York County, PA Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

York County Code § 75-3 (Use of park system) makes clear that anyone wanting exclusive or designated use of a county park space must go through the Department of Parks and Recreation. A rental permit is required simply to reserve and use a park-designated space, per § 75-3.B. If the gathering involves bounce houses, tents, canopies, pony rides, petting zoos, rallies, or competitive and fundraising events, the organizer instead needs a special events permit and a signed special events agreement (§ 75-3.C). Those special events permits are capped at 60 days from issuance and can never run past December 31 of the year they were issued, so a group planning a winter event must reapply the following year.

Applications go through the Department office or another designated location under § 75-3.D and E, must be submitted well in advance of the requested date, and must be accompanied by the fee the Director has set. If more reservation requests come in than there is space available, the Department works through them in the order received rather than by preference or size. County-related departments get their rental fee waived, but that waiver does not extend to individual county employees booking space for personal use (§ 75-3.D(1)).

No one under 18 can hold an overnight permit (sunset to sunrise) unless accompanied by someone 18 or older (§ 75-3.F). Permit holders answer for the conduct of everyone using the space under their permit and must leave it clean; the Department inspects the space right after the event and bills the permit holder for any debris removal or damage, including staff labor (§ 75-3.G, I, J). A permit can be revoked at any time by the Director, a designee, or a Park Ranger in the field for cause.

Using the park system in a manner requiring a permit without one is unlawful under § 75-3.K, as is charging others to use park space without authorization (§ 75-3.M). Sports fields cannot be used without a reservation either (§ 75-3.N), and commercial activity in the park system is flatly prohibited (§ 75-3.P).