Permits - Festivals & Events


Outdoor Festivals and Community Events on City of Olympia Property


 PERMIT APPLICATION FORM AND DOCUMENTS FOR 2009 OUTDOOR FESTIVALS ON CITY OF OLYMPIA PROPERTY: 

Applications are only accepted for the noticed calendar year. Your application to request use of City property for an outdoor festival event should be submitted no later than 90 days before the first day of event set up to allow adequate time for review, communication, and logistical planning. Use the same forms to request use of City streets for single or multi-day events.

Questions?  Contact Cathie Butler at Olympia City Hall by phone (360) 753-8361 or email, cbutler@ci.olympia.wa.us.

General Information. Outdoor Festival Events are open to the public without admission charge, and usually include entertainment or other festival activities.  Examples of traditional outdoor festival events in Olympia are Arts Walk, Bon Odori, Capital City Pride Festival, Harbor Days, Hemp Fest, Lakefair, Sand in the City, and the Wooden Boat Fair.

In 2007, the Olympia City Council approved Ordinance 6474 (pdf file) requiring permits, a street closure fee, and reimbursement for some City services for oudoor festival events held on City property that last longer than one day. An event is considered "multi-day" if it is longer than one calendar day including pre-event set-up and post-event dismantling/clean-up.

Date Restrictions. At the bottom of this page is a list of dates for 2009 festivals and community events sponsored and organized by Olympia City Government through the Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation Department.  The City will not permit use of City property (including streets and sidewalks) in downtown Olympia for additional festivals or street closure event activities on the same days as Spring Arts Walk/Procession of Species and Fall Arts Walk, or in close location proximity on the same days as the Ethnic Celebration, Outdoor Life Festival, and Percival Play Day.

Liability Insurance Requirements. Please note that the City of Olympia now requires sponsors of outdoor community festivals held on City property to obtain event liability insurance in a minimum amount of $1 million dollars per occurance and $2 million aggregate, with the City named as an additional insured party.  The dollar amount requested by the City may be higher, depending on the nature of event activities and recommendation by the City's risk manager.

Alcohol Sales. The City of Olympia does not allow the sale or serving of alcohol on City property for festival events.

Notifications. When a street closure is requested for a festival, the event sponsor is required to provide advance notice to adjacent businesses in writing of their request, the proposed event dates and times, nature of activities planned for the street, and the contact name and phone number for the event sponsor.

Street Use Fee. Sponsors of multi-day outdoor festivals must pay a street usage fee of $50 per block per day of event operation.

Community Event License.  The sponsor of a community event in Olympia, whether or not it is held on City property, must obtain a community event license per Title 5.17 of the Olympia Municipal Code.  There is a $50 fee.  The City's regular business license form may be used to apply for a community event license. In OMC Title 5.17, community event is defined as: "Any festival, celebration, fair or other similar event held in the city with local participation and sponsorship, which event is open to the public and does not exceed seven days in duration during any calendar year."

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State Capital Campus, Heritage Park, Marathon Park, Sylvester Park


The Capitol Campus, Heritage Park/Capitol Lake, Marathon Park, Sylvester Park, and Deschutes Parkway in downtown Olympia are owned by the State of Washington and maintained by the State Department of General Administration.  Also owned and managed by the State is the portion of Washington Street in downtown Olympia that is between Legion Way and 7th Avenue (between Sylvester Park and the Superintendent of Public Instruction Building).  Heritage Park area map (pdf file)

Please make contact directly with the State Department of General Administration to request use of those facilities or locations for events. Rules for use of Capitol Campus public areas.

If an event sponsor requests use of City streets adjacent to State-owned parks as part of the event venue, City permission - if granted - will be conditioned on the State Department of General Administration issuing a permit for use of the State property for the event's primary activities, including stages and entertainment, and the ability of emergency vehicles to navigate the streets if needed.
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Non-Festival Events and Activities at Olympia City Parks, including Percival Landing and The Olympia Center


If you wish to reserve space in a City of Olympia park, at Percival Landing, or at The Olympia Center for an event or activity other than an outdoor community or festival event, please contact the Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation Department, (360) 753-8380.  Do not fill out the festival events application posted on this page. 

Percival Landing area map (pdf file)
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Parades, Marches, Demonstrations not part of a community event or festival

 
City Council Resolution. The Olympia City Council adopted Resolution M-1476 in 2000 encouraging open, advance communication about demonstration, protest, and free speech activities/plans. 

Street Use.  Contact the Olympia Police Department Traffic Division by phone at (360) 753-8419 to make arrangements for parades, marches, demonstrations and free speech activities on City of Olympia streets.  Do not fill out the festival events application posted on this page.

City Park Use.  Contact Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation Department about use of City park property for demonstrations and free speech activities, (360) 753-8300.  See the information below about requests to use State property such as Sylvester and Heritage Parks.  Do not fill out the festival events application posted on this page.

State Capitol Campus, Heritage Park, Sylvester Park. Contact the State Department of General Administration to arrange for demonstration, protest, and free speech events on State grounds.
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Run/Walk-A-Thons, Marathons


Contact the Olympia Police Department Traffic Division by phone at (360) 753-8419 to request street closure or to make arrangements.  Do not fill out the festival events application posted on this page.

Depending on the requested use, the City may require liability insurance as determined by the City's Risk Manager.
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Neighborhood Block Parties


Contact the Olympia Police Department Traffic Division by phone at (360) 753-8419 to request street closure for a neighborhood block party.  Do not fill out the festival events application on this page.
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List of 2009 Festival Events Sponsored and Organized by Olympia City Government

  • Saturday, February 7 - Ethnic Celebration; Location - The Washington Center and on Washington Street.
  • Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 - Spring Arts Walk, including the Procession of the Species;  Location - multiple streets and venues in downtown Olympia.
  • Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 - Outdoor Life Festival; Location - Marathon Park.  
  • Friday, October 2 - Fall Arts Walk; Location - multiple streets and venues in downtown Olympia.

Learn more about these City of Olympia sponsored events.

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