Pittsburgh, PA – Pittsburgh’s 9th Annual Garbage Olympics returns Saturday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to noon. This year, organizers are asking residents to submit original artwork that celebrates their neighborhoods.
Teams across the greater Pittsburgh area will compete in the city-wide clean-up, working together to see who collects the most litter. The event aims to not only beautify city streets but also to build connections across communities.
Registration is currently open as officials hope to include at least 60 neighborhood teams.
Food, drinks, and awards will be available at Velum Fermentation following the event. Prizes will be given for the most trash collected, largest team, the weirdest item found, and most team spirit. Selected artwork will be displayed during the closing ceremony from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The Garbage Olympics was launched in 2017 by Renee Robinson, Alicia Carberry, and Lena Andrews in partnership with Pittsburgh Public Works and the Clean Pittsburgh Commission. The award-winning event was designed to unify clean-up efforts across the city.
“I mean, right now in the country there’s a lot of issues that seem too big to do anything about,” Andrews told The Allegheny Front. “But litter is something we can take care of.”
“We’re a competitive city,” Robinson told local media. Organizers believe that friendly competition helps motivate residents to take pride in their neighborhoods.
