Milwaukee County’s goal is to enrich your life by providing essential services that meet your needs and those of your family, neighbors, co-workers and friends.
We enhance the quality of life in Milwaukee County through great public service.
Milwaukee County is home to over 950,000 people living in one of 19 communities, which range in size from the City of Milwaukee, with 595,000 residents, to the Village of River Hills, with roughly 1,600 residents.
Still a manufacturing stronghold, the region features 16 Fortune 1000 companies and thousands of others in the financial services, medical device, hospitality and retailing industries.
Find information about things to do and happenings in Milwaukee County.
Get help with COVID-19: Apply for energy assistance, rent or mortgage assistance and learn more about Milwaukee County’s ongoing response. Employees Only: Complete Daily Health Screen.
Some of Milwaukee’s most popular annual events, including Barktoberfest, Bastille Days, Chill on the Hill, Lakefront Marathon, UPAF Ride for the Arts, Walk to Defeat ALS and WMSE Backyard BBQ are held in Milwaukee County Parks. New special event applications are welcome. A Special Event Permit is required to reserve any Milwaukee County Parks property for any of the following reasons:
Hundreds of thousands of visitors head to the Milwaukee Lakefront each summer to visit our Premium Lakefront Venues:
Milwaukee County Parks manages some of the most popular outdoor event venues in downtown Milwaukee. These event spaces include:
Several parks in Milwaukee County have built-in stages, ideal for open-air concerts or movie nights. Indoor auditoriums and stages are also available in community centers and some park pavilions.
To host an event in a Milwaukee County park or facility, you'll need to apply for a Special Event Permit. This includes tickted events, raffles, 5k runs, concerts, farmers markets and festivals.
For any special event hosted in a Milwaukee County parks location, the permit fee will include the base fee for the location, plus a fee based on estimated attendence. Additional fees for add-ons, such as a raffle permit, may also apply.
Note: Separate Fee structures are used at Boerner Botanical Gardens, Mitchell Park Domes and Wehr Nature Center
CROWD SIZE FEE
FEE*
Up to 200 expected attendance
$400
201-400 expected attendance
$450
400+ expected attendance
$550
DOWNTOWN LOCATIONS BASE FEE
Cathedral Square
Juneau
Pere Marquette
Red Arrow
Zeidler Union Square
LAKEFRONT LOCATIONS BASE FEE
Bradford Beach
$750
Lake Park
Lincoln Memorial Drive (Closure)
$2,700
Veterans Park (four sectors available, base fee per section)
$1,100 - $2,700
HUMBOLDT & WASHINGTON BANDSHELLS BASE FEE
Bandshell Outside Stage (up to 6 hours)
$600
Bandshell Outside Stage & Indoor Dressing Room (up to 6 hours)
$900
Bandshell Per Additional Hour
$100
*NOTE: Fees do not include sales tax Other permit fees may apply
Depending on the type and location of the special event you plan to host, you may be required to provide additional documents or acquire additional permits from us or the municipality. Examples include:
Planning a 5k run? Several popular routes in Milwaukee are pre-measured.
Greenfield Park 5k Route
Veterans Park 5k Route Section D
Veterans Park 5k Route Section E
Please note that group-size restrictions will likely impact the Special Events World even after Safer-at-Home Orders are lifted.
Within three business days of your submission, we will notify you of the results of the initial review, which checks availability of your requested location and date/time. If there is no conflict, your application will continue through the review process. If there is a conflict, we will suggest available dates/times or nearby locations.
Parks Permit Request
9480 W. Watertown Plank Road Wauwatosa, WI 53226 (414) 257-PARK (7275)