How to Find Your City's March for Science

On Saturday, April 22, hundreds of Science Marches will take place across America, defending the importance and value of science in a political environment seen as increasingly hostile to the field.

Like January’s history-making Women’s March, the Science March will comprise of a main event in Washington D.C. as well as satellite marches for those who can’t make it or prefer to march closer to home. As of this writing, there are 514 recognized satellite marches set to take place, 374 of which are in the United States.

The organization and logistics are in many cases still works in progress, so sometimes the info out there can be conflicting or confusing. Here’s what you need to know about what’s happening in D.C. as well as the satellite marches in the country’s biggest cities so far. We’ll update this post with new info as it comes in.

Washington D.C.

Start time: 9 a.m. Eastern

Grounds open at 8 a.m., so you could arrive earlier if so moved. Teach-ins are scheduled to begin just south of Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th streets at 9 a.m., followed by the main stage program at 10 a.m. The march itself commences at 2 p.m. Organizers suggest dressing as your favorite scientist, or considering something fun like lab goggles, or just wearing “your comfortable ‘I’m ready to be politically active and send a message about the need for science in policy’ outfit.” And bring a sign! Gotta have a good sign. There will be food and water for sale, and you can find info about bus routes and discounts here. There’s also an “official post-march dinner,” to which you can buy tickets here. You can show up for free after 8:30 p.m., though chances aren’t good you’ll get fed.

New York

Start time: 10:30 a.m. Eastern

New York will probably rival D.C. in its crowd sizes if the Women’s March was any indication. The march will start fairly early at 64th and Central Park West, a reminder of the power of the environment and public space along the way. The march will only be accessible from the west entrance, entering from Columbus or Broadway from 61st. There are a couple speakers slated (Diane Nathaniel, a stage three cancer survivor, and Debbie Lee Cohen, Executive Director of Cafeteria Culture, both of whom are responsible for efforts to reduce plastic waste), but the march is one that’s aiming to be more like a “parade” in celebration of science than a march. More details are available on Facebook.

San Francisco

Start time: 11 a.m. Pacific

The SF March March begins in the Justin Herman Plaza with speeches from seven prominent local scientists, including Adam Savage of Mythbusters and Dr. DJ Patil, the former United States Chief Data Scientist. At 12:30 p.m., the march itself sets out down Market Street toward Civic Center Plaza, where a Science Fair will run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The organizers promise keynote speakers and panel discussions, but also food trucks and photo booths. Signs are gently encouraged to be family-friendly. The organizers would also like you to not use wood posts when you make them, though this is a good rule at any march. Not super creative? You can download a free poster here.

Chicago

Start time: 10 a.m. Central

Chicago’s march begins at a rallying point just south of E. Jackson Dr.; You can come up through Michigan Ave. and enter at E. Congress Parkway. After the speakers finish at 11 a.m., the march heads south to Museum Campus where an Expo is set to run from noon til 3 p.m. It promises four speakers, though they haven’t been announced at this time. If you have a smartphone, you can download the Eventbase app, search “March for Science — Chicago,” and get updates in real time.

Philadelphia

Start time: 10 a.m. Eastern

Plan to meet on the south side of City Hall on Juniper Street. At 11 a.m., the (brief) march will start off down Market Street and end at Penn’s Landing. Local band The Really Cooks will take the stage at 11:30 a.m. followed by speakers at noon. More than a dozen have been confirmed so far, with the keynotes comprising experts in zoology, environmental engineering, vaccination, and astronomy.

Boston

Start time: 2 p.m. Eastern

This one isn’t a march per se, but there will be a large rally to pretty much the same effect. Kid-friendly entertainment is scheduled to begin on the Boston Common at 1 p.m. The main rally (which will also feature a Kids’ Corner full of fun sciencey things) should last from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. As of this writing, the ten confirmed speakers include former EPA head Gina McCarthy and president of the National Society of Black Engineers’ Boston chapter, Chiderah Okoye. The event will be ASL-accessible. And there will also be a “Kids’ March,” with more than two dozen tables for science organizations geared at kids, plus four more speakers. Keep in mind that dogs are allowed at the overall event, but only service dogs will be allowed into the kids’ activities.

Los Angeles

Start time: 9 a.m. Pacific

We’d hope that everyone will make their way to these marches by means as environmentally friendly as possible, but the Los Angeles march website makes it particularly easy to facilitate — check it out for discounts on various ride-sharing services. The Science Expo begins at 9 a.m. in Pershing Square, and speakers will begin at 10 a.m. and rotate through for the next few hours. The Expo itself should be a fun-for-the-whole-family situation, with features ranging from policy presentations to individual booths for different organizations. 12 speakers are confirmed for the march, including Tom Steyer, founder of NextGen Climate, and Allison Schroeder, screenwriter of Hidden Figures. The most useful portion of the online FAQ is an exciting question that reads “Is Bill Nye gonna be there?!” (He is not.)

Not in any of these cities? Odds are there’s still a march scheduled close by — you can search for the one nearest you here and check out the options for donating and volunteering at each if you are so inclined. Lots also have t-shirts for sale. And wherever you are, you can register in advance to march here; at the very least, doing so will help guarantee enough porta-pottys.