ICAW 2026 Events

California

FREE ICAW Workshops

Description:

Join us for a week of engaging, hands-on workshops at Santa Ana’s Community Gardens! From May 4–8, we’re offering FREE workshops for all ages focused on the power of composting. Discover how food scraps are transformed into nutrient-rich compost, learn about the bugs and microorganisms working behind the scenes to break down organic matter, and explore why compost is essential for growing the healthy fruits and vegetables that thrive in our community gardens. Each of the five community gardens are hosting a different themed compost workshop. Pick up an International Compost Awareness Passport at one of the following workshops.

Whether you’re a seasoned composter or just getting started, join us for a week of fun, free workshops at Santa Ana’s five Community Gardens. All ages are welcome!

Each evening, a different garden will host a FREE composting workshop where you’ll learn how food scraps transform into nutrient-rich compost—and meet the bugs and microbes that make it all happen.

Workshop schedule:

Monday, May 4 – El Salvador Park: Compost Tea: Benefits, Brewing, and Application
Tuesday, May 5 – Jerome Park: The Lifecycle of Compost Critters
Wednesday, May 6 – Roosevelt-Walker Community Center: The Art & Science of Backyard Composting
Thursday, May 7 – Pacific Electric Park: Compost Safari: Exploring Compost Invertebrates
Friday, May 8 – Madison Park: Crushing Eggshells for Compost & Creating Journals

Join the Compost Traveler Passport Program!

Pick up your passport at any workshop (the earlier, the better!) and collect a stamp for each session you attend.

Earn stamps at every workshop
Attend the final event at Madison Park Garden to enter the grand prize drawing
The more stamps you collect, the more chances you’ll have to win compost- and garden-related prizes

All workshops are free and open to the public. To learn more and register, visit: santa-ana.org/community-composting.

Let’s make composting fun together!

City: Santa Ana

Event Date: May 4–8

All About Composting with Worms Workshop

Description:

Composting with worms, also known as vermicomposting, has benefits for everyone!
Whether you want to divert kitchen scraps from the landfill, compost in small spaces, or create a natural fertilizer for your plants, vermicomposting is for you. Join us at the Rancho San Diego Library to learn how to start and maintain a happy home for red wiggler worms, and about their mighty impact on the planet.

All pre-registered attendees who are residents of unincorporated San Diego County can receive a free kitchen scraps container.

In this workshop, we will cover:
Benefits of composting with worms

Tools, materials, and steps to start a worm bin

How to feed your worms and which foods are suitable

Troubleshooting and maintaining all worm bin styles

Harvesting and using finished castings

Register via – https://secure.solanacenter.org/np/clients/solanacenter/eventRegistration.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&event=13028
Address: 11555 Via Rancho San Diego, El Cajon, CA 92019

City: El Cajon

Event Date: 05/09/2026 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT

Compost Caravan for Farmers

Description:

Hop on the Compost Caravan for Farmers! ACP and PFL are hosting an event featuring on-farm compost application demonstration and on-site equipment training from F3 Local. Come learn from a variety of trusted professionals who are there to provide information and assistance regarding compost application rates, compost quality, and potential funding avenues.

City: Fowler, CA

Event Date: 05/06/2026 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Compost Caravan Fresno Community

Description:

Hop on the Compost Caravan! We’re stopping in Fresno for our Community Day Event on May 8th. We’ll be visiting a small-scale composting site at Yo’ville Community Gardens and a commercial composting facility to get a sense of the unique opportunity and challenges at each scale. Lastly, we’ll be conducting a compost application demonstration at Kearney Park, in collaboration with the County of Fresno.

City: Fresno, CA

Event Date: Friday, May 8 – 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

The Wonders of Composting With Worms

Description:

Join Solana Center at the lovely San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center for an unforgettable experience where you’ll get up close and personal with our resident worms. Learn how these tiny yet mighty creatures can make a difference, and how you can care for them at home. This workshop is suitable for children of all ages! Please note that minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Cost: FREE
During this hands-on workshop, you will:
Work together to meet and care for Solana Center’s own red wiggler worms

Explore how the tiny-but-mighty red wiggler worms can transform our food scraps into something new

Learn about what these worms need to thrive and what food scraps they like to eat

Learn the benefits of composting with worms

Discuss the importance of keeping food scraps out of the landfill

Learn about harvesting and using finished castings

Composting benefits for your garden and living a greener life include:
Save money on purchased worm castings and soil amendments

Lower your contribution to landfills

Increase soil health & soil microbiome

Increase water retention in soil

Learn more and register at – https://www.solanacenter.org/events/the-wonders-of-composting-with-worms-encinitas

City: Encinitas, CA

Event Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026, 9:30 AM 11:00 AM

Manure Composting Made Easy: Rules and best practices for unincorporated businesses and residents

Description:

Farmers, ranchers, and livestock owners may be able to reduce their waste-hauling expenses by composting their own organic wastes and manures, thanks to the updated San Diego County zoning ordinance. This update offers increased flexibility and simplifies onsite composting. Join us at Fallbrook Riders, Inc. to learn about what is possible for your property/operation and tour their manure composting system. This workshop focuses on the zoning and regulatory requirements for small to medium-sized farm/ranching operations in unincorporated San Diego County. If you’d like to learn how to begin or manage manure composting, join us at the Valley Center Library on June 13 for our Manure Composting For Backyard Farmers Workshop, visit Programs — Solana Center for Environmental Innovation or reach out for additional assistance.

This workshop will cover:
The details of the County’s updated zoning and permitting process

What types of composting are permitted on your property

How much can you compost before needing a permit

Your first steps for participation (forms, facts, and figures you’ll need to know)

The benefits of composting with manure

Cost reductions

A tour of Fallbrook Riders Inc.’s manure compost pile

If you reside in unincorporated San Diego county and are wondering how to get started, have a large amount of organic materials you’d like to compost or have neighbors interested in establishing a community composting program, this workshop is for you.

Learn more and register at – https://www.solanacenter.org/events/manure-composting-made-easy

City: Fallbrook, CA

Event Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026, 10:00 AM 11:00 AM

Illinois

2026 International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) in Illinois

Description:

The mission is simple but powerful: bring people together to share the benefits of composting organics and using compost to build healthier soil. ICAW inspires action at every level: communities, schools, governments, and businesses host events to highlight composting.

ICAW shows how everyone can play their part in creating a more sustainable future.

See IFSCC’S ICAW 2026 FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

City: Statewide

Event Date: May 3-9, 2026

Kansas

Compost Fest 5

Description:

Compost Fest 5 is hosted by KC Farm School and sponsored by Missouri Organic Recycling. The event hours are 9-2 on Saturday May 9th. Two main features of the Festival will be the giant puppet play, Microbes Forever (with a cast of 40) and The Perfect Pile, a hand-built 10 cubic yard compost pile assembled by 8 volunteer shovelers and 7 piles of ingredients including biochar, spent mushroom blocks, coffee grounds and hair. There will be 20 booths of regional farms, groups and government agencies.
Smaller site demonstrations will be mushroom logs, vermicomposting, black soldier fly larvae cultivation, a live biochar burn, Feel The Heat- a reach-in compost pile offering the experience of feeling the heat of active composting. We believe that Compost Fest is the most complete compost educational event in the world.

City: 2443 S 42nd St, Kansas City, KS 66106

Event Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 9 am to 2 pm at KC Farm School at Gibbs Road

Maryland

ICAW “Cinco de Mayo” Potluck

Description:

We’ll celebrate ICAW taking hand of the “Cinco de Mayo” theme as an excuse to do a potluck and prompt a conversation about how nutrients embedded in peels, pits and discards from food (often imported to the North East from CA, FL, Mexico or other countries abroad) that make it into our kitchens can be embraced, transformed and recovered as feeds for composting.

Marcos and Daniela cover the basics and the difference between Home backyard and worm composting. All participants will have the opportunity to also explore with their five senses composting piles on different stages and different purposes. We’ll also have a chance to condition one raised bed with finished compost and to take home some of the remaining finished compost for their own gardening projects.

Although all who RSVP are welcome to join us! This gathering is part of the “Regenerators” monthly meetings. The Regenerators, Zero Waste Solution Club started in January 2025 to foment zero-waste habits in the company of neighbors! For our group composting and food waste prevention have been the core inspiration for this group. Nonetheless, we also learn about gardening, mending, fix-up clinics, canning, pickling and more by rotating the topic monthly. To RSVP just send a text to 512-906-9880 with your full name and the word “mycorrhizae”.

City: Poolesville, MD

Event Date: NA

Michigan

ICAW Proclamations

Description:

On Thursday April 23rd the Emmet County Board of Commissioners will read the signed ICAW proclamation and have a photo op with the ICAW poster and the Emmet County Recycling representative.

On Thursday May 7th the Mayor of the City of Petoskey will read the singed ICAW proclamation and have a photo op with the ICAW poster and the Emmet County Recycling Representative.

City: Petoskey, MI

Event Date: April 23rd and May 7th

Minnesota

New Organics Drop-off Site

Description:

The community is invited to a community event on Tuesday, May 5th from 5-7pm at Downtown Park, where community members will be able to tour the new organics drop-off site, sign up for the program, pick up free starter kits, and enjoy refreshments with neighbors.

The City of Hopkins is opening its first organics drop-off site, which will reduce barriers for residents in multifamily buildings to participate in organics recycling. Expanding organics recycling options for multifamily residents is an action in the Hopkins Climate Solutions Plan, included after significant feedback from the community and to support waste reduction goals.

The City received a grant from Hennepin County to set up the organics drop-off site. The site will be equipped with two locking enclosures, each containing an organics cart. Community members must sign up to participate in the program and will receive the unlock code after sign-up.

This event is being held in coordination with International Compost Awareness Week.

City: Hopkins, MN

Event Date: May 05, 2026 – 5-7pm

New York

Celebrate New York State Compost Awareness Week May 3-9, 2026

Description:

There are many events happening around New York State throughout the month of May. Find composting related events here: https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/recycling-composting/organic-materials-management/home-composting

City: Throughout New York State

Event Date: May 3-9, 2026

North Carolina

Session: Regenerating the Cycle: Composting as a Climate Solution

Description:

Join the North Carolina Composting Council and Terra.do for an engaging session on how composting helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build healthier soils, and strengthen community resilience. Whether you’re new to composting or looking to refine your approach, this session will cover the fundamentals of composting and provide practical guidance for starting and maintaining a successful compost system at home.

Learn more and register: https://www.terra.do/events/Regenerating-the-Cycle-Composting-as-a-Climate-Solution-1772609679/

City: Raleigh, NC

Event Date: May 06, 2026 – 09:00 AM

Sustainable Spirits & Plant Swap

Description:

Join the North Carolina Composting Council (NCCC) for a Sustainable Spirits & Plant Swap to celebrate International Compost Awareness Week on May 7th from 5:30-7:30pm at The Plant in Pittsboro. Come with a plant, leave with a new one! Trade roots, & make connections.

Sustainable Spirits are professional networking socials rotating around the state, bringing together people who share NCCC’s commitment to sustainability — including composting, waste reduction, environmental policy, healthy soils, regenerative practices, climate resilience, environmental justice, renewable energy, civic engagement, the circular economy, and beyond.

Free appetizers will be provided courtesy of our event sponsor McGill Environmental Systems. Please RSVP in advance so we can plan accordingly — we hope to see you there!

McGill Environmental Systems transforms organic waste into enriched soil amendments to help processors, public entities, people and the planet grow greener every day.

Learn more at: https://mcgillcompost.com

City: 220 Lorax Ln, Pittsboro, NC 27312

Event Date: May 7th from 5:30-7:30pm

Themed Book and Kids Activity

Description:

Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week with Pomegranate Books for a themed book and kids activity (suggested age 3-7). Event starts at 11am at 4418 Park Ave, Wilmington, NC 28403.

City: Wilmington, NC 28403

Event Date:

Meet Your Local Composter: A Farm Tour

Description:

Join us Saturday, May 9th, for a farm tour with Wilmington Compost Company and the Coastal Composting Chapter of NCCC, in celebration of International Compost Awareness Week!

Join us for a fun morning on the farm talking all things compost!
10-10:30 – Meet and Greet: Meet Wilmington Compost Company, the Coastal Compost Chapter, and the NCCC.
10:30-11:15 – Farm Tour: Get a taste of our family owned and operated Large Type 3 compost facility, and how we serve the greater Wilmington region.
11:15-11:30 – Equipment Demo: Watch us feed a trommel screen and experience part of the process of producing compost!
11:30-12 – Q&A: An open dialogue about composting in our region!

We look forward to having you to the farm!

Hosted by Wilmington Compost Company and the Coastal Compost Chapter of the NC Composting Council. Learn more and register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-your-local-composter-a-farm-tour-tickets-1987930634040?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

City: Rocky Point, NC

Event Date:
Saturday, May 9, 10 AM – 12 PM

Oklahoma

FREE EVENTS CELEBRATING ICAW 2026!

Description:

This year, we have a week of events to celebrate International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW)! Be sure to check out and attend all the events below. We start off on Friday, 5/1/26, with Worm Parade in collaboration with Flora Bodega. On Monday, 5/4/26, we will host a Lunch & Learn in collaboration with the Oklahoma Recycling Association (OKRA) at the Midwest City Compost Facility (Register Here). On Tuesday, 5/5/26, we have teamed up with Chef Lisa for a low-waste cooking class at The Well in Norman (Register Here)! Tuesday will also hold a Compost Class at Chandler Park in Tulsa! Join us on Wednesday, 5/7/26, for a Compost Workday at Crosbie Heights Community Garden, also in Tulsa. Finally, Saturday will be our 5th annual Compost Festival at Scissortail Park!

ICAW WEEK 2026 SCHEDULE

5/1, Friday – Worm Parade | 6pm – 10pm

Flora Bodega, 3020 Suite B N. Walker Ave Oklahoma City, OK

5/4, Monday – Lunch & Learn: Turning Yard Waste Into Gold | 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Midwest City Compost Facility, 7420 NE 36th St. OKC 73141 Register Here!

5/5, Tuesday – Low-Waste Cooking Class w/Chef Lisa | 5:30pm – 6:30pm

The Well, 210 James Garner Ave, Norman, OK 73069 Register Here!

5/5, Tuesday – Compost Class @ Chandler Park | 10am -2pm

Chandler Park, 6500 W 21st Street, Tulsa, OK 74107

5/6, Wednesday – Compost Work Day | 6pm – 7pm

Crosbie Heights Community Garden, 311 S. Phoenix Ave, Tulsa, OK 74127

5/9, Saturday – Compost Festival at Scissortail Park | 9am – 1pm

The Plaza, 415 S Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73109

9:00-9:50 – Backyard Composting Workshop
10:00-10:50 – Take Home Worm Bin Workshop
11:00-11:50 – DIY Homemade Fertilizer and Pest Repellent Workshop
12:00-1:00 – Scavenger Hunt & Vendors

Event Website
Contact Lisa for more info.

City: Oklahoma City

Event Date: May 1-9

Compost Festival at Scissortail Park

Description:

It’s our annual Compost Festival at Scissortail Park! Come see us during the Farmer’s Market and learn about composting during some or all of the workshops we have scheduled.

9:00-9:50 – Worm Bin Class
10:00-10:50 – Sustainable Dying Class
11:00-11:30 – Backyard Composting Workshop
11:30-12:00 – DIY Homemade Fertilizer and Pest Repellent
12:00-1:00 – Scavenger Hunt & Vendors

The Plaza, 415 S Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73109

City: Oklahoma City

Event Date: Saturday, May 10 | 9am-1pm

Compost Class @ Chandler Park

Description:

Learn about composting at home and in gardens!

Chandler Park, 6500 W 21st Street, Tulsa, OK 74107

City: Oklahoma City

Event Date: May 2, 6pm – 7pm

Rhode Island

Lil’ Rhody Compost Week

Description:

Rhode Island is proud to host the second annual Lil’ Rhody Compost Week!

This week-long series of site visits and workshops highlights our unique, collaborative, and creative composting ecosystem across the state. The week culminates on Friday, May 8th, with our Compost Celebration – a community gathering featuring art, activities, food, and connection, all while celebrating the vital links between soil, food, water, and our collective well-being through the magic of compost.

https://epicrenewal.org/lrcw/

City: Providence, RI

Event Date: May 4 – 8, 2026

Washington

Celebrating ICAW

Description:

We are celebrating ICAW at Community the Community Garden and Compost Drop-Off Site at Grace Lutheran Church in Wenatchee WA. Come learn about how you can become a community composter with Winton MFG Compost Works. Bring your own totes, bags or buckets for some free compost. Support the garden by participating– all excess compost will be donated to the community garden at Grace Lutheran Church. Sunday May 3rd, from 9-1.

Event Date: May 3, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Celebrating ICAW

Description:

We are celebrating ICAW at Community the Community Garden and Compost Drop-Off Site at Celebration Lutheran Church in East Wenatchee WA. Come learn about how you can become a community composter with Winton MFG Compost Works. Bring your own totes, bags or buckets for some free compost. Support the garden by participating– all excess compost will be donated to the community garden at Celebration Lutheran Church. Sunday May 3rd, from 10-2.

Event Date: May 3, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Celebrating ICAW

Description:

We are celebrating ICAW at Community the Community Garden and the Leavenworth Community Composting Program at the E. Lorene Garden in Leavenworth WA. Come learn about how you can become a community composter with Winton MFG Compost Works. Walk through the community garden supported and cared for by Wenatchee River Institute. Bring your own totes, bags or buckets for some free compost. Support the garden by participating– all excess compost will be donated to the community garden for garden plot members. Saturday May 9th, 8-12.

Event Date: May 9, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Online

Spring Into Backyard Composting Webinar

Description:

Spring into Composting with Recycling Connections! Join us and learn how to become a composting hero during our interactive Backyard Composting Webinar!

Event Date: May 7, 2026 02:00 PM Pacific Time

ICAW Webinar: Landfills, Food Waste & Community Impact

Description:

The North Carolina Composting Council (NCCC) and The ReCollective present an International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) webinar, “Landfills, Food Waste, and Community Impact,” on May 5, 2026 at 2pm (ET). This session will feature insights from Muriel Williman of NCCC and Bryce Brooks of The ReCollective, both leaders working on the front lines of waste management in the triangle region of North Carolina.

As landfill pressures grow and municipal systems struggle to keep up with food waste and hard-to-recycle materials, innovative local solutions are stepping in to fill the gaps. This webinar will explore how composting—paired with specialty recycling—can serve as a powerful, community-driven alternative. Attendees will learn how entrepreneurial models are emerging where traditional services fall short, creating opportunities for both environmental impact and local economic growth.

Learn More and Register: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/icaw-webinar-landfills-food-waste-and-community-impact

Event Date: May 5, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT