Today the Wichita City Council approved an amendment to City Ordinance 4.04.045 for the consumption of alcohol in parks for special events that do not classify as community events. The change to the ordinance will streamline the event request process, making it easier for residents to receive approval to hold special events in parks where alcohol will be served or sold. Residents can expect to receive approvals for these events more conveniently with the written approval by the Park and Recreation Director.
Previously, special event requests that did not require a community event permit still necessitated an exception from City Council that could take a minimum of one month to process. With this change, the Director of Park and Recreation can now offer written approval for these special event requests without processing it through City Council.
The following process will guide how a proposed event will be approved:
- Interested parties will fill out a community event application.
- If the criteria are met for a Community Event, Arts & Cultural Services will coordinate with the event promoter to issue a Community Event Permit to be approved by City Council.
- If it does not meet the criteria of a Community Event but is a special event on Park property, it will be forwarded to Park and Recreation staff for coordination.
- If the event will be serving/selling alcohol, the Park and Recreation Director must provide written approval in accordance with Departmental policy.
Thinking about hosting a community event in the City of Wichita? Check out the
Community Event Licenses and Fees Guide to aid you in the application process.
You can find more details about the ordinance by visiting the Wichita
Code of Ordinances online.
