St. Louis County, MO Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

Section 616.170 is the starting point: permits for use of specific park areas are obtained by applying in advance to the Commissioner. Section 616.020 defines the Commissioner as the Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, and Section 616.010 applies the whole chapter to every park, parkway and recreational area under that Department. A permitted area is marked as reserved and held until the time printed on the permit. If the permittee has not arrived by that time, the Parkkeeper can reassign the area. Areas nobody reserved are assigned by the Parkkeeper or the Park Police on duty, so a walk-up group has no claim on a shelter that someone else left unused.

Section 616.231 covers events too big for a standard reservation. A special event is an activity that, by attendance, large area encumbered, special needs for equipment and labor, or other unique requirements, cannot be provided through normal operating procedures. The Department enters into an agreement with the organizer and recovers direct costs, meaning fees for facilities and services plus extra labor support and equipment. Program and activity fees are capped at $25.00 per hour per person. The Director sets specific fees, which cannot exceed the direct cost of the facility or service, and the Director's determination and supporting material stay on file as public records of the Department. If promoting an event benefits the public or the Department, the Director can make coupons and volume or group discounts available.

The fee schedule in Section 616.230 puts numbers on common event needs. Picnic shelters cost $72.00 to $210.00 per date depending on size and utilities, and picnic sites cost $42.00 per date. Corporate picnic sites cost $480.00 at Creve Coeur and $720.00 at Queeny. A permit to sell at a special event costs $60.00 per day for 1 to 200 people and rises to $720.00 per day for 5,001 and more people, and vendors must provide the County with 15 percent of gross receipts. Three related permissions also attach to events. Section 616.140 lets the Director grant a written exception to the animal ban for approved special events. Section 616.060 allows alcohol only with Department authorization tied to an approved reservation, with a security deposit of up to $500.00 per day. Section 616.080 requires written permission from the Commissioner for excessive noise.