Winter Haven, FL Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

Sec. 12-34 of the Winter Haven Code lets an organizer apply in writing to the city manager for a special permit granting relief from the noise limits in Table II of Sec. 12-31 whenever an entertainment function, such as a festival, concert, or similar public gathering, is planned for public property, including city parks. To qualify for the entertainment category, the event must be open to the public, though admission may be charged, and it must take place on public property rather than private land.

and 12:00 midnight; the city manager cannot grant relief outside those hours for this category. Before the permit issues, notice of the pending application must run one time in a local newspaper at least seven days ahead, giving neighbors an opportunity to weigh in. The city manager can attach any reasonable conditions to minimize impact on the surrounding neighborhood, including required mufflers, sound screens, or other sound-attenuating equipment, and any loudspeaker mounted on the exterior of a building still may not exceed the Table II limits even under a permit, except for emergency warning devices.

Separate from the entertainment category, Sec. on weekdays, for events lasting no more than one week and renewable only by a new application. Relief under this section never extends to Table I, the hearing-damage exposure limits, which apply regardless of any permit.