Alabama's 39th Coastal Cleanup Targets 30 Beach Sites

Alabama's Gulf Coast is about to get a whole lot cleaner, and everyone's invited to help make it happen.

The 39th Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup takes place September 19 across more than 30 Baldwin County locations. From Gulf State Park to Fort Morgan, volunteers will spend the day picking up trash and protecting the beaches that locals and visitors treasure.

No registration is required for most sites, making it easy to show up and pitch in. Volunteers gather at spots like the Gulf State Park Beach Pavilion, where parking is free and cleanup supplies are waiting.

After collecting trash, participants can weigh their haul, grab a free t-shirt, and enjoy a hot dog at the pavilion. It's part beach cleanup, part community cookout.

The cleanup covers diverse locations including Cotton Bayou Public Beach, the Flora-Bama, Ono Island, and the Wind and Water Learning Center on Wolf Bay. Some zones welcome volunteers with kayaks, canoes, and small boats to tackle hard-to-reach waterways.

Organizers ask participants to use the Clean Swell app to track what they find. This data helps researchers understand pollution patterns and develop better solutions for keeping coastlines clean.

The Ripple Effect

Since its start in 1987, this annual tradition has mobilized more than 110,000 volunteers who've removed countless tons of debris from Alabama's shores. Each person who shows up doesn't just clean one beach for one day. They join a decades-long movement that has measurably improved water quality and protected marine life along the Gulf Coast.

The event also builds community connections. Neighbors work side by side, families teach kids about environmental stewardship, and visitors discover how they can protect the places they love. Those lessons and relationships extend far beyond September 19.

Volunteers interested in joining can visit alabamacoastalcleanup.com for the complete list of locations and zone captain contact information. Questions can be directed to Hannah Russell at 251-948-7275 ext 62092, or call 251-621-1216 or 251-928-9792.

Nearly four decades of Alabamians proving that protecting paradise is a team sport, one beach at a time.