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Make a Difference in Long Beach During Coastal Cleanup Day
By Staff Writer
Published on Fri, Aug 28, 2026
Long Beach is once again bringing the community together to care for its coastline during the 42nd Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon. This year’s cleanup will take place at 10 locations across Long Beach, providing the community with plenty of opportunities to help keep local beaches and marinas clean, healthy and thriving.
The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) is expanding the event’s footprint this year by adding five cleanup locations along the coastline and at interior beaches, doubling the number of participating sites from last year. Each location will be led by City departments or community partners and will feature unique activities, educational opportunities and giveaways.
Cleanup sites include Alamitos Bay Marina, Alamitos Beach, Belmont Pier, Bluff Park, Junipero Beach, MacArthur Park, Mother’s Beach, Peninsula, Shoreline Park and Rainbow Harbor. Volunteers will receive gloves and trash bags and are encouraged to bring reusable supplies such as work gloves, buckets and grabbers to help reduce waste.
This year’s event is especially significant as California commemorates the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act, landmark legislation that established the California Coastal Commission and strengthened protections for the state’s 1,100-mile coastline.
The cleanup will also highlight Long Beach’s preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. At Alamitos Beach, which will serve as the site of the Olympic Beach Volleyball and Paralympic Blind Football in 2028, volunteers can participate in special activations featuring USA Artistic Swimming athletes.
During last year’s Coastal Cleanup Day, more than 950 volunteers removed over 2,375 pounds of debris in just three hours. This year’s expanded lineup offers even more opportunities for residents to get involved and make a visible difference in their community.
Volunteers are encouraged to complete a waiver before the event, though paper copies will be available onsite. Participants under 16 will need a parent or caregiver signature, and free parking will be available in the nearest beach lot for the duration of the cleanup.
For more information, contact the El Dorado Nature Center at 562.570.1745 or visit lbcity.info/naturecenterevents.
