Naperville, IL Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- City Manager (§ 9-5-1, subsection 3)
- Must specify
- Time, location and performance details
- Governing document
- Guidelines for Riverwalk Use, filed with City Clerk
- Not covered
- Team sports/games remain banned at any time
- Still applies
- Midnight-6am closure under subsection 2
- Penalty
- $100-$500 per offense under § 1-4-2
Summary
Any performance in Naperville's Riverwalk Park needs a City Manager permit under Municipal Code Section 9-5-1, subsection 3, specifying its time, location and details, and must follow the City Council's adopted Guidelines for Riverwalk Use.
3.All performances in and upon Riverwalk Park must first be authorized by a permit from the City Manager specifying time, location and details of said performance in accordance with the Guidelines adopted in Subsection 1 of this Section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 101).
Full Breakdown
' Subsection 1 folds the City Council-approved 'Guidelines for Riverwalk Use' into the ordinance by reference, and keeps the controlling copy on file in the office of the City Clerk, so an organizer needs to consult both the ordinance and that filed document to know the full set of conditions attached to a performance permit. The permitting requirement sits alongside other Riverwalk-specific restrictions in the same Section: subsection 4 bars team sports and games such as baseball, football, field hockey, Frisbee throwing, volleyball or horseshoes at any time in the park, meaning a performance permit does not open the door to organized sports use, and subsection 5 separately bars cutting, removing or damaging park vegetation and hunting, molesting or killing wildlife, so a performance setup cannot disturb plantings or wildlife without violating those companion provisions. closure in subsection 2 still governs when any permitted performance must end for the night.
Violations & Fines
Staging a performance in Riverwalk Park without the City Manager's authorization required by Section 9-5-1, subsection 3, is enforced under the City's general penalty at Section 1-4-2 since Chapter 5 states no dedicated fine: $100 to $500 per offense, with each unauthorized performance date treated as a separate violation. A permitted performance is still bound by the park's midnight closure and its vegetation and wildlife protections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues performance permits for Naperville's Riverwalk Park?
Can I hold a sports tournament in Riverwalk Park with a permit?
Where can I find the rules for what's allowed during a Riverwalk performance?
Does a Riverwalk performance permit let me stay past midnight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Naperville
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