Plan an Event on City Property

Special Event Reservation Information

Definition of a Special Event:

Any of the following activities involving 25 or more persons, animals or vehicles, or a combination thereof, open to the general public taking place on public space that involves a temporary and exclusive use of public space involving a substantial deviation from current legal land use or legal nonconforming use and may include, but not be limited to:

• Amusements or carnivals
• Entertainment
• Music by way of sound amplification
• Dancing
• Dramatic or theatrical productions
• Festivals
• Parades
• Runs, walks, triathlons and bicycle races or rides that will not comply with the normal or usual traffic regulations or controls or are likely to impede, obstruct, impair or interfere with free flow of traffic
• Any activity involving the sale of merchandise, food or alcohol
• Any activity making use of structures not already present on the public space such as stages, booths, canopies, awnings, risers, bleachers, fences, partitions, stands or similar constructions
• Any activity taking place on public space that may require for its successful execution city services to a degree significantly over and above that routinely provided under ordinary circumstances, as determined by the special events committee
• Planning an event on private property—event planners will need permits as outline by ordinance. For example: sound, selling in the park system, alcohol, food distribution etc.

Procedure for Scheduling a Special Event:

1. Event sponsor submits a Special Event application packet and applicable fees no later than 90 days before event. 
2. Special Events Coordinator determines if the event should be designated as a Special Event.
3. If the event is endorsed, applicants will be required to attend an event review meeting with the Special Event Committee one to three months prior to the event to finalize the logistics of the event.
4. Event Sponsor sends final event information to Park Office a minimum of three weeks prior to the event.

Special Event Review Committee:

Other Events

• Assembly Permit/March/Demonstration/Candlelight Vigil— Any demonstration, rally, gathering or group of 25 or more persons, animals or vehicles, or a combination thereof, having a common purpose, design or goal, upon any public street, sidewalk, alley or other public place, which assembly substantially inhibits the usual flow of pedestrians or vehicular travel or which occupies any public area, but does not rise to the definition of a special event. Please contact SF Police Department at 605-978-6821 for a permit.
• Activities otherwise exempt from a permit may be terminated and participants ordered to disperse by the Police if, after warning the participants and providing an opportunity to comply, participants are not in compliance with the provisions of this paragraph.
• Planning an event on private property—event planners will need permits as outline by ordinance. For example: sound, selling in the park system, alcohol, food distribution etc.