North Myrtle Beach Beach and Creek Sweep Scheduled for Sept. 19

Volunteers will gather in North Myrtle Beach on Saturday, September 19, 2026, for the annual Beach Sweep and Creek Sweep. Sponsored locally by the Keep North Myrtle Beach Beautiful Committee, the morning event focuses on clearing litter from the city's oceanfront beaches and removing aquatic debris from the marsh areas of Cherry Grove.

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Cherry Grove Boat Ramp, situated at 53rd Avenue North in the Cherry Grove section of North Myrtle Beach. The cleanup work will take place following check-in, running from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.

The local project is part of the larger South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium Statewide Beach Sweep and River Sweep, organized in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Held every year on the third Saturday in September since 1988, the initiative serves as South Carolina's largest one-day volunteer cleanup. Across the state, thousands of participants remove trash from beaches, marshes, lakes, rivers, and swamps.

Participating in the sweep helps protect native coastal wildlife and preserves the quality of public beaches and marsh waterways in North Myrtle Beach. Beyond the immediate physical cleanup, data on the debris collected is sent to the Ocean Conservancy for inclusion in the International Coastal Cleanup tally. Organizers use these findings to analyze litter trends, trace debris sources, and develop targeted strategies to stop litter before it enters coastal environments.

The Keep North Myrtle Beach Beautiful Committee operates as a civic volunteer group dedicated to community education, beautification, litter prevention, and recycling to improve local quality of life and community pride. Residents, families, visitors, and local business owners are all invited to participate.

To volunteer for the September 19 event, individuals and groups can contact Keep North Myrtle Beach Beautiful by calling 843-280-5571 or by emailing the committee directly.