Special Event & Film Permits

Special Event Permits

Events are a great part of Sumner. Some events are small enough to use existing spaces and resources. Others are large enough to require scheduling special use of City resources. We are here to help assist you to help balance the needs of your event with the resources owned by the citizens of Sumner as well as impacts your event will have on existing residents and businesses.

No Permit Necessary

All park spaces, including the picnic shelters, tables, barbecues, etc. are available on a first-come, first-serve basis only at no cost. Normal uses, such as birthday parties, family picnics, etc. do not require any kind of permit.
Events held solely on private property without use of large tents or impact to the normal use of surrounding roads or sidewalks do not require a permit.

Events that Need a Permit

You should obtain a Special Event Permit if your event is held on City property, including parks, streets, sidewalks or City parking lots; if your event changes the normal, everyday use of this space for the public and/or includes major components such as structures (City power, large tents, special tables, inflatable bounce toys, etc.), large crowds, vendors, or a band or amplified music.

Obtaining a Permit

For a general festival-type event, here is an example of what may be required:

City employee(s) at the event to set up and tear down barricades to reserve the space. They may also need to be on hand during your event for further services. For a small party with no other services, the cost would be the facility rental fee plus labor costs, traffic control, extra portable restroom rentals, or any other services or equipment fees that may be applicable.
If there is alcohol being served, you will require a banquet permit and you will need the area fully barricaded. More info at http://liq.wa.gov/licensing/permits.
With any event permit application, the City of Sumner requires a minimum limit of $2,000,000 of Commercial General Liability insurance. Even though there is no building, our code requires that the “City of Sumner” needs to be the Certificate Holder and an additional insured for the City of Sumner facilities.
If you plan to have food vendors at the event, they will need a valid City of Sumner Business License, a Mobile Food Vendor license from the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department (TPCHD), and a minimum of $1 million per occurrence with a $2 million aggregate for general liability insurance with you named as an additional insured. You will also want to obtain proof of ongoing and completed operations coverage to protect against food-borne illnesses. Events with food vendors may also be required to provide hand-washing stations, extra portable restrooms, and a waste management plan. This information is not necessary at the time of application, but once your special event permit application is approved, they will need to be uploaded in the portal at least 30 days before the event for the vendors to be present at your event.
A safety plan for a special event permit application will also need to be included at the time of application. The safety plan should include details such as crowd control, emergency procedures, first aid services, fire safety measures, security personnel, and any potential hazards specific to the event. Anyone applying for an event permit should also consider outlining evacuation routes, communication plans, special accommodations for vulnerable populations, and compliance with local health and safety regulations.
For larger events, a pre-event meeting with the event applicant and the City of Sumner staff will be held 30 days prior to the event to go over things like the safety and traffic control plans, layout of the event, power connections, or to answer follow-up questions.

Applications must be submitted at least 60 days in advance via our online portal. Applications will not be accepted if submitted less than 30 days in advance. To apply for a special event permit, you must have the following at the time of application:

Map of the Event
Commercial General Liability Insurance Certificate
Safety Plan
Waste Management/Sanitation Plan
Completed Application Form
Completed and Signed Agreement

Other forms you may need to complete at the time of application are:

Street Banner: Banner Supplement Application
Inflatables: Air Supported Structure Supplement Application
Parades: Parade Supplement Application

Film Permits

The City of Sumner welcomes film and media projects and strives to make the process clear, safe, and film-friendly. To help manage larger or higher-impact productions, the City has established a Film Permit process. Not all filming requires a permit. If filming does not interrupt the normal use of any City facility—including roads, sidewalks, parks, or other public spaces and the public can safely use these spaces as usual during filming, a permit is generally not required. Because requirements vary based on location, crew size, and activities involved, filmmakers are encouraged to contact the City before filming to determine whether a permit is required.

Film Permit Fees
Application Fee: $100.00. This fee is non-refundable and due at the time of application, at least 10 days before filming

Labor Fees
For filming that requires City staff support (such as Police or Public Works), the applicant is responsible for 100% of all labor costs. Labor rates are adjusted annually based on finance-approved rates. Due to the minimum 10-day review period, Police and Public Works must confirm adequate staffing is available before approval.

Facilities Use Fees
$200.00 per day, per location. This applies to use of City parking lots, parks, and/or road closures.

Insurance & Application Requirements
Film permit applicants must provide proof of liability insurance meeting the City’s current event insurance requirements. Film permit applicants may also need to provide a detailed site plan, parking plan, and safety plan. All materials must be submitted and approved at least 10 days before a permit can be issued.

Special Event/Film Permit Costs & Services:

Application Fees All Special Event Permit applications require a non-refundable application fee, due at least 60 days in advance. Applications submitted 30–59 days before the event will include an additional late fee. Applications submitted less than 30 days before the event cannot be accepted. Film Permit applications are due at least 10 days in advance.
Special Event Application Fee: $75.00 Additional Special Event Late Fee (if submitted 30-59 days before): $100.00 Film Permit Application Fee: $100.00
Labor Costs Prices listed in this section do not reflect permit costs, facility rentals, or any other costs associated with services or rental of equipment. Fees for Special Event Permits are to be paid for by the applicant at 50%. Fees for Film Permits are to be paid for by the applicant at 100%.
Standard Police Officer Rate (1 hour min.)	$83.00 per hour
Overtime Police Officer Rates (3 hour min.)	$125.00 per hour
Standard Public Works Rates (1 hour min.)	$57.00 per hour
Overtime Public Works Rates (3 hour min. after regular hours and on Saturdays)	$85.00 per hour
Double-time Public Works Rates (4 hour min. on Sundays and holidays)	$114.00 per hour
Main St. Public Restroom Cleaning Rates (1 hour min.)	$42.00 per hour
Overtime Main St. Public Restroom Cleaning Rates (3 hour min.)	$63.00 per hour
Facility Rental Prices listed in this section do not reflect labor, barricade rentals, traffic control by Sumner Police Department, or any other costs or services affiliated with the rental of the facility. Fees below to be paid for by the applicant at 100%.
City of Sumner Parking Lots: #1- Between North St. & Main St., #2- off North St., #3- Ryan Ave. & North St., #4- Main St. #5- Main St. & Ryan Ave., or the City of Sumner Employee Parking Lot* at Alder Ave. & Academy *available after City Hall hours only	$100.00 each per day
Rhubarb Alley	$100.00 per day
Roads or Streets: Kincaid Ave. between Maple & Main, Cherry Ave between Maple & Main, Main Street—Kincaid Ave to Alder Ave, Main Street—Alder Ave to Ryan Ave, Bridge St. bridge, or other	$100.00 each per day
Public Parks: Loyalty Park, Heritage Park (without street closures), Rainier View Park, Ryan House Lawn or other. Please note: not all areas of public parks may be rented for a special event	$100.00 each per day
Equipment/Services Prices listed in this section do not reflect permit costs, labor, facility rentals, traffic control by Sumner Police Department, or any other costs affiliated with services or rental of equipment. Fees below to be paid for by the applicant at 100%.
Street Sweeping (Please note: The City of Sumner may require street sweeping for large scale events or parades)	$100.00 per hour
Extra Barricades	$5.00 each
Connection to a City power box	$25.00 per day
Access to City water (Available at #5 Main & Ryan parking lot only)	$25.00 per day
Gray Water Dump Site (required for events with food trucks)	$25.00 per day
Adjustments to Lock/Unlock Public Restrooms After Regular Hours	$25.00 per event
Requests To Adjust Music on City Sound System	$25.00 per event
Promotional Banner The banner hanging fee includes labor and equipment rental. Fee below to be paid for by the applicant at 100%.
Hang Promotional Banner (Banner supplement application required)	$200.00 each banner
Permit Fees
Applicants for special event permits involving city services shall pay 100% of any facility rentals (e.g. streets or parks), banner hanging fees, rental fees (e.g., extra barricades), equipment costs, and connections or services (if applicable). Applicants for a special event that requires staff at the event (e.g. police officers for crowd/traffic control, public works employees to close down a road) shall pay 50 percent of all labor costs (if applicable). Fees may be reviewed annually. (SMC 12.52.030) Updated 1/2026

Apply for a Special Event or Film Permit Here

You may also want to visit pages to view our park locations (link) and review park rules (link).

CONTACT US:

Lana Hoover, Community Relations Specialist, lanah@sumnerwa.gov, 253-299-5781