Great Parks Hosts Ohio River Sweep Events in 2026

Great Parks and volunteers will roll up their sleeves to beautify the Ohio River with two Ohio River Sweep events this year – at Woodland Mound in spring and at Fernbank Park in summer. The Ohio River Sweep is one of the biggest multi-state litter pickups anywhere, attracting hundreds of volunteers to remove plastic bottles, car tires, food containers and all types of litter and recyclables that end up in the water or on the riverbanks.

The first Ohio River Sweep from Great Parks takes place from 9 a.m.—12 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 at the Woodland Mound Boat Ramp. The second event is from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on July 18 at Fernbank Park.

The Ohio River Sweep is coordinated by ORSANCO, the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, and has been taking place up and down the river since 1989. Volunteers and partner agencies team up to remove litter from the Ohio River’s banks and many of its tributaries. Ohio River Sweep events take place at different events from March through October, in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Illinois.

The work is making a difference, leading to remarkable progress toward restoring and protecting the Ohio River’s natural beauty and health.

Volunteers are requested to sign up in advance at Great Parks.org to ensure enough supplies are available. Trash bags and gloves are provided. Beyond this initiative, many other volunteer events are available year-round, as Great Parks joins efforts with the community to protect natural resources in the area.