a conservation program.
- Host a running or cycling race with National Coastweek-themed prizes and t-shirts.
- Host other athletic events related to the ocean, such as a swimming or sailing race, and donate the proceeds to a conservation program or organization.
- Work with other groups to lead a sea kayak or canoe tour in order to learn about and enjoy the ocean pollution-free.
- Sponsor a public lecture, book reading or signing, or photo exhibit from prominent environmental leaders, authors, artists, or scientists.
- Sponsor a sustainable seafood event and invite local chefs to give demonstrations and food tastings.
- Host a fundraising dinner featuring sustainable seafood. Several organizations have guides to sustainable seafood. Here are two: Monterey Bay Aquarium and The South Carolina Aquarium.
- Host a beach party, bbq, or picnic with contests and ocean-themed prizes.
Make a Difference
- Be part of the International Coastal Cleanup September 20! Click here to find a list of state coordinators. Follow the cleanup with a celebratory lunch or dinner featuring sustainable seafood!
- Work with local parks and conservation groups to build new (or upgrade existing) trails, docks and other coastal public access sites.
- Find out if your local government has a storm drain stenciling program; if so, coordinate with the city to have your group paint certain storm drain covers with “no dumping” messages to remind people that wastes go into the watershed.
- Develop a pamphlet including interesting statistics and a list of things citizens can do in their daily lives to help protect coastal resources and conserve the oceans. Hand out the pamphlet or post it in a visible area.
Involve the Community
- Get your state and local officials involved! Invite your mayor or other elected official to give a speech and attend your events.
- Persuade your town government to officially declare September 20-27 National Coastweek.
- Invite local environmental organizations to set up booths at your event.
- Link up with another community - coastal or inland - in a distant part of your country or the world and collaborate on coastal and ocean awareness activities, action projects, and information exchange.
- Conduct outreach activities on coasts and oceans in your local schools during that week. Encourage schools to log on to EstuaryLive! on the Internet September 25 and 26.
What You Can Do Next
- Please let us know if you have something planned – we’d love to add it to our activity list!
- Keep the creative juices flowing! If you have any new ideas, let us know about them so we can share with others.
- Don't hesitate to contact us with questions on groups in your area or ideas for activities.
- Keep checking this page for new ideas. We will update the site as more ideas roll in!