NAS Oceana Air Show
NAS Oceana Air Show - STEM Tent
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Volunteers needed for 4-hour shifts
Stop by and join the CVW team under the STEM Tent at the 2026 NAS Oceana Air Show, where we’ll be connecting with attendees and sharing simple ways everyone can help protect Virginia’s waterways and reduce plastic pollution.
Clean Virginia Waterways is looking for volunteer assistance with education and outreach at the NAS Oceana Air Show! Volunteers will help engage with visitors, share CVW resources, and assist with fun environmental education activities.
Event Information: https://www.oceanaairshow.com/
Sign Up Online: CVW Volunteer Sign-Up Page (Opens in new tab)
Nature Party
Clean Virginia Waterways is excited to be hosting a Nature Party at First Landing State Park on October 4th from 1:00 - 4:00PM. In partnership with local community organizations, each Nature Party creates a safe and welcoming space where families can learn basic naturalist skills, explore local plants and animals, engage in creative activities, and connect with organizations that offer ongoing outdoor opportunities. These events are intentionally designed to be accessible, educational, and community centered.
The Nature Party is designed to help families recognize that nature is present all around them, build confidence and comfort engaging in outdoor spaces, and understand their role in caring for the environment through the principles of Leave No Trace. Participants will also learn how spending time in nature can reduce stress, improve attention, and support overall health and well-being, encouraging increased use of local parks and natural areas. Ultimately, the long-term goal of this program is for families to prioritize and consistently integrate outdoor time into their daily routines.
We will have several Activity Hosts to make this a nature-filled event including Girl Scouts, Virginia Butterfly Society, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Department of Wildlife Resources and more! Activities will include Binocular Basics, Nature Journaling, Knot Tying, a Bug Walk and of course, a Litter Cleanup!
Visit our website for more details and to register: www.cleanvirginiawaterways.org/nature-party.
Rock for the Ocean
The Ocean is metal but unfortunately, our local waterways are being thrashed with plastic pollution and marine debris. But Clean Virginia Waterways is in the pit and working hard to protect Virginia's waterways. So rock out with us at Smartmouth Brewing on November 28, 2026 from 3-9PM and support our work to educate, research, mitigate, advocate, and annihilate plastic pollution in Virginia.
Rock for the Ocean will be a waste-free event featuring local bands including
Dave Johnson and the Truth
Rio
Unk-Al
and more TBA
We will also have some local ocean-friendly, ocean-themed vendors available for sustainable small business Saturday shopping.
This will be a waste-free event and your ticket will include a stainless steel (metal) pint to use during the event and take home for more plastic free sipping.
Get your tickets today, space is limited!
Sponsorship opportunities are available, please contact Christina@CleanVirginiaWaterways.org for more information.
9th Annual Stormwater and Plastic Pollution Workshop
LOCATION: Pocahontas State Park: Swift Creek Banquet Hall, 10301 E State Pk Rd, Chesterfield, VA 23832
TIME: Networking starts at 10:30 AM. Workshop will be 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
REGISTRATION FEE IN PERSON:
$40 Registration
$30 Student Rate
Please register by September 4, 2026
This fee includes lunch, coffee and snacks.
Please visit our website for more details, registration, exhibitor and sponsorship information.
Super Girl Surf Festival
Super Girl is thrilled to expand its purpose-driven and inspirational festivals to include Virginia Beach, September 5 – 7, 2026. With 3 miles of pristine beachfront property to work with, the Virginia Beach Super Girl Festival is poised to become the largest event. With an expanded lineup of female sports and an incredible free music festival over Labor Day weekend, Virginia Beach is sure to make a huge impact even in its inaugural season.
Clean Virginia Waterways will have a tent on xx Street (TBA) on the beach. Come say hello, grab a bucket and pick up some trash and learn about ways you can help keep Virginia’s waterways clean and free of debris.
Volunteers are needed to help CVW throughout this event to help with outreach. There will be two organized cleanups during the evenings of September 6th and 7th also. Please contact Emily@CleanVirginiaWaterways.org for more information or sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0444ABAC2EA1FCC52-64862343-super#/.
Virginia Rod & Reef
🎣 Virginia Rod & Reef
Saturday, August 29 | 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Hampton University | 100 E. Queen Street, Hampton, VA
CVW will have an education and outreach table at Virginia Rod & Reef, a hands-on fishing event for kids and families. The event teaches basic fishing skills while highlighting the importance of the Chesapeake Bay and our local waterways.
Volunteers will help welcome attendees, share information about CVW, and engage families at our outreach table.
Event information: https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/event/virginia-beach-city-public-schools-back-to-school-care-fair/11204/
1-2 Volunteers needed
Sign up: Email Emily@cleanvirginiawaterways.org to signup
Or Sign Up Online: CVW Volunteer Sign-Up Page (Opens in new tab)
Sand & Surf 5K/10K
Come Join us for the Sand and Surf 5k/10k Race (both runners and walkers are welcome)! Proceeds from the race benefit our nonprofit. We are working with Bishop's Events to make this event Zero Waste in a larger effort to reduce plastic pollution created from races. The 10k kicks off at 7:45 am followed by the 5k at 8am. Come out to support us!
Film Screening Williamsburg
Join Clean Virginia Waterways, Oceana, and its partners for free screenings across the state of “We’re All Plastic People Now,” an Emmy Winning documentary introduced by Ted Danson and featured at the 2024 Santa Fe Film Festival. The screenings will be followed by panel discussions and audience Q & A.
The next film screenings are planned for
July 28th at the Williamsburg Regional Library
July 30 at Tabb Library
2nd Annual Sea Turtle Shellebration
Join Clean Virginia Waterways and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge for the 2nd Annual Sea Turtle Shellebration!
We had such a great time shellebrating sea turtles last year, we thought we’d do it again! Celebrate sea turtles during Sea Turtle Week and make a difference! Join us for a morning of environmental action with a beach cleanup, while discovering fascinating insights about sea turtles and their habitats. Learn how you can help protect marine life by keeping our waterways free of debris. This event is part of the Global Ocean Cleanup. Let’s work together to preserve our oceans and its inhabitants—see you there!
9AM: Learn about sea turtles and how you can help them
10AM: Help sea turtles with a beach cleanup
11AM: Participate in a sea turtle art project
Space is limited so please sign up today! https://secure.givelively.org/event/clean-virginia-waterways-inc/2nd-annual-sea-turtle-shellebration
"We're All Plastic People Now" Film Screening
Join Clean Virginia Waterways, Oceana, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and Lynnhaven River Now for a free screening of “We’re All Plastic People Now” an Emmy Winning documentary introduced by Ted Danson and featured at the 2024 Santa Fe Film Festival. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Audience Q & A. Sign up today! https://secure.givelively.org/event/clean-virginia-waterways-inc/we-re-all-plastic-people-now-film-screening
Clean the Bay Day
Clean Virginia Waterways will be hosting a Clean the Bay Day cleanup at Marshview Park. Check-in at the dog park on Marshview Avenue at 9am.
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.
Register at this link: https://chesapeakebayfoundation.formstack.com/forms/ctbd_2026?prepop=yes&location_type=open&partner=clean-virginia-waterways&pl=clean-virginia-waterways
Spring Nature Party
All ages welcome. There will be games, arts and crafts, exploration, insect exhibitions and discovery, and much more. Our party is free but registration is required.
To register, just tap the link below. Can’t wait to see you all there!
Earth Day Celebration at ODU
Calling all students in grades K-12 and the entire Hampton Roads community, you are invited to come and celebrate our amazing planet! The ODU 2026 Earth Day theme is Planet vs Plastics!
Come celebrate Earth Day with us and see how we can make a difference!
FREE activities include interactive demonstrations by the ODU community and local community organizations.
Learn about our planet from a different view in the Michael & Kimthanh Lê Digital Theater and Planetarium shows!
Food Trucks
Free parking is available for the event in Elkhorn Ave & 43rd Street Garage.
Old Beach Art & Eco Market
Visit the Old Beach Art & Eco Market in the ViBe Creative District from 9am to noon for local art and eco-friendly businesses. Stop by the Clean Virginia Waterways tent and say hello!
Earth Day Community Cleanup
Earth Day is just around the corner, and this year, we're coming together to make a bigger splash than ever before!
Join the Clean Virginia Waterways team and community partners as we lead a community-wide cleanup effort at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Our mission this year is to take decisive action against plastic pollution and protect our environment for future generations. This is your chance to spring into action and help beautify our shared spaces while preventing harmful plastics from reaching our waterways and green spaces.
You can choose from multiple check-in locations around the Virginia Beach oceanfront and ViBe Creative District to make a direct impact where it matters most to you. You will double the value of your effort by collecting data about the quantity & types of litter you find by using the Clean Swell app during your cleanup!
VP3N April Meeting, Balloon Mission
The Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network's (VP3N) April meeting will feature Cynthia Siebold, Executive Director of Balloon Mission and Christina Trapani, Executive Director of Clean Virginia Waterways. They will discuss the full circle story of preventing balloon litter in the mid-Atlantic.
Inspired by work done in Virginia including the balloon litter monitoring surveys and the creation of preventballoonlitter.org, Cynthia started the non-profit, Balloon Mission, in NY to reduce balloon litter through education, art and recycling. Clean Virginia Waterways is the first chapter of Balloon Mission and is bringing the Balloon Recycling Program to Virginia.
Please join us online on April 21st at 2pm. All are welcome!
East Coast She-Crab Soup Classic
Get your taste buds ready for the annual East Coast She-Crab Soup Classic at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, where some of the region’s best restaurants will compete for the coveted title of “Best She-Crab Soup.”
Attendees can sample and cast their votes for the Sean Brickell People’s Choice Awards, while culinary experts specializing in regional cuisine will be dishing out the Critics’ Choice Awards.
Don’t let this chance slip by to savor some of the finest She-Crab Soup on the East Coast!
Live Green Norfolk
Keep Norfolk Beautiful is excited to announce the return of Live Green Norfolk, a vibrant and interactive community event dedicated to promoting sustainability and fostering environmental awareness on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Lafayette Park (3500 Granby Street).
About Live Green Norfolk
This free and family-friendly festival will feature a dynamic lineup of activities, workshops and entertainment designed to inspire attendees of all ages to embrace eco-friendly practices and sustainable living.
Live Green Norfolk is more than just an event; it’s a movement to build a stronger, more connected community. By bringing together individuals, families, City departments and local organizations, the festival aims to create lasting bonds to inspire collective action toward a more sustainable future. Join us for a day of fun, learning and community spirit as we work together to protect our City and planet for future generations.
Interactive Workshops
Kids' Eco-Zone
Community Art
Green Marketplace
Eco-Tours
Sustainability Panels and Discussion
Virginia Beach Winter Wildlife Festival
Join us at Princess Anne Recreation Center for a fun, family-friendly day of nature and community. Explore exhibits and vendors, check out hands-on kids’ activities, and drop in for walk-up workshops. There will be food trucks on site and a silent auction to support the FLOW Fundraiser hosted by VBPRF.
The event is free and open to everyone - no registration needed.
Holiday Hangover Beach Cleanup & Ugly Sweater Exchange
The hustle and bustle of the holidays will be behind us and the new year ahead, so the Clean Virginia Waterways crew thought this would be a great time for a beach cleanup! And while we still have a little of that holiday spirit left over, let's start the New Year off right by reducing waste with an Ugly Christmas Sweater Exchange.
Meet us at 11th Street in front of Chicho's Pizza to grab your cleanup supplies and turn in this year's (gently used) ugly/funny Christmas sweater. We'll spend a couple of hours cleaning the beach and boardwalk (Atlantic Ave. too!) between the Jetty and the Pier. After the cleanup, we'll meet you back at Chicho's for a celebratory slice and to grab next year's new-used ugly sweater.
For the cleanup: wear comfortable clothing and shoes for the weather, bring water and sunscreen. We will supply gloves (for kids and adults), bags and grabbers. Please bring all of your friends and family . We will be collecting data for the International Coastal Cleanup so download the Clean Swell app ahead of time for easy data recording.
For the Ugly Sweater Exchange: For each sweater you bring, you will receive a ticket so you can pick out another sweater after the cleanup. We hope by exchanging your sweaters, you can skip the new purchase next year, reducing waste in the long run.
VMDRP Input Session, Hampton Roads
RSVP for our upcoming Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan update input sessions. Your input and participation are important to develop the updated 2026-2030 VMDRP!
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSde6TzGLC9e7P6XMKbwj7YS84xIxl5NOZ0uKFx-t1hSTW334w/viewform
Shadowlawn Trash Bash
Let's come together for good vibes and clean tides!
Join us for a team effort to bash trash in our neighborhood, then join us for a social to benefit Clean Virginia Waterways and Keep it Beachy Clean!
Clean-Up runs from 4-5 PM with check-in starting at 3:45 in front of Shadowlawn Eats Surf Vibe Grill (918 Mediterranean Ave). Gloves and bags will be provided. The first 30 volunteers will receive a free T-shirt!
Join us after the clean-up for a casual happy hour at Shadowlawn Eats. Mention "Neighborhood Clean-Up" to your server and 15% of your tab will be donated back to Clean Virginia Waterways!
Richmond
Date & Time: October 25, 2025 9:00 AM
Location: James River Virginia
Led by: Richmond Public Schools, Latonya Waller
Contact: edukatng@gmail.com
Virginia Beach - Cooper’s Scoopers & CVW Bay Cleanup
Join Cooper’s Scoopers and Clean Virginia Waterways for a Bay Cleanup on Sunday, October 19th!
Time: 10am - 12pm
Location: meet at the beach entrance next to Buoy 44 (4536 Ocean View Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23455)
Alexandria
Date & Time: Saturday, October 18th 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Location: Dyke Marsh, 700 George Washington Memorial Parkway
Led By: The Friends of Dyke Marsh is partnering with the National Park Service
Sign-Up Information: https://forms.office.com/g/sPw5U5m0NJ
Fairfax County - Accotink Creek
Join Friends of Accotink Creek to get trash out of our waterways while participating in the International Coastal Cleanup in Fairfax County
Times and Locations:
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Accotink Creek at Pickett Road
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Accotink Creek at Barkley Drive
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Accotink Creek at Woodburn Road
Danville
Date & Time: 10/11/25 9:00am - 12:00pm
Location: Dan River, City of Danville, VA
Led by: Danville Science Center
Info: This is our annual Fall River Clean Up along the Dan River. Call 434-791-5160 Ext. 201 for further information.
Contact: Brian Buchanan, bbuchanan@smv.org
Friends of the Occoquan Cleanup
Come out and be a River Hero!
Date & Time: Saturday, October 4, 9 AM to 12 PM
Location:
Lake Ridge Marina
Contact: Renate Vanegas 703-674-6659
Town of Occoquan
Contact: Tammy Hassett 571-527-2562
Occoquan Regional Park
Contact: Alex Vanegas 703-674-7847
Fountainhead Regional Park
Contact: Sonia Monson 703-581-5487
Bull Run Marina
Contact: Steve Hunter 571-263-5367
Led by: Friends of the Occoquan
Info:
Refreshments will be provided.
Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own filled water bottles as FOTO aims to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles.
Preregistration is recommended.
In case of inclement weather please check the FOTO website or Facebook page for updates.
Registration:
You can preregister by selecting a location from above and emailing foto@friendsoftheoccoquan.org the required information listed below:
1. Location/Time Slot you plan to sign in
2. First and last names of the volunteers in your group
3. Contact number and email address
4. Do you need a community service letter? Please include your name and mailing address.
Contact:
foto@friendsoftheoccoquan.org
www.friendsoftheoccoquan.org
Tel. 703-581-5487
Fairfax County - Accotink Creek (Copy)
Join Friends of Accotink Creek to get trash out of our waterways while participating in the International Coastal Cleanup in Fairfax County
Times and Locations:
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Hatmark Branch at Vaden Drive
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Accotink Creek at King Arthur Road
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Accotink Creek at Little River Turnpike
Reston
Date & Time: 10/4/2025, 9 AM to 12 PM (NOON)
Location: Reston Association Parkland
Led by: Reston Association
Sign-Up information: This is a "choose your own site" cleanup, with a central hub for supplies, but distributed locations around Reston, VA.
Additional Information: Inland
Hampton
Date & Time: To Be Determined (Please check this form for date/time/location updates)
Location: City of Hampton
Led by: Hampton Clean City Commission
Sign-Up Information: Pre-register via https://form.jotform.com/233344028907052
Additional Information: Inland, Coastal, Watercraft/Canoe
Fairfax County - Accotink Creek
Join Friends of Accotink Creek to get trash out of our waterways while participating in the International Coastal Cleanup in Fairfax County
Times and Locations:
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Accotink Creek at Fairfax Blvd
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Accotink Creek at Chain Bridge Road
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Accotink Creek at Blenheim Blvd
Deltaville
Date & Time: 9/27/2025
Location: Shoreline at Deltaville Yachting Center
Led by: Deltaville Yachting Center
Sign-Up information:
Additional Information: Inland