Middleton, WI Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Parks and Recreation Department
- Approval required from
- Board of Park, Recreation and Forestry Comm.
- Large event trigger
- Separate § 7.17 special event permit
- Sales in parks
- Prohibited except permitted festival/carnival
- Penalty
- Forfeiture under § 30.04
Summary
Groups that want to reserve a shelter, park, or other City of Middleton park facility must get a written permit from the Parks and Recreation Department, approved first by the Board of Park, Recreation and Forestry Commissioners. Groups planning a qualifying special event need an additional Section 7.17 special event permit on top of the facility reservation.
Permits for groups wishing to reserve the use of a shelter area, park or other park facility in the City shall apply for and obtain a written permit from the Parks and Recreation Department for such use, when first approved by the Board of Park, Recreation and Forestry Commissioners. Persons using park facilities pursuant to such permit shall observe all ordinances and regulations which apply to casual users of the park facilities. In addition to the permit under this Section, groups seeking to hold a special event as that term in defined under Section 7.17(2) shall be required to obtain a special permit under Section 7.17.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 3 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
02(1), Group Permits, requires any group wishing to reserve a shelter area, park, or other park facility in the City of Middleton to apply for and obtain a written permit from the Parks and Recreation Department, with the Board of Park, Recreation and Forestry Commissioners approving the request first. 15. 17 in addition to the facility reservation. 02(1) permit for a community festival or carnival may sell on the dates the permit covers, and craft sales run by Parks and Recreation staff are exempt. 10 subjects violations of the whole chapter, including permit misuse, to the standard municipal forfeiture. 01(2)(r).
Violations & Fines
Using a shelter, park, or facility for a group gathering without the Section 21.02(1) permit, or violating the sales restriction in Section 21.02(2), is enforced under Section 21.10, which applies the general Section 30.04 forfeiture to any Chapter 21 violation. Interfering with another group's valid permit under Section 21.01(2)(r) is a separate offense, and an unauthorized sale or solicitation inside a park can result in on-site removal by Parks and Recreation staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit just to reserve a picnic shelter in Middleton?
Is a shelter reservation the same as a special event permit?
Can our club sell tickets or merchandise at our reserved shelter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Middleton
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Park Event Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle park event permits.