Party For the Planet

What better way to celebrate Earth Day, Endangered Species Day, and World Ocean Day than with the planet’s amazing and diverse wildlife? AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums across North America are throwing a Party for the Planet, making it the largest combined Earth Day, Endangered Species Day, and World Ocean Day celebration!

Party for the Planet offers families unique opportunities to visit their local AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium, celebrate the Earth’s biodiversity, and learn how they can take action to make a difference. Scheduled Party for the Planet events include education and conservation presentations, keeper talks, environmental activities and more!

Party for the Planet is supported by the Disney Conservation Fund from Earth Day to World Ocean Day. This Campaign leverages the reach and resources of AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to provide family-friendly volunteer and conservation action opportunities that improve our planet.

Party for the Planet is collective conservation action that families and individuals can do at home with a direct impact on the planet to support healthy habitats. This year we are focusing on three action areas: Conserve, Create and Connect to nature. Whether your activities are clean-ups, creating native-species habitats, or connecting to nature, these actions help to make the earth a better place for plants, animals and humans alike.

Looking for a playlist to listen to for an energy boost when participating in a cleanup or when you miss your zoo or aquarium? Follow AZA on Spotify!

Conserve

We all need a healthy blue planet to survive and thrive. In our interconnected world, no matter where we live, we can celebrate nature every day! We can also take part in World Ocean Day's 12 months of action for our home planet! Each month provides an opportunity to learn more about the intersectional issues and take conservation action. Topics range from environmental justice to plastic pollution prevention to protecting Antarctica. With each month’s focus, you can help with a simple action or take more in-depth action at the policy level. All content is free for you to use as you wish for your own purposes!

Create

AZA is partnering with The National Wildlife Federation to expand native habitats across AZA-accredited facilities and their members. NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat® program helps to create and restore habitat and wildlife populations. Turn your yard, balcony container garden, schoolyard, work landscape, or roadside greenspace into a Certified Wildlife Habitat® to make an easy and lasting difference for wildlife.

Create native habitats near you!

Connect

Take your friends and family outdoors to connect with nature in a fun and engaging way! By Participating in a community science bioblitz, observing wildlife in your backyard, neighborhood, local parks, & trails, you are contributing to real scientific research to map the biodiversity around the world. Using the free iNaturalist app, observations can be recorded anytime and anywhere.

Connecting with nature is healthy for us mentally and physically. Connect with Nature and record your observations outside through the iNaturalist app. Participate in a community science bioblitz as a fun way to observe nature, enjoy quality family time, and contribute to real scientific research pertaining to the wildlife in your backyard, local parks, trails, neighborhood and community. 

Join AZA's Party for the Planet 2025, and connect with nature!

Join AZA's Party for the Planet!

Party for the Planet is a national campaign hosted by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums with generous support from The Disney Conservation Fund and the Walt Disney Company. Now in its eighth year, the Party for the Planet® campaign encourages AZA-accredited facilities and partners to offer youth and family-friendly opportunities for conservation action. These local campaigns, running from Earth Day (April 22nd) through World Ocean Day (June 8th), will focus on Healthy Habitats and community-based conservation

2026 Party for the Planet resources available Spring 2026.

2026 Party for the Planet Grant Opportunity

AZA, with generous support from the Disney Conservation Fund and the Walt Disney Company,  is supporting up to 13 AZA-accredited or accredited related members with a $5,000 grant opportunity for organizations committed to hosting a Party for the Planet® event that engages under-resourced youth and communities in inspiring conservation action creating healthy habitats for people and wildlife to thrive together. Organizations will be required to demonstrate how funds will be shared with and/or used to advance the goals of their community-based partners. Successful projects will be driven by and focused on the priorities of their conservation efforts and community needs. Eligible applicants are from an AZA-accredited or accredited-related facility.

For more details, including the application, eligibility and evaluation requirements:

• Download the 2026 Grant Opportunity Guidelines

• Download the 2026 Grant Application: docx, pdf
  (Applicants may choose to complete a docx OR pdf application. Applicants do NOT need to complete both formats.)
  

Completed applications are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on November 1, 2026, to hfaris@aza.org. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in early December.