Palm Desert, CA Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

Palm Desert sorts its parks by size. Under § 11.01.010 a large park is twenty acres or larger, and up to fifty people can gather there without a permit. A small park is up to twenty acres, the city issues no permits for small parks, up to thirty people can gather, and § 11.01.060 prohibits meetings, organized gatherings, group picnic celebrations, parades, services or exercises of thirty or more persons there. Visitors are directed to large parks. Gatherings of fifty or more in a large park need a written permit granted by the director. The same section prohibits competitive recreation events on or off trails in the Santa Rosa Mountains, including at developed trailheads.

A "group gathering" is defined as a music festival, art festival, public dance, political rally or organized meeting, open to the public free or for a charge, or any gathering attended by fifty or more persons. A "special event" is a group gathering that reserves more than one park amenity, charges admission, is publicly advertised or has more than one hundred fifty participants. Under § 11.04.020, groups under fifty can use unreserved areas first-come, first-served, but must file for a formal permit to reserve a specific large park area.

Section 11.04.030 requires a verified application to the director not less than thirty nor more than one hundred twenty days before the event. It asks for the organizer, the responsible chairman, the date, place, expected attendance, start and end times, the park amenities to be used, utility needs and whether amplified sound will be requested. Under § 11.04.040 the applicant pays a refundable cleaning deposit set by the director by expected attendance, refunded within fifteen days after the event, plus a nonrefundable administration fee and a reservation fee. The reservation fee is refundable only with written cancellation at least one day (twenty-four hours) before the event. The director can discount the reservation fee for Palm Desert residents.

The director must find that the gathering will not interrupt safe use of the park, interfere with police, fire or ambulance service, risk injury or disorder, require diverting too many officers, or exist solely to advertise a business (§ 11.04.050). The director acts within ten days, and a denial notice with reasons is mailed within fifteen days (§ 11.04.060). Applications filed under thirty days out are discretionary (§ 11.04.070). A denial can be appealed to the city council by written notice within five days after mailing (§ 11.04.080). Approved special event permits go to the city manager, Desert recreation district, fire chief, Riverside County sheriff's department and others (§ 11.04.090).