Baltimore’s slogan is “The City That Reads,” but should it be expanded to “The City That Reads – and Cleans”?
Now in its 26th year, the Mayor’s Fall Clean-Up and Day of Service will take place on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW), and the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs (MOCA) are inviting residents, community associations, students, and volunteer groups to join the citywide volunteer event, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 21. There will be cleanup activities across Baltimore City. Volunteers should register in advance to participate.
“Keeping Baltimore clean and beautiful takes all of us working together,” Scott said. “This event gives residents an opportunity to roll up their sleeves, show love for their neighborhoods, and work together alongside our city crews to make an impact. I’m calling on lottie dottie and everybody—residents, community associations, and volunteers of all ages—to join us, get involved, and help to build the safer, healthier, cleaner neighborhoods all Baltimoreans deserve.”
According to the DPW’s records, the mayor’s seasonal Clean-Up initiative began in March 2000, when Martin O’Malley was Baltimore’s mayor. Over a quarter of a century later, at the Spring 2026 Clean-up with Mayor Scott, approximately 1,506 residents and volunteers participated, representing 63 neighborhoods and organizations across Baltimore City. Council District 7 had the highest number of registered groups, with 27 groups signing up to participate.
Here is how to register, whether for an individual, a group, or to be a sponsor for a city location.
- To clean in your own community: Call 311 or register online at 311 website .
- For volunteer groups interested in clean-up location or within preferred City quadrant, please complete the Fall Clean-Up Registration form.
- If you are interested in sponsoring a predetermined mayoral site location, please click here to go to the sponsorship form.
Once registered, participants can pick up cleanup bags beginning on Oct. 14 at the following locations: (be prepared to provide the 311-service request number when picking up supplies.)
- 2840 Sisson Street – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Monday-Saturday
- 111 Kane Street – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Monday-Friday
Community groups and neighborhood associations may receive up to 50 bags, while individual residents can get up to five bags. Multiple registrations from the same organization or address will not yield more supplies.
Participants should follow these guidelines:
- REQUEST COLLECTION WHEN REGISTERING – Registered participants may request collection of properly bagged cleanup debris as part of the registration process. City crews will be scheduled to collect bags from the designated cleanup location.
- BAG ALL CLEANUP DEBRIS – Trash and debris should be securely bagged and placed at the registered collection location. Any properly bagged household trash that is not collected as part of the event should be placed out for the resident’s regular weekly trash collection pickup, as appropriate.
- USE RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING DROP-OFF CENTERS WHEN APPROPRIATE – Residents may take accepted materials to a City Residential Recycling Drop-Off Center. Commercial vehicles are not permitted at residential drop-off centers.
- NO BULK COLLECTION OR ROLL-OFF DUMPSTER –. Bulk items will not be collected as part of the Fall Clean-Up, and roll-off dumpsters will not be provided for this event.
Volunteering during the Mayor’s Fall Clean-Up may benefit participants in other ways besides the ones that go with neighborhood improvement and civic pride. Students in grades 3–12 who participate in registered cleanup activities may be eligible to earn Service-Learning Hours. Additionally, registered participants may be eligible to receive up to $30 in annual stormwater fee credits for qualifying cleanup activities. Participants must register through 311 and meet program requirements to receive the credit.
A spokesperson for DPW told Baltimore Fishbowl that they do not keep track of the total number of trash bags collected during the seasonal clean-up events but characterized it as “a large amount of trash, litter, debris, and bulk items as part of the citywide clean-up effort.” Over the course of the day, the mayor typically visits multiple designated clean-up locations around the city, engaging with the event’s participants. Photos on social media even show Scott donning gloves and bagging trash himself.
“The Fall Clean-Up is an opportunity to see firsthand what we can accomplish when DPW crews and Baltimore residents work together,” said Matthew W. Garbark, director of DPW. “Our employees work every day to keep the City’s streets, alleys and neighborhoods clean, and this event gives residents an opportunity to join us in that effort. Building on the momentum of the Charm City Cleanup, we’re continuing to bring people together to make a visible difference in neighborhoods across Baltimore.”
Now the important question: does DPW coordinate with the Trash Wheel family on these seasonal Clean-Up events, or are land and sea operations conducted separately?
“While DPW is not directly coordinating with Mr. Trash Wheel for this event, our efforts to keep Baltimore’s neighborhoods and waterways clean extend well beyond designated clean-up days,” the DPW spokesperson said. “DPW conducts year-round operations, including mechanical street sweeping to help prevent litter and debris from entering storm drains and waterways. DPW also supports community clean-up initiatives that engage volunteers in protecting local waterways. These efforts complement the work of other organizations dedicated to protecting the harbor.”
For additional information about the Mayor’s 2026 Fall Clean-Up and Day of Service, email moca@baltimorecity.gov.
