Conway, AR Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

The City of Conway, Arkansas requires a reservation before any person, group, association, or organization can use a pavilion in a city park, under Conway Municipal Code § 12.08.03(B). The reservation is booked and paid for through the Parks and Recreation Department, and the standard fee is five dollars ($5.00) per reservation. A group that cancels can get most of that fee back: § 12.08.03(B) refunds the deposit in full except for a one-dollar ($1.00) processing charge, but only if the cancellation is made at least forty-eight (48) hours before the reserved time; canceling later forfeits the entire fee.

The reservation system exists alongside the department's general authority under § 12.08.03(A) to close any section of a park, temporarily or permanently, whenever city officials find it necessary, which can affect a scheduled event. Picnicking and lunching are likewise confined to areas the city designates for that purpose under § 12.08.03(C), and on-site attendants can direct event activity to prevent congestion. Any event booked in a pavilion is still bound by the quiet-hours cutoff of 10:00 p.m. under § 12.08.03(F)-(G), so an evening gathering must end or obtain separate written Mayor's-office permission to run later.

A group that uses a pavilion without the required reservation, or otherwise breaks these operating rules, is subject to the citywide park penalty in § 12.08.08: a fine of $25 to $100 per occurrence, enforced by Parks and Recreation staff and the Conway Police Department.