While we know all events are special, the City of Boise defines a special event as a gathering that requires extensive planning, including things like outdoor concerts, parades, festivals or sporting events such as marathons, bike races and more. Approximately 75 special events are permitted through the City Clerk's office each year, which enhance tourism, provide an economic benefit to businesses, promote cultural diversity and offer affordable entertainment. The City of Boise Special Events Team works with event organizers to help produce successful and safe events with minimal impact on the environment, surrounding neighborhoods and businesses.
What type of event are you planning?
If you're thinking about scheduling an event in the City of Boise, there are a few factors that can help determine which kind of permit(s) are needed:
- Where is the event being held? (public neighborhood, street, park, plaza or other facility)
- How many people are expected to attend the event? (more or less than 1,000)
- Will roads be closed and alcohol be sold/served?
These types of events on public property require permitting from City of Boise departments and/or other local agencies. Each kind of event involves careful planning but has a different permitting process.
A special event permit is required for any event on public property that is expected to have more than one thousand (1,000) people attend or any event that requires extraordinary resources including but not limited to alcohol compliance, security, emergency services and road closures/traffic control.
*Per Boise City Code, every planned special event on public property that has a projected attendance of more than one thousand (1,000) people is expected to require extraordinary resources.
Applications for a planned special event permit shall be made to the City Clerk at least forty-five (45) days, but not more than three hundred sixty-five (365) days prior to the event. It is strongly recommended that organizers contact the City of Boise to start planning their event as soon as reasonably possible.
**Submitting a Special Event Application does NOT reserve, hold or guarantee dates or venues, nor imply any approval of the proposed concept or event.
All application and processing fees are due at time of submission via check by mail or check/credit card in person at Boise City Hall (150 N Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702) or online via our payment portal. Over the phone payments cannot be processed.
The applicant shall, when notified by the City Clerk's Office, attend the Special Events Team meeting and participate in the Special Event Team’s review if the event meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
- Event is new to the City of Boise
- Event organizer has changed
- There will be 1,000 or more participants
- Roads will be closed and alcohol will be sold/served
- Plans with past or current events/event organizers have raised safety and/or compliance concerns
Boise City Code provides the framework and guidance for issuing Special Event Permits and can be viewed online.
Additional questions should be directed to the Boise City Clerk’s office at specialevents@cityofboise.org or 208-972-8150.
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