Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks
Please return all applications to:
Department of Regional Parks – Recreation Services Division
10361 Rockingham Drive, Suite 100, Sacramento CA 95827,
or email to parkevents@saccounty.gov

Please read the entire page before continuing to application. This application needs to be completed with detailed answers, or you will be subject to resubmit your application and longer review. Please keep this in mind if your event date is upcoming.

To apply for a special event permit you must complete this application fully and certify that you have read and will comply with the attached Special Events "Terms and Conditions".

This application, including the signed Terms and Conditions and all other required materials must be returned with a non-refundable $100 filing fee. Applications must be submitted no less than 60 days in advance of any proposed special event. The application fee is a processing administrative fee and does not mean your event will be approved.

Applications submitted less than 60-days prior to event may be denied or will incur a $150 application filing fee to expedite the permit process. Please Note: It is unlikely we will be able to approve your event in less than 60 days.

1. A completed application.
2. $100 non-refundable filing fee ($150 for an application submitted less than 60 days prior to event).
3. A detailed map of your event which must include (if applicable): Picnic site(s), stage, fencing/event perimeter, vendor placement, tents, portable restrooms, trash/recycling, dumpsters, parking and emergency response routes.
   1. Please use a map from our website or google earth. Maps sketched on plain paper will not be accepted.

If we receive all the items, then your application will go to the Special Event Committee. Please allow up to 4 weeks for your event to be approved or denied. If your application is incomplete, it will not be considered or reviewed until all the applicable information has been received.

Additional items to note:

• This application is only for events that are NOT open to the public (meaning it is invitation only and you can guarantee participant count) and you are NOT selling tickets. If your event is open to the public and/or you are selling tickets, please fill out a Special Event Application.

• If you are having Musicians or DJs, please leave their contact information.

• You are required to be responsive via email and/or phone. If we don’t hear back from you within 2-3 weeks, then your event will be subject for removal from the schedule.

• No driving or unloading on grass. Please plan accordingly.

Contacts for Fire Inspection:

Disovery Park- City of Sacramento Fire: sacfirespecialevents@sfd.cityofsacramento.org or (916) 808-1300

All other parks- Metro Fire: crrdstaff@metrofire.ca.gov or 916-859-4330

Organizers of special events are required to have garbage, recycling, and organic materialcollection service provided by a franchised hauler or third-party recycler during the entirety of theevent. Sacramento County Code 6.20.030 defines a special event as an organized assembly ofmore than fifty (50) persons who occupy all or any portion of a public street, sidewalk, alley, orpark for a period of more than thirty (30) minutes.

See the Terms and Conditions for more details.

*Please note that smaller events may be able to use Trash Collection at the Park, but would be required toprovide their own Recycling Collection and Organic Material Collection if food is served.

Check the option you will be using for the following:

1. Group Activity Filing & Permit Approval

After receiving a preliminary special event application approval from the special event staff, thesubmission of permit and other applicable fees is required to reserve a future special event date andtime.

• The submission of a filing fee should not be construed as an event approval or a confirmation of a special event date.

• Event organizers should not assume special events are approved based on the previous year’s event approval.

• All special event coordinators for new events and annual events are required to complete theentire special event process for each event date.

• Special events will not be advertised to the public prior to the approval of the special event.

• Prompt communication is required for the duration of planning and executing the event. If there isa lack of communication of more than 3 weeks then this could result in termination or denial ofevent. The primary form of communication will be through email. Please add our email address to your safe sender list to ensure emails are received

2. Group Activty Insurance

All group activity applicants must obtain a Certificate of Insurance specifically naming the County of Sacramento Regional Parks as additionally insured and the certificate holder.

• All special event applicants must obtain a Certificate of Insurance in an amount no less than$1,000,000.00.

• Larger Special Events and Festivals will require additional coverage.

3. Fees

All group activity fees must be paid in full two weeks prior to the special event

a. Filing & Processing Fees.

• Filing Fee is $100.00, non-refundable. A completed permit application is required to be submitted a minimum of 6 months in advance of the special event.

• Applications submitted less than 6 months prior to event will incur a $150 application filing fee to expedite the permit process.

• Non-profit and for profit special events will require the same filing fees and permit fees.

b. Permit Fees

• All organized groups gathering in the parks for an event will be charged a permit fee for assembling on park’s property.

• Oversize Event Charge: When the number of participants in a reserved area exceeds the designated number of people by over 20%, the permit holder will be charged the oversizepenalty fee.

c. Parking/Day Use Fees

• Parking/Day use fees are required in conjunction with special event fees.

• Special event participants, special event volunteers, and special event spectators are required to pay day use fees upon entering the park, in a motorized vehicle. This fee is $8 per vehicle in most areas.

• Special event Permittees can purchase post payment parking passes for day use parking fees prior to the event.

• The Director shall have the authority to add a surcharge to the vehicle-parking fee for specialevents. The intent of this surcharge is to generate additional revenue to offset increasedexpenses associated with large public events (i.e. added security, maintenance cost, sponsorscost). Surcharge revenue may be utilized to cover these costs, based upon criteriadetermined by the Director.

d. Fee Payments

• All payments must be made by means of cash, check, money order or credit card.

• Checks must be made payable to County of Sacramento Treasurer.

• All fees must be paid in full at least 14 days prior to the event and NO post dated checks will be accepted.

• Separate checks must be submitted for the Application Fee and Permit Fees.

• During the initial application process, only the Filing Fee check will be accepted. All other checks will be returned immediately.

e. Waiver of Fees

• Some fees may be waived for Department co-sponsored or cooperative/volunteer association sponsored events.

f. Fee Changes

• Fees are reviewed and revised annually by the Board of Supervisors. Fee changes become effective prior to your use of the facility. New fees will apply if scheduled use is 30 or more days after effective date of the new fee schedule

4. Advertising

Group activities will not be advertised prior to the approval of the special event.

• Premature advertising of a special event can be grounds for non-approval or cancellation

5. Music – Public Address Systems

Music and Public Address systems can be used during group activities.

• Event organizers must submit a special event layout map sixty (60) days prior to the event with allsite location(s) for all amplified sound systems.

• Sacramento County Regional Parks does not provide electricity for music or public address systems.

6. Sales of Goods & Services

The selling or offering for sale any goods, services, liquids or edibles for human consumption is prohibited without the proper approvals.

• All state and local regulations must be met before such sales are allowed.

• All beverage and food sales are required to comply with all local and state health & safety codes and regulations.

• County Department of Environmental Health can be reached at 916-876-7221

• Glass containers are prohibited at special events.

• All grease and oils from cooking will be removed from park. No illegal dumping of grease or oilson park grounds, in trash cans, or dumpsters is allowed.

• No food, liquid, ice, or any other substance may be dumped on park grounds.

7. Alcoholic Beverages

Alcohol may be permitted during special events/group activties, except in park areas where alcohol is prohibited.

Requesting the presence, consumption, and/or sale of alcohol has some very specific requirements,as follows:

• No alcoholic beverages shall be sold at any special event without a valid A.B.C. license on file with Regional Parks staff. The valid A.B.C. license will be presented 14 days prior to the scheduled event date.

• Sales shall normally be limited to an enclosed “beer garden” area. Sales with drinking permitted within larger event venues shall be at the discretion of the Parks Director.

• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in any type of glass container.

8. Natural & Cultural Resource Protection

Group activties will not negatively impact the park’s cultural and natural resources. Environmental reviews may be required for some special events.

• No person shall willfully injure or destroy any cultural or natural resource.

• No vehicles are allowed on lawns or closed areas.

9. Portable Restrooms

Depending on the size of the event and the availability of park restrooms, group activties will be required to contract for portable restrooms.

• During the application process the special event staff will review the impact to the park’s restroom facilities. Larger special events will be required to contract for portable toilets to be placed in the park for an event.

• Permittees are required to provide portable toilets at locations where no permanent facilities are in place and/or when “total attendance” (including organizers, participants, volunteers, and spectators) exceeds existing restroom facility capability.

• The ratio of users per portable toilet is 100 to 1. The use of portable toilets must meet the department’s accessibility standards, which is 10 to 1.

• Portable restrooms must be removed within 3 days of the event. If parks assistance is required, the cost of removing restrooms will be charged to the special event permittee.

10. Dumpsters

• Dumpsters may be required when the projected group activity attendance exceeds 500 people; this includes participants, support teams, special event volunteers, and spectators.

• Dumpsters can be placed in parking lots or off site areas. Dumpsters cannot block vehicle access; Emergency Response vehicles, Park vehicles, and vehicles associated with special event.

• Dumpsters must be removed within 3 days of event. If parks assistance is required, the cost of removing dumpsters will be charged to the special event permittee.

It is the responsibility of the event organizer to provide a sufficient number of garbage, recycling, and organic material containers. The County of Sacramento does not provide commercial waste or recycling services. The County has a list of waste haulers that provide waste collection services for events. When holding an event, please ensure the following solid waste management guidelines are considered:

•The number of recycling containers and organic containers must be equal to the number of garbage containers.

• Recycling, organic, and garbage containers must be placed next to each other throughout the event with the exception of bathroom areas.

• Each container must be clearly labeled and identified, with signage that displays what types of materials are accepted in each container.

• The event organizer must ensure that all recyclable material and organic material are delivered to a recycling facility, and not to a landfill.

11. Site Preparations & Security

Event organizers can request extra time to prepare group activity locations. Early site preparations and time must be coordinated through the special event staff during the filing process.

a. Special Event Layout

• Event organizers must submit a special event layout map with application. If any changes are made a new layout map must be submitted at least sixty (60) days prior to the event. The layout map will detail: emergency response routes, the special event course, parking, camping, fencing, food service, concessions, tents, canopies, portable restrooms, dumpsters, and any other equipment or structures used during the event.

b. Special Event Security

• Event organizers are responsible for the overnight security of the equipment and event structures.

• If event staffing or security is present at an event site overnight, an overnight security plan will be required detailing: personnel, contact phone numbers, and other pertinent information.