Join us for Earth Festival 2026—a fun, family-friendly celebration of sustainability, community, and environmental stewardship! Hosted by the Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA) in partnership with local environmental organizations, Earth Festival brings together exhibitors, vendors, and hands-on activities for all ages.

This interactive event features educational workshops, eco-friendly products, local food, recycling opportunities, and activities that highlight simple ways we can all make a difference for the planet. Whether you're a long-time conservation advocate or just beginning your sustainability journey, there's something for everyone at Earth Festival.

Come celebrate Earth Day with your community—and help build a greener, cleaner Otsego County!

The Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA) is proud to be an active presence at community events throughout the year. Whether it’s a festival, farmers’ market, school function, or community fair, we love getting out into the community to share our mission, talk about the work we’re doing, and connect directly with the public. These events give us a great opportunity to educate, inspire, and engage people of all ages in local conservation efforts—from invasive species awareness and waste reduction to trail stewardship and water quality protection.

If you’re organizing an event and think it would be a good fit for OCCA, we’d love to hear from you! Our team is always excited to set up a table, bring educational materials, and chat with attendees about how they can get involved in protecting our local environment.

To invite OCCA to your upcoming event, please contact Shelby MacLeish at (607) 547-4488 or email shelbym@occainfo.org. Let us know the date, location, and a bit about your event—we’d be thrilled to participate!

Celebrating Conservation Together

In 2023, we were thrilled to bring back our large-scale, in-person events—opportunities that allow us to connect directly with our community, celebrate progress, and share our mission in meaningful ways. It was a joy to welcome new faces and reconnect with longtime supporters as we expanded our slate of programs and gatherings. These moments of togetherness are at the heart of what we do, and we’re excited to keep the momentum going in 2025.

Throughout the year, OCCA brings people together to honor the natural beauty of Otsego County and the ongoing work to protect and preserve it. Whether you’re a member, volunteer, donor, or simply a nature enthusiast, we invite you to join us at one of our signature events. This includes our Garden Parties at Mohican Farm and our Annual Dinner, held at Creekside Station in Hartwick—a celebration of community, conservation, and good food. Later in the season, we’ll gather at Gilbert Lake State Park for our Member and Donor Appreciation Picnic, where we recognize the people who make our work possible.

We're also currently accepting nominations for the OCCA Conservationist of the Year Award. This annual honor, presented by the OCCA Board of Directors at our Annual Dinner, recognizes an individual, group, or organization that has made a significant contribution to environmental conservation, education, or stewardship in Otsego County. If you know someone who goes above and beyond to protect our natural resources, we’d love to hear about them!

Keep an eye on our events calendar for details about these and other community-wide gatherings. From workshops and guided hikes to celebrations and awards, there’s always something happening at OCCA—and we’d love for you to be a part of it.