Special Event Permit
Welcome to the City of Columbia Special Event Permit Portal.
We are excited to work with you as you begin planning a special event in the City of Columbia. This portal is designed to guide you through the application process and help ensure your event is well-organized, safe, and enjoyable for both participants and the community.
Special event applications are reviewed by the City's Special Event Committee (SEC), which is made up of representatives from several city departments. The committee meets monthly to review pending applications and discuss event logistics. Depending on the size, scope, and components of your event, you may be asked to attend an SEC meeting to provide additional details or answer questions about your plans.
The purpose of the Special Event Committee is to review each application from the perspective of their specific areas of expertise and provide guidance to ensure events are conducted safely and in compliance with all applicable city ordinances and regulations.
The committee includes representatives from the following City of Columbia departments:
- Building & Site Development
- Business License
- Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Fire
- Law - Risk Management
- Parks & Recreation
- Police
- Public Health & Human Services
- Public Works - Streets Engineering
- Public Works - Parking Utility
- Public Works - Transit
- Utilities - Solid Waste
The City of Columbia values special events and the energy they bring to our community. From festivals and races to cultural celebrations and neighborhood gatherings, these events help make Columbia a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.
Our goal is to work collaboratively with event organizers to help create successful events while ensuring public safety, accessibility, and compliance with city regulations.
If it is determined that your event requires an Operations Agreement to go before City Council for approval due to its size and scope, the application and all relevant documents must be present, paid and submitted by the appropriate deadlines in order to be considered.
City staff are available to answer questions and assist you throughout the planning process. We look forward to working with you to help make your event a success. If you have any questions or need further direction, please call 573-817-5052 for assistance. We are happy to help!
To submit a Special Event application, you will need to have an account with us. If you don't have an account, create one now. There is a 2-step verification via email process for security & privacy purposes so be sure to check your email.