Outdoor Event Permits and Planning

The City of Chesapeake celebrates special events for their contributions to cultural, community and economic growth. We are pleased you have selected Chesapeake as the site for your special event. Chesapeake strives to provide excellent customer service while facilitating your event needs.

City Event Coordination staff oversee the outdoor special event permitting process. We serve as a resource to assist event organizers during event planning and will coordinate the collaborative involvement of City resources. Depending on the scope of your event, a number of City and State departments may be involved in the logistics necessary to produce a safe and successfully executed event. The Outdoor Special Event Permit Application will facilitate these requirements.

The Special Event Guidebook has been developed for you to use as a reference while you complete your application. The guidebook provides a review of the process and key information needed during the planning stages of your event. Please feel free to contact the City Event Coordination staff at 757-382-6411 or events@cityofchesapeake.net if you have any questions.

It is our goal to work with event organizers to ensure safe and successful events are held in the City of Chesapeake. We hope you find these instructions helpful in completing your Outdoor Special Events Application and your event is a great success!

Sincerely,

City Events Coordinator
City of Chesapeake
757-382-6411
events@cityofchesapeake.net

Links

• Apply for an Outdoor Special Event Permit
• Event Organizer Resources
• Food Vendor Information:
  • General Fire Code Guidelines for Cooking Vendors with Tents
  • Public Health Requirements for Temporary Food Service Establishments
  • Food Vendor Application 
• Entertainment Provider Application
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Tenant User Liability Program Information
• Outdoor Event Venues
• Outdoor - Park Use and Shelter Rental Application 
• Showmobile/Bleacher Rental Application
• City Calendar
• Submit Your Event to the City Calendar

Indoor Special Event Information

An operational permit is required to conduct a pre-planned indoor activity with an anticipated attendance number of five hundred (500) or more persons that is open to the public, or, charges admission, or, is outside of the general scope of a presently issued Fire Code Operational Permit for the occupancy.

• Fire Code Indoor Special Event Permit Application

Indoor Rental Facilities in Chesapeake:

• Chesapeake Conference Center
• Chesapeake Community Centers
  
• The Portlock at South Norfolk 
• The Rokeby Center