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I Love My Park Day

I Love My Park Day 2025: Saturday, May 3rd

Join Parks & Trails New York – and thousands of volunteers across the state – on Saturday, May 3 to celebrate and enhance New York’s parks, historic sites, greenway trails and other public lands.

I Love My Park Day--the largest single-day volunteer event in NYS--presents a perfect opportunity to clean up our favorite parks and shorelines, plant trees and gardens, restore trails and wildlife habitat, remove invasive species, and work on various site improvement projects--all which help to prepare our iconic state park system and public lands for the start of the season.

If you have questions about hosting or participating in an I Love My Park Day event or volunteering at this year's event, please contact us at [email protected]

★ Key Dates ★

Host registration: March 4, 2025

Volunteer registration: Early April

Why your participation matters

As the largest single-day volunteer event in New York State, it brings communities together to clean and beautify beloved parks and shorelines, plant trees and gardens, restore trails and wildlife habitats, remove invasive species, and complete critical improvement projects. These efforts not only enhance the natural beauty and accessibility of our iconic state park system but also ensure that these cherished spaces are ready to be enjoyed by all throughout the season. By volunteering, you contribute to preserving the environment, fostering community pride, and supporting the long-term sustainability of New York’s treasured public lands.

How to participate

Host an event

On March 4, 2025 staff and Friends groups affiliated with a site owned by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation or the Department of Environmental Conservation will be invited to register an I Love My Park Day event. Local businesses or organizations interested in sponsoring an event, or participating, can reach out to PTNY or the site manager to inquire. If you are a municipality looking to host an event at nearby local park/site please reach out to [email protected]

  • Get necessary permission from the site manager to host an event on May 3, 2025

  • Register your event (registration information will only be sent to eligible sites)

    • Identify your park or site on the interactive map (forthcoming)

    • Fill out all required information on the registration form

    • Review confirmation email to ensure all information is correct
  • Register to attend our first event planning webinar on March 6, 2025 from 12:00 - 1:00pm (learn more about our data collection aspirations!) 

  • Publicize your event:

  • Seek out sponsorships, or seek out in-kind donations from local businesses 
  • Contact volunteers that register to participate in your event. Introduce your friends group, and share materials.

Volunteer at an event

 Members of the general public will be invited to participate in an I Love My Park Day event on April 4, 2025. Gather your friends, family, and colleagues to volunteer at the many parks and sites across the state. 

How It Works
  • Find an event using the interactive map. Take note of the different projects and age restrictions for the event you wish to attend to make sure it's a good fit for you or your group.
  • Register to volunteer. Click the red "Register" link when you find where you would like to participate. This will take you to the registration form to sign up to volunteer. Make sure to note the time and meeting location for your event. Most events will take place rain or shine but some events will have rain dates.
    PLEASE NOTE: you will have to register each member of your group individually so everyone will fill out the appropriate participation waivers.
  • Roll up your sleeves and give back to our beautiful natural spaces: On the day of the event, show up at the location and time indicated on the event listing and get to work. Depending on the project, some events recommend bringing your own tools and gloves. We recommend bringing your own water, sun protection and clothing you don't mind getting dirty! If you need to cancel your registration or have any questions about a specific event after registering, please contact the host site directly (this information will be provided in your confirmation email).

Resources for Event Organizers

From directional signage, template banners, flyers, and draft media advisories, Parks & Trails New York has many resources available to you to help you plan your I Love My Park Day event. Do you have a resource you use every year that you think could benefit other groups? Please share with us! [email protected]

Resources for Event Organizers

Sponsors

Are you interested in sponsoring I Love My Park Day in 2025?

Please contact Will Cote, PTNY's Senior Director of Public Lands, [email protected]

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF 2024 SPONSORS HERE.

Parks & Trails New York (“PTNY”) is a registered 501c3 organization and not affiliated with its I Love My Park Day partners, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. PTNY exercises sole discretion in selecting and approving all Sponsors for this event, and 100% of all Sponsor proceeds are donated to PTNY. Participation as a Sponsor does not constitute endorsement of any entity.