Wicomico County, MD Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

Wicomico County's parks chapter dedicates its use-by-permit section to reserved facility use: anyone holding a permit for an athletic field, court, pavilion, or rented space is entitled to exclusive use of that area on the dates and between the hours the permit specifies. That exclusivity is not absolute, though, because the same section automatically deems the permit revoked if the grounds are wet or otherwise unsuitable for use without damaging the facility, so weather can cancel a reserved slot outright. The chapter's general permits section governs how those reservations are obtained: applications must be made on a form furnished by the Department and accompanied by any fee the Department establishes and the County Council approves in executive session.

Permits can be issued for single-time use, a season, or a definite period for regional parks, athletic fields, recreation centers, or county-owned community buildings, and are only issued once the Director or a designee determines the requested facility is available and appropriate for the specified use given its size, location, amenities and effect on public health, safety and welfare. False or misleading statements in the application, or prior violations of the parks chapter or of a previous permit's terms, are grounds for the Department to deny the permit.

Special permits for alcohol sales or gambling on park property follow a separate track: those requests go to the Wicomico County Recreation and Parks Commission for review and comment before being forwarded, with the Commission's recommendation, to the County Council for final action. A group permit holder is financially responsible for any destruction of park property caused by anyone covered under that permit. Violating the parks chapter or a permit's terms is a civil infraction carrying a fine of $25 to $1,000 per offense.