Gaithersburg, MD Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)

Section 15A-17 sets both the default operating hours for Gaithersburg's parks and the rules for using them once open. Subsection (a) makes sunrise to sunset the standard hours, but the city manager or designee can post different hours generally or for a specific park, and a rental or permit can carry its own specified hours that override the default. Subsection (c) is the after-hours prohibition: no one may be on park property between sunset and sunrise unless the facility is officially open for a scheduled event or planned activity, is equipped with park lighting sufficient for the recreational use taking place, or the city manager or designee has separately approved the presence.

Subsection (b) gives the city manager broad authority beyond the sunset rule, allowing any section or all of a city property to be declared closed to the public at any time, temporarily or on a recurring schedule, and for as narrow or broad a purpose as the city manager finds necessary, whether closing an entire park or just one use within it. Subsection (d) adds that using park property for anything other than its intended purpose needs prior authorization, and that outdoor venues are reserved for city-sponsored events or for rental and permit use, with a list of those venues kept by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture. Any departure from these hours or uses needs the city manager's written approval.