Events

Sustainability events are happening year-round at UofL! Don't miss out!

All UofL Sustainability events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. What did I miss?! Check out our Past Events log.

Date Event
May 21, 2026 Serviceberry Foraging Workshophttps://localist-images.azureedge.net/photos/48678605035247/card/47f944d9c953da12ccb5a77853f78ed651250abc.jpg
Thursday, May 21st, 12:30pm, Garden Commons (NE corner of Baptist Center)
Bring a pail or Tupperware and get ready to load up on the sweetest "secret" right under our noses! Serviceberries (aka Juneberries) are native to Kentucky (and 48 states!). They are planted all over the city as a common, low-maintenance street tree. The fruits are ripe for only two weeks around June 1st. They are similar to blueberries but a little bit nutty (the trees are in the almond family!). UofL's campus boasts many loaded serviceberries and during this special workshop, we will walk around to visit many of them! Pick and take home as many as you can. Enjoy them fresh or freeze them for pies and smoothies year-round! Meetup at the Garden Commons and we'll go from there. For inspiration, read Robin Wall Kimmerer's deeply insightful essay, The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance.  Facebook Event.
May 15 - Aug. 8, 2026 Summer Garden Gatherings 2026Garden Gathering
Fridays, 7pm at the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W. Bloom St., behind Bettie Johnson Hall)
Saturdays, 2pm at the Garden Commons (northeast of the Baptist Center)

UofL’s organic campus gardens are great places to relax, reconnect, learn, and savor the sweet taste of sustainability! Students, faculty, staff, and the public are all welcome to come experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of hyper-local veggies, herbs, fruit & flowers. Stop by anytime to sample the goodness and help us keep things watered and weeded. We will gather weekly at both of our campus food gardens throughout the summer to harvest, weed, water & plant. Tools and gloves provided, but bring bags to harvest into! Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook Event.
May 1-31, 2026

Bike Month ChallengeBike Month Challenge
May 1st – 31st, 2026
May is perfect for pedaling! Saddle up and ride for Team UofL in the Bike Month Challenge! Bike Month 2026 is a fun, free, and friendly challenge that’s open to riders of all levels. Whether you’re just getting back on a bike or you’re an avid commuter, everyone is invited! Reap the rewards of a healthy lifestyle, show your support for sustainable transportation, and help improve cycling in our community. Register for the Bike Month Challenge as an individual and join Team UofL on Strava to log your rides and encourage/compete against your peers. 
One top rider on Team UofL who is a current UofL student or employee will win a $50 shopping spree from our local sponsor, Middle of Town Cycling! This is not merely a mileage competition. The winner will be the rider who performs the best in terms of number of days ridden, number of bike trips, number bike commutes, and miles ridden for fun, fitness and transportation.
So get out there and discover new ways to ride! Simply log your trips by bicycle for fun, fitness, or transportation. Check out our online resources for UofL Bicyclists - with handy maps, videos, and tips for getting around town care-free and car-free! Get Healthy Now monthly premium incentive program participants can earn 200 points toward their 2027 $40 GHN monthly incentive for participating in the Bike Month Challenge!  In order to be eligible, simply complete this short form.

Every Sunday UofL Community Composting Volunteer DaysCompost Volunteers
Every Sunday, Noon-2pm (Add to your Calendar)
251 E. Bloom St. (block north of Cardinal Blvd. between Brook & Floyd Streets, map)

Come help us turn “trash” into treasure as we manage UofL’s volunteer-powered community composting operation. Dress to get dirty. Tools provided. Learn about worm composting and becoming a UofL EcoRep! All participants are welcome to haul home some rich UofL compost for gardening projects in your own containers/vehicle. This is a weekly service opportunity throughout the year. Contact: Brian Barnes, 502-338-1338.
June 3, 2026 SMART SummerFest 2026S.M.A.R.T. SummerFest 2026
Wednesday, June 3rd, 11:30am to 1:00pm, HSC Courtyard

Stop by the UofL Sustainability Council / HSC Green Team's booth at the 5th annual S.M.A.R.T. (School of Medicine Advancement, Retention, and Training) SummerFest and earn your way toward a free ice cream cone! SummerFest is designed to be an engaging and informative experience for School of Medicine staff and everyone at HSC is welcome! In addition to a resource fair, attendees can enjoy music, a dessert social, door prize giveaways, and interactive activities. It's a fantastic opportunity for networking, learning, and community-building!
June 11, 2026 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.evbuc.com%2Fhttps%253A%252F%252Fcdn.evbuc.com%252Fimages%252F1184693876%252F483781954147%252F1%252Foriginal.20260515-153917%3Fcrop%3Dfocalpoint%26fit%3Dcrop%26w%3D1880%26auto%3Dformat%252Ccompress%26q%3D75%26sharp%3D10%26fp-x%3D0.5%26fp-y%3D0.5%26s%3D741234acef2652181d14768260d50bd1&w=1880&q=75Food & Science Forum
Thursday, June 11th, 4-7:30pm, Bates Memorial Baptist Church (620 Lampton St.)

During Food & Science, a health forum hosted by UofL’s Envirome Institute, we will celebrate community heroes and hear from an expert panel on the key intersections of food & science. The Envirome’s “& Science” series is a quarterly health forum and this fourth installment of the series will focus on Food & Science, featuring leaders from different agricultural and scientific backgrounds. The “& Science” series provides a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. Together we will: Explore key intersections of nutrition, health and wellbeing; Identify drivers of food insecurity in Louisville; Discuss overcoming barriers that promote access to healthy food; and Envision a food secure future for all of Louisville.

Schedule:
    Community Block Party (Farmers Market+Community Fair): 4:00 - 6:00 pm
    Panel: 6:00 - 7:30 pm

"& Science" Champion Awardee:
    Taylor Ryan (Founder and Executive Director of Change Today, Change Tomorrow)

Speakers:

  • Cassia Herron (Healthy Communities Fellow, Aspen Global Innovators Group)
  • Vincent James (President and CEO, Dare To Care)
  • Taylor Ryan (Founder and Executive Director, Change Today, Change Tomorrow)
  • Dr. Wayne Tuckson (Kentucky Health Host, Kentucky Educational Television, retired Colon and Rectal Surgeon)
  • Dr. Kim Williams (Chairman of Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine; Professor, University of Louisville School of Medicine)


Also Featuring:

  • Farmers Market hosted in collaboration with the South End Community Market
  • Community booths featuring the work of many non-profits tackling food and health issues: Feed Louisville, West Jefferson County Community Task Force, NAACP Louisville Branch, Catholic Charities - Common Earth Gardens, Food Literacy Project, Feeding Kentucky, Ag in the City, Greater Louisville Food Council/Food In Neighborhoods, and UofL's Trager Institute, Louisville Clinical &Translational Research Center, School of Medicine Office of Community Engagement, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, and more

About the Series:
The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute is hosting a quarterly health forum called “& Science". The fourth installment of the series will focus on Food & Science, featuring leaders from different agricultural and scientific backgrounds. The “& Science” series provides a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. Topics explored throughout the first year of the series include communication, faith, history, food & science. For more information, please contact Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, natasha.dejarnett@louisville.edu or (502)852-9354.

This event is free, but please register here.

Aug. 17 - Nov. 23, 2026 Fall Garden Gatherings 2026
Garden GatheringMondays, 5pm at the Urban & Public Affairs Garden (426 W. Bloom St., behind Bettie Johnson Hall)
Wednesdays, 3pm 
at the Garden Commons (northeast of the Baptist Center)
UofL’s organic campus gardens are great places to relax, reconnect, learn, and savor the sweet taste of sustainability! Students, faculty, staff, and the public are all welcome to come experience the thrill of turning tiny seeds into an abundance of hyper-local veggies, herbs, fruit & flowers. Stop by anytime to sample the goodness and help us keep things watered and weeded. We will gather weekly at both of our campus food gardens throughout the fall (Aug. 17 - Nov. 23) to harvest, weed, water & plant. Tools and gloves provided, but bring bags to harvest into! Everyone who comes is welcome to share in the harvest! Connect with us and get all the details on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook Event.
Fall 2026 Mountain Biking in Cherokee ParkCherokee/Seneca Park Mountain Bike Trail, Saint Matthews, Kentucky 
POSTPONED UNTIL FALL 2026, details TBA
Join Campus Recreation and the UofL Sustainability Council on a morning bike ride to Cherokee Park and explore the mountain biking trails within the Park. Riders are encouraged to bring their own mountain bikes as our supply is limited, but if you need a bike, this ride is free and all equipment will be provided. Spots are limited. Middle of Town Cycling is sponsoring this ride and will be offering a $20 gift card to the first 10 riders to register and all participants will receive free water bottles and hats! Registration required.

What did I miss?! Check out our Past Events log.

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