Philadelphia Celebrates the 19th Annual Philly Spring Cleanup

PHILADELPHIA - The City of Philadelphia has announced the return of the Philly Spring Cleanup (PSC), now in its 19th year. With over 700 cleaning and beautification projects registered, this year's event is scheduled for Saturday, April 11, and comes as Philadelphia prepares to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday. This milestone makes the cleanup not only the largest single-day cleanup effort in the city but also a meaningful way for residents to honor Philadelphia's historic role and help ready neighborhoods for this momentous occasion.

Over the past two years, Philadelphia's Office of Clean and Green Initiatives has operated the One Philly, A United City Citywide Cleaning and Greening Program with more than a dozen city departments, nonprofits, and community groups, establishing the Illegal Dumping Taskforce and launching Twice Weekly Trash Collections.

This year's Philly Spring Cleanup builds on that progress as part of the ongoing America250 celebrations in 2026 and will take place at hundreds of locations across the city. Since 2008, the cleanup has mobilized more than 200,000 volunteers who have removed over 11.4 million pounds of trash and 950,000 pounds of tires from nearly 6,750 project sites citywide.

"These initiatives demonstrate the city's commitment not only to maintaining clean and welcoming neighborhoods but also to strengthening connections among residents and building civic pride," said Carlton Williams, Director, Office of Clean & Green Initiatives. "The Philly Spring Cleanup unites our community around a shared mission: celebrating America250 while making Philadelphia safer, greener, and more beautiful for everyone."

Registered residents and organizations will take part in a wide range of beautification activities, including park and neighborhood cleanups, fence painting, raised garden bed restoration, and soil and wood chip installation. Volunteers will also support greening efforts such as tree planting, mulching, pruning, and the creation and maintenance of pollinator gardens.

As part of this year's Philly Spring Cleanup, two signature locations will undergo major revitalization efforts, each highlighted by a press event. The first site is at the Fairmount Park - Lemon Hill (Kelly Drive & Sedgley Avenue) between 9-9:30 a.m. The kickoff event will take place at the entrance to Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park, where volunteers and partners will launch the day's cleanup and greening activities. Activities at this site will be completed in partnership with the Office of Clean and Green, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Leading up to the World Cup in June, Comcast NBCUniversal is sponsoring a multi-week series of volunteer clean ups of the Lemon Hill Gateway to assist the city in preparing for the FIFA Fan Festival.

"The Philly Spring Cleanup is a powerful day of action that brings our city together and highlights what strong partnership looks like across Philadelphia. While today is a moment to celebrate that work, the effort continues year-round as we collaborate across city departments and neighborhoods to care for our parks and public spaces. It is grounded in shared pride for the places we all use and a responsibility to ensure every neighborhood feels that care every day." Commissioner Susan Slawson, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation

"The Philly Spring Cleanup unites Philadelphia around our treasured shared spaces - the blocks we call home, the corridors that sustain our economy, and the parks that keep us healthy and connected," said Tony Sorrentino, CEO, Fairmount Park Conservancy.

"It is an honor to serve Philadelphians by partnering with the City of Philadelphia to preserve our city's beauty, especially as we welcome visitors from across the country to celebrate the 250th birthday of our nation."

"We are just weeks away from a momentous summer in Philadelphia, packed with once-in-a-lifetime celebrations and global sporting events," said Dalila Wilson-Scott, Executive Vice President & Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer, Comcast Corporation; President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. This is our city's moment to shine even brighter, and Comcast NBCUniversal is proud to support the volunteer projects taking place at Lemon Hill this spring. We're already off to a great start with the Philly Spring Cleanup, and we're gearing up for the rest of the series to help prepare the iconic Lemon Hill gateway welcome thousands of visitors for an unforgettable summer in the city."

The second signature location is at 4207 Wyalusing Avenue between 10:30-11 a.m. The focus will be on cleaning and greening, including the revitalization of an existing pollinator garden on Wyalusing Avenue. Future Track trainees that have been trained by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) will work alongside PHS staff to restore and enhance the space. These trainees have successfully completed green stormwater infrastructure training and earned 40 hours of PHS horticultural experience, including LandCare maintenance and tree care. The 16 Future Track trainees will be presented program completion certificates in the field.

"PHS is proud to partner with the City of Philadelphia to improve quality of life through gardening and the care of public green spaces," said Keith Green, VP of Healthy Neighborhoods, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. "This work, including LandCare's vacant land greening, tree plantings, and citywide greening efforts, helps ensure neighborhoods are cleaner, greener, and more welcoming for residents today while supporting a city that is ready for all the excitement that 2026 will bring. It also reflects PHS's commitment to building pathways for the next generation of professionals who will care for these landscapes well into the future."

Additional cleanup efforts will take place across hundreds of sites citywide.

The Philly Spring Cleanup is a critical component of the Mayor's One Philly, A United City campaign and plays an important role in Philadelphia's ongoing America250 celebrations. Through continued efforts led by the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee and City Block Captains, the campaign will sustain the city's cleanliness with weekly cleaning initiatives throughout the spring and summer, helping ensure Philadelphia shines during this historic milestone year.

For more information or to learn how you can join the fight against litter and illegal dumping, please visit: https://www.OfficeOfCleanAndGreen.org.