Join us!

Every September and October, groups from across Durham volunteer to pick up litter in their local neighborhoods, parks, and streams for Durham's largest litter cleanup event of the year.

The Durham Big Sweep is coordinated by Keep Durham Beautiful, the City of Durham Stormwater Division, and Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District, with help from other City and County departments and many community partners.

Since 2005, 10,697 volunteers have removed an estimated 269,532 pounds of litter from Durham streets, streams, parks, roadsides, and neighborhoods! This event provides countless benefits to the communities involved. It is our biggest litter removal event of the year and an impactful way to Keep Durham Beautiful.

Know of a littered area or have a group that wants to volunteer? Start gathering your group for Big Sweep 2027, which will run from Saturday, Sept 25 to Sunday, Oct 31.

Or, if you want to get involved sooner, plan to join us for Durham Creek Week from March 13-21, 2027!

Check out our 2026 Big Sweep cleanup locations below!

join an organized cleanup

Check back in September 2027!

support for volunteers

Participating volunteers receive trash bags, gloves, litter grabbers, high-viz vests, safety instructions, and guidance to find the litter. The City of Durham Environmental & Street Services Department and Durham County General Services assure that litter from these cleanups is collected in a timely manner.