Office and Payment Hours

• Hours:  Monday - Friday:  8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  Closed City Holidays, Saturday & Sunday.      512-974-6797
• Payment Types Accepted:     Anytime: Online (PDF), Cash, or Money Order. 
  • More than 14 days from the event date:  Check
• Payment Deadlines:  If you book a site or facility today (for example), payment in full is due within 14 days.  Payments for additional permits are due at the time they are requested, and BEFORE a permit will be released. 

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Booking Periods and the Lottery

General Booking Period       6 months to 14 days in advance     Call to book readily available common picnic and facility rental sites.   Observed Holidays (No Reservation Periods) (PDF)

Lottery Booking      The earliest you can reserve a park/facility is 10 months in advance through the lottery.  For example, submit a lottery request in May for March dates, or December for October dates (see the booking and lottery calendar (PDF)).  After the lottery, the next period to reserve a park is 6 months in advance of the event month in the general booking period.      Early Reservation Lottery Request (PDF)        Observed Holidays (No Reservation Periods) (PDF)

Applications

• Special Request Form Application (PDF)
  • USE FOR:  PARK ONLY events.  For example, an public event, fundraiser with food and non-alcoholic beverages.  May NOT include alcohol sales, structures, or tent permits.
  • USE FOR:  Curfew extensions, an event at a typically non-bookable park, or public events with food vending/merchandising    May NOT include alcohol sales, structures, or tent permits.
  • NOTICE:      Special requests require review and processing time in addition to the 14 day cut off booking period for typical picnic or facility rentals.  A lead request time of 4-6 months is strongly suggested.

• ACE Citywide Special Event Application
  • See the “Event Planning” section. 
  • Consult with a PARD event planner PRIOR to applying.  Many parks are booked by annual reoccurring events. 
  • Use for events which require services/permits for a park AND any one of the following:  public safety personnel/security personnel, medical support services, lake/open water use, use of sidewalks/streets as part of a run/walk route or similar, fire inspections, tents/ canopies, building structures such as stages or platforms, health permits, public events where alcohol will be served or sold.
  • Learn more about park special event planning

PICNIC AREAS/SHELTER RESERVATIONS

       Make sure to ONLY look for dates labeled OPEN!                        

All picnic site rentals start at $60 per site per day for any period between 10 am and 10 pm at most sites.  Bookings start 6 months in advance, or read more here.  Payments are due received in the park events office within 14 days of booking to confirm the reservation.  Use the "At a Glance" picnic site list below and find a site that matches your needs.  Our picnic sites and shelters documents shows all picnic sites, features to help you make an educated decision on which site fits your needs.  Check the online calendar for availability. 

1. Find a site         Picnic and Shelter Sites at a Glance (PDF)
2. See the Sites    Maps and Images 
3. Check availability online!
4. Call to book!  512-974-6797

• Map Tip - Red icons show parks at large, green icons show actual site locations reservable within each park. 
• Map Tip - Switch between "map or satellite" views.   
• Map Tip -  Use the map navigate function to map a route to the picnic site!
• Tips for a Successful Picnic

FACILITY RESERVATIONS

Call in bookings start 6 months in advance, or read more here.  Payments are due received within 14 days of booking to confirm the reservation.  Check the online calendar for availability.  Select the park from the "location list", and then select "event facility" in the "features" box to narrow results to ONLY the event facilities.  The guidebooks below include pricing, rules and allowances for each site.    Learn more about specific permit topics in the policies section.

1. Check availability online!  Select "event facility" in the features selection box to ONLY see the event facilities noted below.
2. Call to book!  512-974-6797

Fiesta Gardens: 2100 Jesse E. Segovia Street - Excellent for small festivals and private events.

• Facility Guidebook (PDF)          Facility Site Plan         Facility Grounds Plan      Driving Directions Map        Photo Gallery

Mayfield Cottage: 3801 Old Bull Creek Road (Next to Austin Museum of Art) - Historic garden location for small private events.  No music allowed at this site.

• Facility Guidebook (PDF)          Facility Site Plan         Ground Site Plan             Driving Directions Map         Photo Gallery

• Mayfield Photography Policy ($50/session (PDF)
  • Check Availability - select the "Mayfield" park location field

Sparky Park Station Building:  3701 Grooms Street - Perfect for meetings/uses central to this neighborhood.  Extremely limited parking.  30 people or less.  NO amplified sound allowed.

• Facility Guidebook (PDF)          Facility Site Plan         Photo Gallery

Zilker Clubhouse: 200 Zilker Clubhouse Road (Off Rollingwood Drive) Perfect for small events of approximately 125 people.

•  Facility Guidebook (PDF)          Site CAD Plan          Fireplace Measurements     Driving Directions Map     Photo Gallery

FILMING AND COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

The events office will make every effort to review and approve filming uses when an application is received.  However, it is more difficult with shorter lead times or at park locations with high public usage such as pools or metropolitan parks.  In order to be most successful, thoroughly detailed applications should be received 7 or more days in advance of the requested start date.  Permits are handled in the order received.  Shoots with at popular or metropolitan parks, with multiple locations, detailed needs, or large numbers of cast/crew should plan to submit requests 14 days or more in advance of the start date.

• Filming Application & Location Form (PDF)
  • Use for up to 2 locations, and 3 days per site.  Or up to 6 days at 1 site.
  • Attach detailed schedule/map if required.
• Filming Insurance (PDF)

Policies, Procedures, Forms, & Park Rules

• Policies, Rules, Pricing, and Holidays
• Reservation Procedures, Policies, Rules and Permits Handbook (PDF)
• Park Rules - Glass, Styrofoam and Smoking are prohibited in all parks.
• 2019-2020 Pricing Sheet (PDF)
• Observed Holidays (No Reservation Periods) (PDF)

• Insurance - Standard Specifications,
• Insurance  (standard requirements for all public events, & possible coverages required by the park system)

• Subject Topic Documents for Events With Reservations
• Alcohol Service Standards - Beer Garden Requirements and Mock Layouts (PDF)
• Alcohol Permitting Process Overview (PDF)
• Building Permits (PDF)        (stages, bleachers, structures at events)
• Crawfish Boil Regulations(PDF)
• Electrical Permits -  Required for wire to wire, tie-in, or pig tail connections.
• Food and Beverage Permit - Health Food Permits and Handling Guidelines (PDF)
• Food and Beverage/Vendor  - Fire Department Propane and Tent Advisory Guidelines (PDF)
• Food and Beverage (PDF) - Mobile Food Vending Fire Department Regulations for  at permitted events
• Smoke and Electronic Cigarette-free Events Toolkit (PDF)
• Tent Regulations - Austin Fire Department (PDF)
• Turf Access and Tree Protection (PDF)
• Directions for Submitting a Completed Site Plan for Tree Impact Review (PDF)

Permits

EVENT RELATED PERMITS

• ALCOHOL SALES
  • Permit process steps (PDF)
  • Alcohol service requirements (PDF)
  • Complete one ONLY if directed by City staff:  Alcohol at a Rental (PDF)     Alcohol at a Cosponsored Event (PDF)
  • Indoor theaters/museum spaces - permit process steps (PDF).

• AMPLIFIED SOUND               Review each picnic site or facility booklet, as some properties contain sound restrictions.
  • Commercial or Advertising Purposes ($30) -- Private Party  ($20) -- Public Interest, Political or Non-Profit ($10)

• CONCESSIONS,                     At a confirmed event, concessions are permitted inside the event area through the event organizer.
• PRODUCT SAMPLING,         All stand alone or non event related concessions must obtain a concession permit.
• ADVERTISING

• MOONWALK, DUNK TANK,  $10/device.  Must be state inspected, and insured. 
• ROCKWALL DEVICES           NO Miniature Trains, Water slides or Petting Zoos.

MISCELLANEOUS PARK PERMITS

• Mayfield Photo Session       $50 per 2 hour permit
• Metal Detecting (PDF)          Permits are typically issued to searches for an item lost in extenuating circumstances.
• Drones                                    State and FAA regulations impact the use of drones. Convenient resources are listed below.
  • Federal Aviation Administration - helpful sections, regulations, and requirements.      
  • State Government Code – Government Code, Chapter 423

Commercial Use Permits

Commercial use approvals (permits) are required and issued for training classes, exercise groups in the park system.  Per City Code Chapter 8:  COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY means to advertise or provide a good, service, class, or instructional activity for compensation.  COMPENSATION means any money, thing of value, payment, reward, tip, consideration, donation, gratuity, or profit paid to, accepted by, or received by a person.  APPROVAL means a permit, reservation agreement, or other written document that evidences an authorization by the department.   Fines:  $100-$500 fine, $250 minimum fine during a special event , Class C Misdemeanor

• Commercial Use Permits                 Training classes, exercise groups, or similar.

Temporary Concession Permits

Concession approvals (permits) are required and issued to applicants for commercial activity requests (vending, merchandise sales, etc) in the park system.  Concession permits are issued at stand-alone park locations where short-term or single concession needs arise that benefit an activity or the public at the requested park location.Concession permits, are NOT issued for vendors to vend outside or near permitted special events where organizers typically coordinate vendors inside their permitted grounds and spaces.

• Temporary Concession Permits      Single day or 6 month permits.  Food, beverage, merchandise, or bike tours.

SPECIAL EVENTS PLANNING INFORMATION