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!