Columbia County, FL Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

Columbia County Code Chapter 78, Article I governs use of the county's parks and recreational facilities in unincorporated Columbia County, from Rum Island Park to the Fort White Community Center. Section 78-4(c) requires anyone conducting 'regular commercial use' of a park or recreational facility, defined in the same section as usage for a commercial purpose more than six times in any 12-month period, to obtain an annual permit through the office of the county parks and recreation director. The Board of County Commissioners sets the permit cost by resolution, and the code caps issuance at no more than four permits for any one park or recreational facility at any given time.

A permit does not create special privileges: the holder gets the same use of the facility enjoyed by the general public and remains subject to the same restrictions as other park users. Regular commercial use without a permit constitutes a violation of the article for each instance of such use, and the code directs that offenses be punished as provided by Florida law. Section 78-3 gives the county manager and parks and recreation director oversight and enforcement authority, including the power to request Sheriff's Office assistance to expel offenders from all county parks and recreational facilities until a permit is obtained.

Section 78-7 backs the whole article with a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable under section 1-10 of the county code. Anyone planning recurring paid activity, whether photography sessions, fitness classes, or vending, at a Columbia County park should apply for the annual permit well before their seventh visit in any rolling 12-month period to avoid a per-instance violation.