How do I host a special event in a park?

Special Events Office at (414) 257-4503

A Special Event Permit Application must be completed, submitted, approved, and processed by the Milwaukee County Parks Special Events Office, including a non-refundable down payment, to reserve an outdoor park space, parkway or park road for any of the following:

Public event, e.g. outreach, rally, promotional event, or religious event;
Bike race, bike ride, cross country meet, walk or run;
Outside event with amplified music or speaker system;
Wedding ceremonies in a non-designated area,
Lakefront or Downtown park space for any reason; and
Outdoor park space that is not designated as an athletic field or picnic area
Virtual Gaming (For game developers only)

Application Process

Application Submission: Complete and submit the Special Event Permit Application to the Milwaukee County Parks Special Events Office for review and approval. Attach a detailed map of your requested route and/or site map to your application. Your application will not be reviewed if a route and/or site map are not included.
Application Review: After receipt of your application, you will be notified by the Special Events Office within two (2) weeks regarding the status of your application.

FEES:

If your Special Event Application is approved, you will receive an email with fees and requirements that need to be met in-order to obtain your Special Event Permit. Fees can include but it is not limited to base fees, additional fees, admission & entry fees, collecting donations, silent auction, raffle, per participant fees, picnic, pavilion & athletic field fees, setup & teardown fees, vendor fees.
New events are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $500.00 for events held on the Lakefront (McKinley Park, Veterans Park and Lincoln Memorial Drive) and $250.00 for events held at any other Milwaukee County Park when submitting the Special Event Application. If event is approved, deposit will be deposited and applied toward the final fees.
Wisconsin State Taxes: All special event permit fees include sales tax (5.6%). If you are a tax-exempt organization, a copy of your Certificate of Tax Exemption issued by the Department of Revenue from the State of Wisconsin needs to be submitted.

REQUIREMENTS:

Certificate of Insurance: ALL Special Events (excluding wedding ceremonies) are required to submit a “Certificate of Insurance” in the amount of $1,000,000 worth of general liability coverage that names Milwaukee County Parks as an additional insured for the date(s) of your event including set-up and teardown date(s).
Liquor Liability Insurance: If serving or selling alcohol at a public event, you are required to submit a “Liquor Liability Insurance” in the amount of $1,000,000 worth of Insurance coverage that names Milwaukee County Parks as an additional insured for the date(s) of your event.
City Municipal Liquor License: If serving or selling alcohol at a public event, you must obtain a city municipal liquor license.
Noise Variance Permit: The City of Milwaukee is the only municipality that requires a Noise Variance Permit. To apply for your Noise Variance Permit please call (414) 286-3280
Vendors / Sales: A city or local municipal license may also be required. Please contact the corresponding City or municipality to see if an additional license is required.
Routes: All proposed routes are subject to Milwaukee County Park approval, and use of any space outside the park (such as a City street) must be approved by the city or municipality. All closures need to be approved and handled by the municipality and/or Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

PLEASE NOTE:

The Special Event Application is NOT a permit.
Advertising for an event before obtaining written approval from the Milwaukee County Parks Special Events Office is not allowed. The use of social media is considered advertising if distributed publicly.
All fees and requirements must be satisfied to receive a Special Event Permit.

For more information, call the Special Events Office at (414) 257-4503