By Kathy Chouteau
East Bay Regional Parks is turning Black Friday green with a sweet deal and a friendly reminder that there’s a regional park close to community members on “Green Friday” and every day of the year.
There are 73 East Bay Regional Parks in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, and for the 10th year, the East Bay Regional Parks District is encouraging people to enjoy the outdoors on Green Friday instead of wading through crowds at shopping centers. During the free park day, a.k.a. Green Friday, all entrance and activity fees are waived including parking, dogs, horses, boat launching and fishing. Entrance to Ardenwood Historic Farm is also waived.
State fees for fishing licenses, watercraft inspections or concessionaires—like the Tilden Merry-Go-Round and the Redwood Valley Railway steam train—aren’t included in the fee-waiver.
Green Friday advocates for healthy alternatives to shopping the day after Thanksgiving and is part of the #OptOutside movement. Ideas for regional park Green Friday activities include Hike It Off (Work off your Thanksgiving Meal), 9 a.m. at Reinhardt Redwood (Drop-in); Green Friday Mine Tours, 10:30 a.m. at Black Diamond Mines (Drop-in); Green Friday Hike, 10:30 a.m. at Coyote Hills (Drop-in); and Green Friday (and Saturday): Mini Forest Volunteer Project, 9 a.m. at Contra Loma (Registration required).
Get the scoop on Green Friday here.