Special Events

Effective July 1st, 2018, the City of Cleveland enacted a revised Special Events Policy (PDF) to ensure events that take place in the City of Cleveland are as safe and well-organized as possible for the protection of all those who attend.

The City of Cleveland looks forward to working with you and hopes that your event is successful and safe.

The Special Events Committee

The Special Events Committee (The Committee) will review each application and determine the Impact Level of the event.

Special Events will be categorized as a Level I or II event based on information provided in the impact characteristics matrix and special event application. If an event is requesting a multi-year contract with the City of Cleveland it is automatically classified as a Level II and subject to approval by the Board of Aldermen.

The Impact Level

The Impact Level of the event will be used to determine:

  • Applicable fees
  • Level of review for approval (Special Events Committee or Board of Aldermen)
  • Requirements for a pre-event meeting and/or post-event walkthrough

Impact Level Table

Events

  • Level I events: A completed application must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the requested event date. Upon approval by the Special Events Committee recommendation, the City Clerk may process and issue permits. Should the Special Events committee recommend denial of a Special Event, that decision may be appealed to the Board of Aldermen.
  • Level II events: A completed application must be submitted at least 90 days prior to the requested event date. Upon approval by the Special Events Committee and Board of Aldermen, permits will be processed and issued by the City Clerk.

Application Fees

Effective July 1st, 2018, all applications must be received with a non-refundable event application fee of $25. This fee will not be applied to special event permit fees. Applications submitted without the application fee will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Incomplete applications will not be accepted and will delay processing which could affect the availability of your preferred event date or location. Refer to our Special Events Calendar to determine the availability of your preferred date.