Prince William County, VA Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

Sec. 17-20 lets "any person" reserve county park picnic pavilions and other bookable facilities by obtaining a park use permit from the County Executive or his or her designee, who sets the specific terms and conditions of each reservation, including which pavilion, the date and time block, and any facility-specific rules for the event. The section gives the County broad discretion over conditions "as he/she may deem appropriate," so requirements can differ by facility size, expected attendance or the type of gathering planned. A permit holder who fails to observe the general park regulations in Chapter 17, or the specific terms printed on the permit, risks revocation of the park use permit under the same section, which can end the reservation and the event using it.

Other Chapter 17 sections layer onto a facility reservation: Sec. 17-18 requires separate authorization before anyone erects even a temporary structure, sign or improvement on park land, so a permit holder planning a tent, stage or signage beyond what the reserved facility already provides needs that additional sign-off. Sec. 17-27 bars offering anything for sale, rent or trade on park land except by the County or a licensed concessionaire acting with the County Executive designee's permission, which matters for any reserved event that includes vendors or ticket sales.

Sec. 17-30 requires permission for amplified sound equipment used at a reserved gathering, and Sec. 17-4 sets the default penalty for violating any Chapter 17 provision, including permit conditions, at a Class 4 misdemeanor unless the chapter specifies otherwise, alongside possible ejection from the park.