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

Section 10-13 defines a special event as a temporary use on public or private property that would not otherwise be allowed without restriction but is permitted with the city's special review. The fire chief may require a safety watch for exhibits, trade shows, amusement parks, haunted houses, fairs, festivals, fireworks or pyrotechnic displays, using trained personnel and, if needed, fire apparatus. The event organizer pays a special fee plus a 15 percent administrative surcharge before the scheduled event, though the city council can waive part or all of that fee for nonprofit or charitable organizations at its sole discretion.

The property owner or their agent must file the special event permit application, on a form the city manager prescribes, no later than two weeks before the event date. Separately, Section 10-12 sets a hard threshold for any street, parade, festival, show, carnival, or exposition: once attendance is expected to top 600 people at one time or 5,000 in a single day, a fire marshal permit is mandatory regardless of whether the gathering also needs a Section 10-13 special event permit. For reserving a specific park shelter, table, or bench rather than running a citywide event, Section 17-26 puts park facility use on a first-come basis unless the city manager has adopted rules allowing reservation of specific facilities at specific dates and times, and Section 17-30 lets the city council authorize by resolution the temporary suspension of code provisions and the use of city services and accommodations to support a special event.