Get the Trash Out of the Splash: Alabama Coastal Cleanup Is Sept. 19, 2026
Alabama’s largest volunteer event is back; and the beaches we sell, live on, and love depend on days like this.
Hey locals and beach dreamers! Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 19, 2026. The 39th Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup runs from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. along our beaches, bays, parks, streets, and storm drains. Admission is free. Volunteers who collect trash typically receive a t-shirt and cleanup supplies.
The slogan says it best: Get the Trash Out of the Splash. Litter doesn’t stay where it lands. It travels through storm drains, streams, and rivers and ends up in the bay and the Gulf. Picking it up protects the water, the wildlife, and the sugar-white sand that makes Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Perdido Key special.
How to Join
- Pick a cleanup zone and contact the zone captain: Find your zone
- Official event site: alabamacoastalcleanup.com
- Gulf Shores & Orange Beach listing: gulfshores.com event page
Local sites often include Gulf Shores Public Beach, Gulf State Park, Little Lagoon / Mo’s Landing, Cotton Bayou, Boggy Point, Wind & Water Learning Center, CoastAL, Flora-Bama, and Ono Island. Confirm your check-in spot with the zone captain before you go.
Bring: closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, a hat, water, and work gloves if you have them. An adult should supervise children. Don’t lift heavy debris — mark it and tell the zone captain. Stay off fragile dunes.
The event is coordinated by the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources State Lands Division, Coastal Section, and Alabama People Against A Littered State (PALS). Alabama joined the International Coastal Cleanup in 1987. More than 110,000 volunteers have helped since then.
Why This Matters for Coastal Real Estate
People don’t buy here only for a floor plan. They buy the place; clean water, walkable sand, and a community that shows up for the Gulf. A well-kept shoreline is part of what supports tourism, short-term and mid-term rentals, and long-term property values from Fort Morgan to Perdido Key.
When first-time visitors fly into Gulf Shores International or drive in for a long weekend, the first thing they notice is the beach. Clean beaches keep those visitors coming back. Some of them become second-home owners.
Posted by Lorraine Gatti onEnjoy this blog post? Click here to subscribe for updates
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