Governor Walz Proclaims Dark Sky Week 2026 in Minnesota

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - EntSun -- Governor Tim Walz has signed a proclamation declaring April 13–20, 2026 as Dark Sky Week in the State of Minnesota. The proclamation calls on state agencies, businesses, and residents to recognize the value of natural darkness and adopt responsible lighting practices that protect Minnesota's environment and night skies for future generations.

This is the third consecutive year Minnesota has issued this proclamation. Starry Skies North, in partnership with DarkSky International, has led the effort each year. The continued recognition reflects a genuine alignment between the dark sky movement and the state's own values around conservation, public health, and the natural landscapes that define Minnesota.

What Is Dark Sky Week?
Dark Sky Week is an annual international observance held each April during the new moon. Founded by students, it invites people everywhere to turn off unnecessary lights, look up, and reconnect with a night sky that excessive light has slowly been erasing from our lives.

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Light Pollution Is a Real Problem. And a Solvable One.
The proclamation does not mince words. Light pollution carries documented costs: wasted energy, increased carbon emissions, disrupted ecosystems, and real impacts on human health. Minnesota sits at the heart of a major migratory bird flyway, and the state is home to countless pollinators and nocturnal species that depend on natural darkness to survive. The science is clear.

The good news is that light pollution is one of the most reversible environmental problems we face. Properly shielded fixtures, warmer-spectrum LEDs, motion-activated lighting, and simply turning off what does not need to be on can make a measurable difference. These are not hard changes. They just require awareness, which is exactly what Dark Sky Week is for.

Get Involved This April
Dark Sky Week (April 13–20) overlaps this year with Globe at Night, a worldwide citizen science campaign running April 9–18. Together, they make for a powerful two-week stretch to take action, contribute to real science, and share the night sky with your community.

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Participate in Globe at Night (April 9–18) by measuring light pollution in your neighborhood and submitting observations to a global database. Visit globeatnight.org to get started.

Turn off unnecessary outdoor lights during Dark Sky Week, especially unshielded fixtures that spill light upward or sideways.

Get outside on a clear night. Minnesota's state forests and parks offer some of the darkest skies in the Midwest. Find the darkest spot near you and spend some time with it.

Explore Dark Sky Week info and resources at starryskiesnorth.org.

https://starryskiesnorth.org/ourblog/governor-walz-proclaims-dark-sky-week-2026-in-minnesota