Hosting an Event

Clark Park is governed by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, which requires and issues permits for any event in the park. There are, generally, five kinds of permits that park users may be required to obtain:

  • Picnic permits
  • Special Events permits
  • Sporting Events permits
  • Weddings and Wedding Photography permits
  • Vendor permits

Please check out Parks and Recreation Permits to obtain a permit or call their permit staff at 215-685-0600. For Clark Park specific details read below:

Do I need a permit?

Generally, small gatherings and picnics do not require a permit. To be sure, ask yourself the following five questions (if you answer “yes” to any of them, then you will need some kind of permit).

  1. Do you require a specific location in Clark Park?
  2. Will more than 50 people be attending your event at any given time?
  3. Will you be using amplified sound?
  4. Will you require use of the park’s electricity?
  5. Will there be any commerce or sales, such as at a flea market or food truck?

If you answered “no” to all questions

You probably don’t need a permit.

If you need help in sorting out your options, please contact Friends of Clark Park’s Large Events Committee at Events@friendsofclarkpark.org.


Picnic Permits

PPR designates specific areas of its parks as Picnic Areas, and a permit enables you to reserve that particular area for your picnic. Remember, picnics do not allow amplified sound, or commerce or sales. You can download the Picnic Permit here. Please note the entry for “Picnic Location” on the 4th line down. PPR has not yet determined which areas of Clark Park are its picnic areas. So, the FoCP suggests that you specify one of the following locations:

  • Shuffleboard court at 45th and Chestnut
  • Dickens Statue
  • Central Circle along Baltimore (the one with the chess tables and orange chairs)
  • Tot Lot Area at Chester and 43rd

If you’re having a cookout in the park, please be careful with your fire. It’s also very important that you not dump your coals on the ground: there’s a fire hazard, and charcoal frequently contains fuel and chemicals which can damage grass and pollute the soil. Please bring a metal pail to carry used coals elsewhere.


Special Events Permits

These are the permits required by the various majors events of Clark Park:  the Woodland Avenue Reunion, the Clark Park Music and Arts Festivals, the Spruce Hill May Fair, the Uhuru Flea Markets, and Shakespeare in the Park. With the creation of the new Department of Parks and Recreation in 2011, a new set of permit rules and requirements was developed. Many of the new regulations have been derived from the Fairmount Park Commission’s experience with very large events in very large locations. Clark Park’s events are of a very different kind and scale, and our experiences will continue to inform future revisions of Parks and Rec’s permit process. The Special Events Permit and Guidelines can be downloaded here. Please note all events in Clark Park must be sponsored by a West Philadelphia-based registered nonprofit organization. Additionally, Clark Park is at capacity for large events, so that no new event can be added unless a previously authorized event drops out of the schedule. The schedule for each new year is determined by the Friends of Clark Park Large Events Committee at its annual meeting the previous December.  If you have any trouble, questions, or concerns, contact our Large Events Committee at Events@friendsofclarkpark.org


Other Logistics:

Amplified Sound

Placement of Stages

Films

Advertising, Posters, and Flyers

Vehicles

Ready to Plan Your Event?

If you are ready to get your permit please check out the Parks and Recreation Permits Page. We thank you in advance for abiding by these guidelines to ensure that the events in the park can coexist with the community.

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