The City of Plymouth supports the arts and culture through dynamic programming, a visual art gallery at the Plymouth Community Center; displays at the Plymouth History Center and special events. Volunteers can share their passion for the arts and local history. 

Plymouth Community Center Arts Ambassador

Provide a warm welcome to Art Gallery visitors; provide security of art works. Time commitment: Flexible. Monday through Saturday shifts are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 2-6 p.m., Sunday shifts are 1-3 p.m. for a minimum of one to two shifts per month.

Plymouth History Center

Help the City of Plymouth discover, preserve, and share its history. The Plymouth History Center has a variety of volunteer opportunities to care for collections in the museum. To register, contact Plymouth History Center manager Ryan Barland, at rbarland@plymouthmn.gov

Seasonal or Special Events

• Primavera
• Plymouth Artisan Market
• Merry Market
• Annual Spring Dance Recital
• Plymouth Historical Society open houses
• Other community art events
• Hands on History Volunteer events
  • October 1^st
  • November 5^th
  • December 3^rd

Volunteers keep Plymouth a beautiful place to live by adopting a park or garden, caring for native plants, removing invasive plant species, sharing your gardening expertise and more.

Adopt a Spot

Residents may volunteer to adopt a park, dog waste station, fire hydrant, storm drain or street to benefit their neighbors and the community as a whole. Adopting these items/locations helps ensure Plymouth stays clean and safe. Visit the Adopt a Spot webpage for availability near you.

Invasive Plant Species Removal

Help eliminate invasive species from Plymouth parks (Spring: Garlic Mustard, Fall: Buckthorn).

• Video: How to identify and remove garlic mustard
• Video: How to identify and remove buckthorn

Native Plant Garden Club

Sept. 3 Update: The Native Plant Garden Club session for Sept. 12 has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The city has developed a number of new native planting areas in recent years, and the Native Plant Garden Club is designed to provide an active group of green thumbs to support the plantings. Work at the gardens may include weeding, pruning, planting and more.

• Cancelled: Friday, September 12, 2025,  9 - 11 a.m.

To get involved, or for more information about the volunteer opportunity, email volunteer@plymouthmn.gov or call 763-509-5230.

Millennium Garden Work Sessions

Weed, deadhead, and prune to keep the garden looking lovely during staff-led events. Bring your favorite gardening tools and a water bottle.

• Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, 9 – 11 a.m.

To get involved, or for more information about the volunteer opportunity, email volunteer@plymouthmn.gov or call 763-509-5230.

Great Garlic Mustard Challenge 

Registration is now closed for 2025.

Plymouth Community members are invited to participate in a new challenge Saturday, May 17 - to see how much garlic mustard can be removed from four different parks in two hours:

• Schmidt Lake Park, 11755 50th Ave. N.
• West Medicine Lake Park, 1920 W. Medicine Lake Drive
• Parkers Lake Park, 15205 County Road 6
• Green Tree Island Park, 18915 30th Ave. N.

Participants may learn about invasive garlic mustard, why it matters and how to remove it. No experience needed; bring a water bottle and gardening gloves.

Storm Drain Marking

Mark your neighborhood storm drains to remind passersby that storm water carries leaves and debris, which drains straight into wetlands and lakes untreated and can pollute the water. Flexible schedule; great for families or scout projects. Storm drain marking begins for the season when weather is consistently above 50 degrees. To borrow a storm drain marking kit, contact Water Resources Ben Scharenbroich at bscharenbroich@plymouthmn.gov or 763-509-5527.

Seasonal or Special Events

• Drop-Off Day
• Tree and Shrub Sale
• Fall Shred Event

Adopt a Fire Hydrant

Help keep fire hydrants clear of snow and ice as needed during snowy winter months so firefighters and fire equipment can gain quick access in the event of an emergency. Visit the Adopt a Spot webpage for availability near you.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Plymouth CERT is a trained volunteer group that provides support in emergency and disaster situations. CERT assists in critical situations like weather emergencies, mass casualty incidents or lost persons. They also assist at community events like Music in Plymouth and Fire & Ice. Must be 18 or older. Learn more and apply online: plymouthmn.gov/cert.

Police Explorers (Ages 14-20)

Explore law enforcement careers by studying an array of topics, including search and arrest, traffic stops, crime prevention, use of force and much more. Explorers meet weekly during the school year. Contact Volunteer Services at volunteer@plymouthmn.gov for an application due by Aug. 1 or apply online. 

Police Reserves (Ages 18+)

Assist sworn officers with traffic and crowd control, transportation of prisoners, surveillance and patrol activities, special events and other education programs. Must be 18 years or older, commit to 15 hours a month, have a clean driving record and background check. Learn more and apply: plymouthmn.gov/reserves.

Seasonal or Special Events

• Night to Unite Coordinators Meeting

Annual Special Events Opportunities

Volunteers who enjoy interacting with people and have great customer service skills act as valued city ambassadors when they assist with annual or one-time special events.

Farmers Market Volunteer (Summer)

Assist with Farmers Market operations. Time commitment: Flexible. Market is open 2:00-6:00 p.m. Wednesdays June 18 through Oct. 1. Volunteer shifts are 1:00-3:30 p.m. or 3:30-6:00 p.m. for a minimum of one to two shifts per month

Garden Wedding Rehearsal Liaison (Summer)

Provide support to couples and bridal parties during wedding rehearsals at the Millennium Garden. Note: Volunteers do not attend weddings. Time commitment: Rehearsals are typically at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., or 7 p.m. a Wednesday or Thursday evening the week of the wedding. Volunteers are asked to commit for a minimum of one season (May through September). 

Letters to Santa (Winter)

Respond to letters as one of "Santa's Helpers." Letter writing takes place in December. 

Occasional Clerical Projects

Periodically, volunteer assistance is requested with one-time clerical projects. 

Opportunities may include: Data entry, assembly, mailings, scanning and printing, and other skills-based projects as needed. 

Ongoing Sports Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers share their athletic skill and proficiency with others. Opportunities may include: 

• Gymnastics Aide: Must be 12 years or older
• Skate School Aide: Must be 12 years or older
• Swim Aide: Must be 12 years or older
• Open Soccer Attendant: Must be enrolled in the Adult Open Soccer program

Seasonal Sports Volunteer Opportunities

Parent-coach volunteers are vital to running recreational athletic programs. Typically, parents or guardians of student participants will coach a team, although others are welcome to coach. To apply to be a volunteer coach, complete the online application below.

Volunteer opportunities may include:

• Basketball Coach
• Flag Football Coach
• Ski Trip Chaperone
• Soccer Coach 
• T-Ball/Baseball Coach

Apply Now

Special Events

• Hooked on Fishing: June

Ongoing Youth Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain leadership skills, explore career opportunities, and support their communities. Ongoing opportunities may include: 

• Gymnastics Aide: Must be 12 years or older
• Skate School Aide: Must be 12 years or older
• Swim Aide: Must be 12 years or older

Summer Youth Volunteer Opportunities 

June - August, dates vary by program.
Teens 14+ Plymouth Residents Only

Teens 14 and older learn leadership skills and gain valuable experience working with children enrolled in summer recreation programs, including playgrounds, sports, art and more. Teens choose the programs, locations and times that interest them.  

The application window is now closed. Check back next year! 

Special Events and Projects

Teens 16 years and older may assist at some city-sponsored special events. Students under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult. Contact Volunteer Services to inquire about special events and projects for youth volunteers.

Group Volunteer Opportunities (20+ members)

While we value partnering with our local businesses, faith-based communities, civic organizations, schools, Scout groups, and other large groups, we cannot accommodate all requests for group volunteer projects.

Groups with more than 20 members will be considered on a case-by-case basis with at least a 1-month notice. Contact Volunteer Services at 763-509-5230 or volunteer@plymouthmn.gov. 

Self-Directed Group Volunteer Opportunities (Less than 20 members)

Adopt a Spot

Groups of 20 or less may volunteer to adopt a park, dog waste station, fire hydrant, storm drain or street to benefit their neighbors and the community as a whole. Adopting these items/locations helps ensure Plymouth stays clean and safe. Visit the Adopt a Spot webpage for availability.

Invasive Plant Species Removal

Help eliminate invasive species at Plymouth parks (Spring: Garlic Mustard, Fall: Buckthorn). Contact Volunteer Services at 763-509-5230 or volunteer@plymouthmn.gov to schedule a time to pick up garbage bags for garlic mustard removal, or weed wrenches for buckthorn.

• Video: How to identify and remove garlic mustard
• Video: How to identify and remove buckthorn

Park Clean Up

Pick a park, find a time that works best for your group, and head on over to clean up the park. Contact Volunteer Services at 763-509-5230 or volunteer@plymouthmn.gov to schedule a time to pick up garbage bags.