The Special Services section is responsible for special events such as Comic-Con, the Thunder Boat Races, street fairs, trade shows, high school Grad Nights; events at large public assemblies like Petco Park and the Sports Arena; events in locations where large number of people do not normally gather; and events in many other settings.
Special Events Guidelines This document describes many of the events requiring a permit and outlines the procedure for obtaining the permit.
Some events require only a fire permit, while others require a permit from other City departments, including the Office of Special Events.
Regulation is based on the type of event, the setting, and the potential risk to the participants and the surrounding community.
Questions may be addressed to Special Services at 619-533-4388.
The Application for a Single Event Permit can be completed online, and can be emailed to sdfdevents@sandiego.gov, mailed, or carried in to our office. The completed permit package shall be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event. A $300 fee will be charged for applications submitted less than two weeks prior to the event. Applications received less than 5 business days before an event may not be reviewed.
Each of the following provides information to familiarize promoters, sponsors, and vendors with information about specific types of events. For questions which have not been covered here, contact 619-533-4388.
