Wyoming, MI Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Wyoming Code § 50-36
- Where banned
- All city-owned/administered parks
- Exception process
- Council authorization + insurance
- Named exempt venue
- Godwin Mercado (state-licensed)
- Default penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 90 days
Summary
Wyoming, Michigan bans possessing or drinking alcoholic liquor in any city-owned or city-administered public park or place of amusement, unless a nonprofit or governmental group gets city council authorization plus liability insurance for a specific date and location.
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or consume any alcoholic liquor in or upon any public park, public place of amusement, or area under the jurisdiction of the city that is owned or administered, or both, by the city. This article shall not apply to the possession or consumption of alcoholic liquor under the following circumstances: (1)The alcoholic liquor is in the possession of and/or consumed in a specific area in a public park or area under the jurisdiction of the city, while under the direct control of a governmental, charitable or non-profit organization... (4)Alcoholic beverages in the possession of or consumed at the Godwin Mercado pursuant to a license issued by the State of Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 50-36 states that it is unlawful for any person to possess or consume any alcoholic liquor in or upon any public park, public place of amusement, or area under the jurisdiction of the city that is owned or administered, or both, by the city. The section carves out four exceptions. First, alcohol may be possessed or consumed in a specific park area while under the direct control of a governmental, charitable or non-profit organization. Second, that organization must get city council authorization for a specific date, time and location.
Third, it must give the city clerk a certificate of comprehensive general liability insurance naming the city as an additional insured in an amount the city accepts. Fourth, the ordinance separately exempts alcoholic beverages possessed or consumed at the Godwin Mercado pursuant to a license issued by the State of Michigan Liquor Control Commission, carving out that licensed venue from the general park ban. The rule traces to the 1983 Code, Sec. 101(33), and was most recently amended by Ord. No. 15-25 on October 20, 2025.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 50-36 sits in Chapter 50, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, and carries no standalone penalty clause, so enforcement falls to Wyoming's general penalty under Sec. 1-26: a fine of up to $500 plus costs of prosecution, up to 90 days in jail, or both, at the court's discretion, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense. Officers with the department of public safety may issue a citation on the spot for open possession or consumption in a park absent an approved exception.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink a beer in a Wyoming, Michigan city park?
How does a nonprofit get permission to serve alcohol at a Wyoming, MI park event?
Is there any Wyoming, Michigan venue where public alcohol consumption is always allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wyoming
Compare Wyoming to another location·View the Michigan public conduct overview
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Public Alcohol Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kent County handle public alcohol use.