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When is a Permit Required?
The use is for an organized entertainment/event, demonstration, or public gathering as defined in Chapter 20.08.010 of the City Code.
General Outline to Help You Apply for a Permit
Please see "Thinking of Holding Your Event in a Portland Park?" It outlines the steps you may be required to complete before a permit may be issued.
How to Apply for a Public Event Permit
To secure a Special Use Permit, the application and application fee must be submitted to the Portland Parks & Recreation Customer Service Center. Please call or email us for an application using the information below.
For events at Waterfront Park
Public Events Coordinator, 503-865-2375 cary.coker@portlandoregon.gov
2024 Waterfront Park applications for new events is by RFI (Request for Interest) process that begins Friday October 6, 2023. First round applications for new events will be due no later than Friday November 1, 2023. Applications received after November 1, 2023 will be considered as time allows after January 1, 2024.
If you have not already scheduled a Waterfront familiarization meeting contact the Public Event Coordinator to set up a virtual informational meeting
Contact Public Events Coordinator for Waterfront, Cary Coker, at the email address above for the most up to date application materials for 2024.
For events at all other parks
Public Events Coordinator, 503-865-2376 clarence.stone@portlandoregon.gov
For media or press events
Public Information Officer, 503-823-5300 mark.ross@portlandoregon.gov
Application Processing Fees and Rates
To obtain the most up-to-date rates and fees please contact the Customer Service Center at 503-823-2525.
Application processing fees are required to process and issue a Special Use Permit. To begin processing a Special Use Permit, the application must include the appropriate processing fee.
| Notification Time | Rate 1 A-J | Rate 2 | Rate 3 | Rate 4 | Rate 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| More than 45 days notification | $150 | $240 | $390 | $390 | $390 |
| 45 days or less notification | $300 | $480 | $780 | $780 | $780 |
| 15 days of less notification | $600 | $960 | $1,560 | $1,560 | $1,560 |
Explanation of Rates
| Rate 1 | No sales, admission fees, concessions, entry fees, pledges or donations of any kind. -or- Runs/walks where no donations are solicited and no entry fee is charged to participate. |
|---|---|
| Rate 2 | Closed to the public, with or without a fee (i.e., catered private parties, private fundraisers, conventions, etc.) |
| Rate 3 | Commercial: the purpose of the event is to distribute information and/or introduce a product that may result in present or future donations or sales. -or- Sales: Events where concessions, and/or sales are part of the event. -or- Runs, walks, contests where entry fees are charged in order to participate and the end event is combined with a festival type event (beer gardens, band, or similar activity). |
| Rate 4 | Runs/Walks/Contests where entry fees are charged in order to participate and race memorabilia may be sold on site. Race memorabilia is limited to t-shirts/sweatshirts or other race-related items which have a per item cost of $25.00 or less. |
| Rate 5 | Limited access/entrance fees: These are events that totally fence the area and charge an admission fee. |
All policies found in the Special Event/Special Use Permit Manual apply in addition to those which are unique to major parks.
Minor parks will only be considered for a special use permit, if in the opinion of Portland Parks & Recreation, the event requesting the site will not adversely impact either the park or the surrounding neighborhood. If approved, only one special use permit will be allowed per date.
Rental Fees and Rates
Rate 1 - Rental Fees based on attendance
| Rate 1A | Rate 1B | Rate 1C | Rate 1D | Rate 1E | Rate 1F | Rate 1G | Rate 1H | Rate 1I | Rate 1J |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-499 | 500-999 | 1,000-1,499 | 1,500-1,999 | 2,000-2,499 | 2,500-2,999 | 3,000-3,999 | 4,000-4,999 | 5,000-5,999 | 10,000+ |
| $204 | $335.75 | $660 | $984.25 | $1,319.75 | $1,639 | $1,964.25 | $2,310.25 | $2,657.25 | $2,946.50 |
Rate 2 Special use for Private Events
A permitted activity in a park where only specific guests or attendees are allowed to access the event area.
| Rental Type | Description | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| General | Closed to the public, with or without a fee (i.e., catered private parties, private fundraisers, conventions, etc. Does not include downtown destination parks. See Downtown Destination Parks.) | $1,341.50 |
| Closure | Closure of a park (or their fountains including shut off) during the event season (Memorial Day – September 30) is automatically charged at three times the current rate. See definitions. | $4,020.75 |
| Downtown Destination Parks | Ankeny Pavilion, Bill Naito Legacy Fountain and Plaza, Director Park, Jamison Square, Ira Keller Fountain, The Fields, Lovejoy Fountain, and Waterfront Park) Closed to the public, with or without a fee (i.e., catered private parties, private fundraisers, conventions, etc.) | $2,629.25 |
| Closure of Destination Parks/ Fountain shut off | Closure of a park (or their fountains including shut off) during the event season (Memorial Day through Sept 30) is automatically charged at three times the current rate. See definitions. | $7,889.25 |
Rental Fees - Special use for Public Events
| LOCATION | RATE 1 | RATE 3 | RATE 4 | RATE 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major Parks - except ones listed below | Based on attendance. See Rate 1 table. | $2,772.25 | $357.50 + $0.70 for each walk/run/cycle participant | 3x Rate 3 - $8,316.75 |
| Minor Parks | Based on attendance. See Rate 1 table. | $1,386.25 | $357.50 + $0.70 for each walk/run/cycle participant | Not Allowed |
| Mt. Tabor Amphitheater | $634 | $2,772.25 | $634 or $357.50 + $0.70 for each walk/run/cycle participant, whichever is higher | 3x Rate 3 - $8,316.75 |
| Cathedral Park Amphitheater | $673.50 | $2,772.25 | $673.50 or $357.50 + $0.70 for each walk/run/cycle participant, whichever is higher | 3x Rate 3 - $8,316.75 |
| Washington Park Amphitheater | $1,968.50 | $2,772.25 | $1,968.50 or $357.50 + $0.70 for each walk/run/cycle participant, whichever is higher | 3x Rate 3 - $8,316.75 |
| WFP A - North of Burnside Bridge | Based on attendance. | Not Allowed | Not Allowed | Not Allowed |
| WFP B - Mast to Burnside Bridge | Based on attendance. | $2,772.25 per section | $357.50 + $0.70 for each walk/run/cycle participant | 3x Rate 3 - $8,316.75 (WFP G Not Allowed) |
| WFP C - Morrison Bridge to Mast | ||||
| WFP D - Fountain to Morrison Bridge | ||||
| WFP E - River place to Hawthorne Bridge | ||||
| WFP E1 - Hawthorne Bridge to McCall | ||||
| WFP G |
Bridge Area Event Days - $550
- Parking under the Burnside (limited use due to Saturday Market), Hawthorne, and Morrison Bridges in Waterfront Park.
Rate 5 - $8,316.75
- Daily rental fee for public events with limited access or entrance fees (per section at WFP).
Load-in and Load-out Day fees
- Load-in and load-out days for rates 2, 3, 4, and 5: $500
- Rate 1 load-in and load-out days are equal to the daily rental rates.
- In some cases, Rate 2 Load in/out fee is equal to daily event rental.
Flagging fees
- $93.25 per section of WFP (fee subject to change.)
- $200 general flagging all other parks
Potable water
- $55 per day per section plus $100.00 refundable deposit per potable water connector.
- All connectors must be obtained and returned to either Vendor of Record or [limited to 1 connector] on site from PP&R staff.
- No connectors will be issued or received in the Customer Service Center.
Electricity
- $33.25 (110v/20amp only) per day per section.
Vehicle access
- In Waterfront Park: $67.25 for the 1st vehicle, per day, plus $20.75 each additional vehicle, per day. Renovation fees apply.
- In all other parks: $67.25 for the 1st vehicle, per day, plus $31 each additional vehicle, per day.
Definitions
Downtown Destination Parks - Ankeny Pavilion, Bill Naito Legacy Fountain and Plaza, Director Park, Jamison Square, Ira Keller Fountain, Lovejoy Fountain, The Fields, and Waterfront Park.
Event Season - Memorial Day through September 30.
Closure of a Park - Closure of all or the majority of any park and or its amenities for the sole use of an event is automatically charged at three times the current rate. Closure status may be determined by placement of fencing to restrict access, high attendance, placement of tent/s stages or equipment and or activities that are limited to event guests only and that significantly hinder the public’s use of the park.
Majority - A “majority” of a park is determined when either the physical acreage used is more than half of the usable acreage or half of any park’s individual reservable “section” (e.g. Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park), or the area to be permitted includes all or the majority of the park’s primary features (picnic areas, athletic fields, etc.).
Cancellation Policy
You may cancel your permit at anytime based on the following conditions by contacting the Public Event Staff.
Refunds are only issued before the first reserved event date. A refund may be issued under the following guidelines:
- Application Fees are never eligible for a refund
If you have paid your rental fees in advance:
Major Parks
- Ninety (90) or more Days prior to the first booked date you may receive a full refund of rental fees for an event scheduled in any Major Park.
- Eighty Nine (89) or less Days prior to the first booked date you may receive a 75% refund of rental fees for an event scheduled in any Major Park.
Minor Parks
- Forty-five (45) or more Days prior to the first booked date you may receive a full refund of rental fees for an event scheduled in any Minor Park.
- Forty-four (44) or less Days prior to the first booked date you may receive a 75% refund of rental fees for an event scheduled in any Minor Park.
- After these deadlines no Special Use – Public Event is eligible for a refund
- Rate 4 Events (Runs, Walks, & Contests): A request to reduce the number of participants stated in the original Application that have been added to the permit as “per participant fees” must be made more than forty-five (45) days before the first booked date.
- Weather conditions will not be considered as acceptable grounds for refund of a Special Use – Public Event.