Bartholomew County, IN Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

20 of the Bartholomew County Code states plainly that it is unlawful to provide any article, product, service or entertainment for sale within a playground, park or recreational center without prior consent of the County Park Board. In practice, this is the provision that governs commercial and paid activity at park gatherings and special events: food or merchandise vendors, ticketed performances, and paid entertainers all need the Board's advance consent before setting up in a county park. 18, so an event that combines vending with amplified music, a common pairing for festivals and fundraisers, needs sign-off under both sections.

The rule dates to Ordinance 1987-08, passed June 29, 1987, and is enforced by the County Park Board created under Chapter 34, which reviews and grants or denies the consent required before any sale-based activity or paid entertainment proceeds on county park property. Nothing in the chapter sets an application deadline or fee for this consent; it functions as a discretionary decision by the Board rather than a fixed permit process with published standards. Anyone organizing a market, craft fair, concert or similar gathering at a Bartholomew County park facility should contact the Park Board well ahead of the event date to secure approval before advertising vendor space or ticketed entertainment.