Darlington County, SC Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

Chapter 54, Article II sets the county's facility-reservation system. Section 54-26 restricts use of publicly owned buildings under county council's authority to nonprofit, noncommercial groups, fundraising groups spending all proceeds on community purposes, eleemosynary organizations, political parties, quasi-government groups, organized recreational groups, disaster-assistance groups, and federal, state or municipal agencies; the county administrator can deny an application that conflicts with court or agency operations, would draw a crowd exceeding the room's fire-rated capacity, or would disrupt the facility's primary government purpose. No group may reserve a facility for weekly or monthly recurring meetings.

Section 54-27 lists the buildings available, including the Darlington County Courthouse grounds and main courtroom, the James P. Mozingo Office Building, the Government Outreach Center in Hartsville, the Health Department auditorium, the Society Hill Neighborhood Center, the Robert L. Grooms Community Center in Lamar, the Courthouse Annex/EMS Building, the Lake Darpo Club House, and the county library. Section 54-28 requires applications two weeks before the planned use, filed with the individual assigned to each building (for example the clerk to council for the courthouse, or the recreation director for Lake Darpo Club House), and sets four fee components: a reservation fee, a supervision fee based on actual hourly staffing cost, a cleanup fee assessed if the group leaves the facility dirty, and a kitchen use fee for groups using the Society Hill or Grooms Community Center kitchens.

Applicants cannot publicize an event until the designated official grants written approval, and events needing an admission fee or extra security require the county administrator's separate approval.