James City County, VA Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

James City County requires a permit before you can reserve or make use of any public park or recreational facility whenever the director of Parks and Recreation decides one is needed under section 16-15 of the county code. Once the director requires a permit for a given facility or activity, no person may use that park or recreational facility without first paying the applicable fee and agreeing to follow the rules and regulations that govern its use, so booking a shelter, athletic field, or gathering space is conditioned on payment up front, not after the fact.

Larger or ongoing arrangements go further: section 16-16 lets the Board of Supervisors authorize leasing of park facilities, and once that happens the county administrator sets and collects the charges for using the facility and for admission to concerts, entertainment and other recreational activities the county sponsors there. Section 16-23 gives the director authority to write additional rules and regulations for how parks operate and the activities that take place in them; those rules must be posted at the facility itself and kept on file for public review in the office of the county administrator, so permit holders can check the posted conditions before an event.

If you also want to post banners, notices, or advertising for your event, section 16-17 separately requires the director's written permission before displaying or distributing anything in a county park or recreational facility. James City County Parks and Recreation administers the reservation and permit process; enforcement on the ground runs through park staff and the James City County Police Department. Anyone violating the parks chapter, including using a facility without the required permit, is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor under section 16-24 and can also be ejected from the park or facility where the violation occurred.