Solar Punk Parade
Earth Day | April 22nd 2026 | 7pm-9pm
Spreading hope core visions for the future
I don’t think I’ve done anything to celebrate Earth Day since high school. Earth Day is one of those things that we teach kids to care about, and then into adulthood we realize that the problem is much bigger than just recycling and using paper straws, and the decent into cynicism ensues. What if we did a little something for Earth Day, just for funzies?
The Problem
The future is starting to feel pretty dystopian. At least, the future that we are being sold my tech-oligarchs is pretty bleak. A world run by machines, where everything is a subscription service, including intelligence. These same people are building bunkers to protect themselves against the reality they are building, including impending climate disaster. It’s time for the common people to get loud about the type of future we actually want to live in.
A New Vision
What would the future look like if we stopped the gamification of everything and simply used our resources and technology to create a bright future for all of humanity, in accordance with nature?
There’s a name for this philosophy, aesthetic, whatever you want to call it. The concept is wildly underrepresented in popular media, and needs to be better known in the public consciousness. That concept is: Solar Punk — an anti-capitalist, sustainable, humanist, egalitarian vision for our collective future.
The Parade
Not really a parade, mostly just a just cute and demure walk with friends through some grey parts of Toronto; that is areas of greater density that might not have a lot of green space. We’ll wear earthy things, pick up trash, and scatter Ontario native wildflowers through “guerilla gardening”.
Travel: You can walk, skate, or bike!
What to bring: Garbage bags, gloves (Kendra is bringing seeds)
What to wear: Comfy, earthy, show off your take on the Solar Punk aesthetic!
“Seed Bombing” and Guerilla Gardening
Guerilla gardening and “seed bombing” is not exactly legal in Ontario. The major issue here is that the spreading of seeds on private and public property can be seen as vandalism and destruction of property, especially if any invasive species result from the spread.
Our intention with spreading wildflowers is to:
bring beauty and colour to some greyer parts of our city
encourage pollinators like bees and hummingbirds to thrive in the city
take small steps towards turning Toronto into a solar punk city
The Route
Both routes are about a 50 minute walk. The idea is to start around 7pm, and end up somewhere cool by the time the sun sets.
Option 1 — The Toronto Rail Path
Start: 7pm outside the George Chuvalo Neighbourhood Centre
Travel: Along the Toronto Rail Path and then College Street
End: ~8pm at Houndstooth
We can hang out for a bit longer, play some pool, and maybe stick around for the show
Duchess, Pretty Face, Glove
PWYC • 9 PM
Option 2 — Old Toronto to Kensington
Start: 7pm in Saint James Park
Travel: Along Richmond Street, through graffiti alley and up Augusta
End: ~8pm in Kensington at Pamenar or Trinity Commons or Sneaky Dee's (depending on party size)
We hang and maybe eat some food together
Don’t spread seeds:
in existing gardens
on lawns or grass
in parks or public land
on residential lots
Do spread seeds:
in street medians
parking lots
abandoned construction lots
forgotten patches of dirt