Madison, WI Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

10 requires a written application to the "Administrative Agency", the city department or division that controls the land in question, typically the Parks Division for gatherings on parkland, describing the premises, the area and character of the proposed use, its duration, and the entity to be served or benefited. Applicants must furnish a Certificate of Insurance showing commercial general liability coverage naming the City of Madison as an additional insured, with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence; the Risk Manager can require higher limits or waive the requirement for other governmental units.

Permits run no more than 90 days, though the Administrative Agency may extend one for good cause, and a renewal request must arrive at least seven days before expiration or it is treated as a brand-new application. Fees are tiered by length: a $50 application fee for occupations of one to seven days, $75 for eight to thirty days, and $100 for anything longer, doubled for late or after-the-fact applications. On top of that, occupying parkland costs $50 per day and occupying a greenway or drainageway costs $25 per day, though the Administrative Agency may waive fees when the permittee's work benefits the City.

If estimated damage could exceed $1,000, the agency can require a damage deposit or surety bond, and any restoration work carries a one-year warranty. A permit may be revoked for violating any of its conditions or another ordinance; absent an immediate threat to public health or safety, the permittee gets at least 24 hours' written notice to come into compliance first. Denials and revocations can be appealed in writing to the City Clerk within 10 days, with Parks Division decisions going to the Board of Parks Commissioners and, ultimately, certiorari review in Circuit Court.