More than 100 to walk from Pack Square Park to Washington on Earth Day

More than 100 people will set out from Pack Square Park in Asheville on a roughly 500-mile, 32-day walk to Washington, D.C., arriving on Earth Day, organizers announced. The Great Mother March, organized by Whitney Freya and partners, aims to raise awareness about caring for the planet while promoting unity and empathy, and it will carry a traveling mural along the route.

The march will begin with a community send-off around March 21 to coincide with the spring equinox, and organizers are asking Buncombe County residents to participate in multiple ways: join the walk for a single day, volunteer as support drivers, or attend the public send-off in Pack Square Park. The itinerary averages roughly 15.6 miles a day, a pace that requires daily logistics for food, rest, and medical support as the group moves eastward toward the capital.

For Asheville and nearby towns, the event combines civic pageantry with practical implications. A visible start in Pack Square Park is likely to draw spectators and local volunteers, producing a modest short-term lift for downtown businesses, cafes, and lodging hosting marchers or support crews. Local nonprofits and faith groups that often provide meals and shelter during long-distance civic events may be called on to coordinate volunteers. Public-safety and permitting departments should expect routine requests tied to the send-off, and organizers will need to work with local authorities on crowd control, traffic management, and park use during the equinox celebration.

Beyond immediate logistics, the march is part of a broader pattern of climate and civic activism using high-profile, foot-powered actions to build public awareness ahead of key policy moments. Arriving in Washington on Earth Day positions the march to amplify local voices at a national moment focused on environmental stewardship. That could translate into increased pressure on policymakers to prioritize community resilience measures, green infrastructure, and local conservation funding, policy areas that affect Buncombe County budgets and planning priorities over the coming years.

The traveling mural offers a cultural touchpoint: public art tied to civic engagement can deepen local participation and keep the march visible on social channels as it progresses. For volunteers and small businesses, involvement is a low-cost way to gain exposure while supporting a cause that resonates with many residents.

Our two cents? If you want to support a long-distance demonstration without committing to the whole trek, sign up to walk a day or drive a leg. It’s an easy way to show up for Earth Day energy and help shape how Buncombe’s voice is heard in a national conversation about caring for the planet.