The City of Clarksville is pleased that you have chosen our City for your event and would like it to be a success. We have designed the permit process to enable you to think through the elements needed for your event and to make the arrangements for all permits and approvals in a timely manner. This guide is intended to provide you with the information needed to complete a permit application.

The City of Clarksville reserves the right to refuse a permit to events that do not meet the basic eligibility requirements to hold an event within City limits or that are judged to present a risk of possible harm to business, or property damage, or involve illegal activities. This includes rides that have stops at establishments that serve alcohol and are open during the hours that the ride takes place.

Applications must be received no later than 60 days prior to your event date. Applications received after 60 days prior to your event will not be considered.

If at any time you have any questions regarding this application, please contact our office at (931) 645-7476 or parksrec@cityofclarksville.com.

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Guidelines

• No person, firm, corporation or organization shall participate in, advertise for or in any way promote, organize, control, manage, solicit, or induce participation in an event on public property or a temporary street closure unless a permit has first been obtained from the City of Clarksville. This outline is intended to serve as a guide and may not be inclusive of all City, State, and Federal requirements. 
• Suggested filing is at least 180 days prior to the scheduled event. Events should not be advertised or promoted until an event permit has been obtained from the City of Clarksville. Failure to file in a timely manner may result in denial of permit. 
• Depending on the scope of the event, a fee may be required prior to or after the special event, in connection with events held on City property in case of damage. 
• Completed application, payment, and supplemental documentation are due at least 45 days prior to the event. 
• The City of Clarksville will determine the minimum number of off-duty police officers and other public safety personnel required to assure the safety of all participants, the safety of the general public, and traffic flow around the event or parade. The event organizer will be responsible for hiring all necessary personnel deemed required by the City of Clarksville. 
• The City of Clarksville will review all special event recommendations and determine approval, denial, or approval with changes. 
• If beer is sold or given away, a permit from the City of Clarksville Beer Board is required. 
• If wine or liquor is sold or given away, applicant must satisfy and comply with applicable Tennesee Alcoholic Beverage Commission laws. 
• If the event is approved with changes, the Parks and Recreation Permit Coordinator will communicate all necessary changes required for approval. 
• Included with the letter of conditional approval will be an outline of all necessary additional requirements. 
• If the event permit is denied, the City of Clarksville will issue a letter of denial. 
• This application will not be processed unless all debts owed to the City of Clarksville, by the applicant, have been paid in full including property taxes, fees, or fines.

Good Neighbor Letter/Signature List

The event organizer may be required to deliver written notice to all businesses and residents on or near the event site. The notice must include the following:

• Date, time, and location of the event
• Date, time, and location of all related street closures
• Name, address, and phone number of event organizer

It is suggested that the event organizers inform all businesses and residents within a two (2) block radius of the event, of the event dates and any related street closures. The event organizer must provide the City a copy of the letter/email, mailing list or signature list.

Insurance

If any stages, amusement attractions or amusement rides, including inflatables, will be erected for the event, applicant must give specific details as to the location and type of games/activities such as inflatables, horseshoes, relay races, etc. along with the name of the company providing the stages and/or activities. Applicant must also include a copy of that company’s insurance certificate indicating coverage and listing the City of Clarksville as additional insured. 

For stages, tents, inflatables, etc. constructed on the site prior to the event, that date must be included on Certificate of Insurance provided to the City of Clarksville. Stages MUST be removed from the site at end of the event. Rented inflatables/interactive that are set-up and manned by the applicant must be included specifically in the applicant’s Certificate of Insurance. 

A site map of your event must be included with this application. Please include locations of tents, stages, portable restrooms, dumpsters, fencing, food and beverage booths, and all sponsor or vendor booths. Also, indicate where streets will be blocked and what will be used to block the streets. This application will not be processed without a completed site map. 

Applicants must provide the City of Clarksville with a certificate of insurance for a commercial general liability naming the City of Clarksville, 1 Public Square, Clarksville, TN 37040, as an additional insured. This policy must have a minimum coverage of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00). 

Security / Site Plan

Your security plan must be acceptable to the Chief of Police or their designee. The Chief or their designee reserves the right to require you to hire Off- Duty Law Enforcement Officers with jurisdiction such as: 

• Clarksville Police Department
• Tennessee Highway Patrol
• Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
• Austin Peay Campus Police (if on Campus)

If you choose to use Reserve Deputies/Officers there must be a Sworn Officer(s) accompanying them. The Chief or their designee will determine the Officer to Reserve ratio based on your event. 

Events selling alcohol will be required to hire Off-Duty Law Enforcement Officers with jurisdiction- no exceptions. 

Clarksville Police Officers must be paid for the event at the rate of $30.00 per officer, per hour, for a minimum of three (3) hours. After your application has been approved, you will be responsible for contacting the Clarksville Police Department at (931) 648-0656 to make arrangements for the necessary officers. All Clarksville Police Officers must be paid directly within seven (7) days after the event. 

Road closures and equipment shall be coordinated between the organizer and Clarksville Street Department at (931)645-7464.

Vendors

The site map of the event should be returned that shows the location of the event vendors. 

For special events, the City of Clarksville requires that all Food Concessionaires obtain a Transient Food Vendor Permit. A Transient Food Vendor is a business that engages in a temporary or transient business either in one location or traveling from place to place buying or selling goods. For more information about the City of Clarksville Transient Vendor, visit https://www.cityofclarksville.com/924/Permits.

As part of obtaining the Transient Food Vendor Permit, all approved Food Concessionaires must adhere to all State Health Department and Clarksville Fire Department regulations. Any necessary permitting, fees, code compliance, and fire suppression systems required by the departments are to be acquired prior to the event.

Applicants serving beer at their event must submit an application to the Clarksville Beer Board. This can be done by picking up an application from the Clarksville Police Department at 135 Commerce Street, Clarksville, TN 37040 or 1584 Vista Lane Clarksville, TN 37040. That application must be turned into the Vista Lane location. Their phone number is (931) 645-1126. Your approved event permit will be required as part of the beer permit application. 

Applicants serving wine or liquor at their event must satisfy and comply with all state laws and Tennesse Alcoholic Beverage Commission laws. 

Events that include deep-frying cooking oil operations are required to have a grease pit on-site. The primary event sponsor is required to remove all cooking grease from the site immediately after the event. Illegal dumping of cooking grease will be prosecuted. It is against City Code (26-2008-09) to dump grease, fats, and oils into the sewer system. All food waste must be kept in containers and disposed of properly. 

Application

Application, payment, and supplemental documentation is due no later than 60 days prior to Scheduled Event. Late applications are not accepted. Please read the application carefully and fully complete each section. Completing this application does not guarantee that your request will be granted. 

Fees

The applicant will be redirected to the payment site after submitting this form.  

• A non-refundable application fee of $30 is due at the time of filing.
• An additional fee of $15 is due for parades/rides.
• Depending on the scope of the event, a fee may be required prior to or after the special event, in connection with events held on City property in case of damage.