RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia State Parks are proud to participate in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Clean the Bay Day, a statewide effort to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Traditionally, this event takes place on the first Saturday in June. However, Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced this year that it will be on the first Saturday in May to allow for more participants. More families have the opportunity to participate together since school is still in session and there is hope that the weather will be cooler

Visitors are encouraged to join park staff and volunteers in cleaning up litter, debris, and other pollution from rivers, streams and shorelines that feed into the Bay. Their efforts help improve water quality, support a healthier ecosystem as well as create safer habitats for wildlife.

“As the largest estuary in the United States and the third largest in the world, the Chesapeake Bay stands as an incredible natural and vital resource,” said Acting Assistant Park Director Dave Collett. “The Bay urgently needs your help, and volunteering at one of these Virginia State Parks is a meaningful way to make an immediate positive impact.” 

Coastal Cleanup at Kiptopeke

Where

Program Location: Fishing Pier
Main Park Address: Kiptopeke State Park, 3540 Kiptopeke Dr., Cape Charles, VA 23310.

When

May 2, 2026. 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Would you like to help preserve the Chesapeake Bay for future generations? Join Kiptopeke State Park and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for the 2026 Clean the Bay Day Event. In 2025, nearly 3,500 volunteers and more than 70 CBF partners came together at over 200 sites across the Commonwealth; in just three hours, they removed more than 70,000 pounds of litter and debris from beaches, parks, streets, shorelines, streams, rivers, and lakes.

Today we will remove trash from the North and South Beaches, the Fishing Pier, and the parking lot to keep it out of the Chesapeake Bay. Meet at the pier at 9 a.m. to receive gloves, grabbers, and buckets to remove trash safely. Please wear sunscreen and closed-toe shoes and bring water to drink. Registration through the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will open March 9. Visit their site to register yourself, your family or your group.  https://www.cbf.org/events/clean-the-bay-day/

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Wayne Creed

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