Dane County, WI Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Dane County Code ch. 53.02(1)
- Permit needed for
- Assemblies, exclusive facility use
- Issuing office
- Parks director's office
- Revocation
- Any time, for just cause
- Forfeiture
- $10.00-$100.00 per offense
Summary
Anyone planning a public meeting, assembly, entertainment, tournament or speech in a Dane County park needs a written permit purchased in advance under Code ch. 53.02(1)(a), and exclusive use of any facility, designated area, or special use area needs one too. Permits can be revoked for just cause and violations forfeit $10.00 to $100.00.
53.02 PERMITS. (1) Written permits shall be required for any of the following and must be purchased prior to use: (a) All public meetings, assemblies, entertainments, tournaments or speeches; (b) Exclusive use of any facility, designated area or special use area; ... (2) The parks division reserves the right to require written permits for any other reason as it deems necessary. (3) Any permit may be revoked by a Dane County Parks employee or law enforcement officer for just cause.
Full Breakdown
02(1) requires a written permit, purchased before use, for a list of restricted park activities that includes all public meetings, assemblies, entertainments, tournaments or speeches at (a), and exclusive use of any facility, designated area or special use area at (b). The same subsection also requires permits for selling or soliciting in a park, launching or lake access of watercraft where a fee applies, and several other listed uses; the parks division can additionally require a permit for any other reason it deems necessary under (2).
Annual permits for uses like disc golf, mountain biking, horse trails, cross-country skiing, hunting and the Tenney Locks must be displayed in a viewable location on or next to the permit holder under (4), and any Dane County Parks employee or law enforcement officer may revoke a permit for just cause under sec. 02(3). The park commission itself is authorized under sec. 13 to adopt additional rules for park administration and to grant permits consistent with the ordinance. A "special use area" is defined at sec.
01(27) as a designated area authorized by the park commission or parks division for exclusive use for a special event, which is the category most large gatherings and reservations fall under.
Violations & Fines
Under ch. 53.14(1), violating any provision of the parks ordinance, including the permit requirement of sec. 53.02, forfeits to the County of Dane not less than $10.00 nor more than $100.00 per offense, together with the costs of prosecution. Law enforcement officers may arrest anyone detected violating the ordinance, and any designated parks division employee may issue citations under sec. 53.15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a family picnic or a large group gathering in a Dane County park?
Who issues park permits and when do I need to buy one?
Can Dane County revoke a permit after it's issued?
What's the penalty for holding an event in a county park without the required permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dane County
Compare Dane County to another location·View the Wisconsin special events & permits overview
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