The early 1980's marked the beginning of a monumental effort by Miami-Dade County to save Biscayne Bay. The Bay was suffering from pollution and the marine environment of the Bay was in steep decline. Baynanza was created as part of a larger effort to save the bay.

Baynanza, now in its 26th year, is a celebration of Biscayne Bay and its importance as one of our most important ecological and economic systems. While Baynanza includes more than 40 great events spanning from March to April, the event that has become nearly synonymous with the celebration is the Biscayne Bay Cleanup Day. On April 19th, 2008, this event drew over 7600 community volunteers out to the shores and islands of our Bay. They collectively removed more than 38 tons of garbage from Biscayne Bay's shores, nearby islands, and two locations in the Miami River.