2026 Illinois River Sweep CITO
Join local geocachers, community volunteers, and environmental stewards as we participate in the 2026 Illinois River Sweep, a coordinated effort to help keep one of Illinois' most important natural resources clean and healthy.
On Saturday, September 19, 2026, volunteers from across the region will spend the morning removing litter and debris from locations along the Illinois River. The Peoria Park District's Illinois River Sweep event runs from 9:00 AM until Noon, with volunteers assigned to cleanup sites along the river. The goal is simple: leave our community better than we found it.
This geocaching event is being held in conjunction with the Illinois River Sweep and will qualify as a CITO (Cache In Trash Out) event. Whether you are an experienced cacher, a first-time participant, or simply someone who enjoys protecting our parks, trails, and waterways, your help will make a difference.
Please come dressed for the weather and prepared to work outdoors. Gloves, sturdy footwear, water, and a positive attitude are recommended. Additional details regarding the cleanup location and volunteer coordination will be provided prior to the event.
Please register for this event with the Peoria Parks District at the following link:
Peoria Parks District Illinois River Sweep Registration Link
Illinois River Sweep Background Information
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From the host of the worldwide event:
One Day. Many Communities. A World of Difference.
A little over 2 years ago georeyna a geocacher in Houston, TX asked a simple question - What could happen if geocachers around Texas came together on one day to make their communities cleaner? Based on that simple question, Texas Geocaching Association (TXGA) created an event named CITO Across Texas in conjunction with World Cleanup Day.
Geocachers throughout Texas held cleanup events on the third Saturday in September. Each event is locally organized, but together they became part of something much bigger. CITO Across Texas was born!
The results have been tremendous. During 2024 and 2025:
- More than 50 CITO events were held across Texas.
- More than 700 volunteers participated.
- Thousands of pounds of trash were removed from parks, trails, waterways, neighborhoods, and other public spaces.
In 2026, we want to take the next step and we are inviting the worldwide community of geocachers to help clean up our game board.