Aurora, CO Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Default closed hours
- 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Permit issuer
- Parks and Open Space Dept.
- Max general penalty
- $2,650 fine / 364 days jail
- Aurora Reservoir events
- public access must remain
Summary
Aurora parks close from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., but the Parks and Open Space Department issues permits letting groups reserve a park or recreational facility during those otherwise-closed hours for an event or gathering.
Any person may apply to the parks and open space department for a permit authorizing usage of any park or recreational facility within the city for certain specified hours which may allow the permittee to use the facilities during the hours prohibited in subsection (a) of this section.
(c) In addition to subsection (a) of this section, the director of parks and open space shall have the authority, by regulation, to prohibit the entry or use of any dedicated park or of any area designated and used for park, recreation and open space within the City to certain times in order to accommodate the needs and desire of neighbors of the park or open space and the public at large, considering, among other pertinent factors, the facilities available at the park, the typical uses of the park and the nature and density of surrounding development. In addition to the requirements of section 2-3 of this Code, reasonable notice of any such regulation shall be posted at the subject park. It shall be unlawful to violate any such regulation. (Code 1979, § 29-1; Ord. No. 95-53, exhibit A (§ 29-1), 9-11-1995)
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Aurora City Code § 98-56(a) makes it unlawful to enter or use any dedicated park or recreation area between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., when a park is fenced and locked, or during hours the parks and open space director posts by regulation. Subsection (b) is the workaround: any person may apply to the parks and open space department for a permit authorizing use of a specific park or recreational facility during those otherwise-prohibited hours, which is the mechanism for evening gatherings and after-hours events. Separately, § 98-62 requires that renting the Aurora Reservoir for a special or private event still preserve public walk-in and annual-pass access.
Violations & Fines
Being in or using a park during closed hours without a § 98-56(b) permit, or violating a director-posted hour regulation, is unlawful and falls under the Code's general penalty (§ 1-13): a fine up to $2,650, up to 364 days in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reserve an Aurora park facility for an evening event?
Does renting the Aurora Reservoir for a private event close it to the public?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado special events & permits overview
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Park Event Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle park event permits.