Clean the Bay Day

Each year on a single day, for just three hours, thousands of Virginians simultaneously descend on the rivers, streams, beaches, and inland parks of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to remove harmful litter and debris. Clean the Bay Day has been a staple for Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay community since its inception more than three decades ago. See our interactive map for a look at the impact it’s had over the years. A true Virginia tradition, it is an annual opportunity for individuals, families, military installations, businesses, clubs, and civic and church groups to give back to their local waterways.

MORE INFORMATION ON SIGNING UP TO VOLUNTEER HERE

Important Information

Look over the list of partners, choose a partner in your area, and register yourself or your group. From there, your information is sent to your Clean the Bay Day local coordinator. They will reach out to assign you to a specific cleanup location. When you show up on Clean the Bay Day, just come prepared to help pick up litter and debris. All cleanup supplies will be provided on site.

If you are looking to go one step further, become a Zone Captain! Zone Captains are lead volunteers who oversee their cleanup site and other volunteers. They collect data (total weight of debris, number of volunteers, etc.) to report back to their local coordinator. You can volunteer as a Zone Captain during your registration. If selected, we ask all new Zone Captains to watch a brief virtual training session and help promote the event where possible. Contact your local coordinator or us ([email protected]) to receive the training and promotional material. It is easy and you get a cool hat! Get more details on our Zone Captain web page.

For questions, please reach out to [email protected].

Clean the Bay Day is built on strong, lasting relationships between dozens of cities and counties, non-profits, military installations, small businesses, and large corporations. On Clean the Bay Day we all come together for a common cause: clean water.

While litter cleanup is important and accessible to all, the Bay also faces less visible challenges, including habitat loss, sediment, and nutrient pollution. Tackling these issues demands broad, long-term commitment. Clean the Bay Day often provides that spark, inspiring people of all ages to become dedicated stewards of their local environment.

We would like to thank all of the volunteers, partners, and sponsors that make this event such a stellar success each year. On behalf of CBF and all the Virginia waterways leading to the Bay, thank you.