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Games of Texas, July 31 – Aug.4

The 2014 Games of Texas are being held in Bryan-College Station this year, and there are still opportunities for you to participate. For more information, or to register … Click Here »

In Bryan, we say that we have The Good Life, Texas Style. Part of the reason is because we believe Bryan is a great place for families and kids.

We have cool parks and innovative recreational programs and camps to challenge kids of all ages.

Our parks system covers 43 properties totaling 750 acres. But it’s what we do with that turf that’s amazing: Sure, we have a bounty of baseball and soccer fields, but we also have inline hockey rinks, skateboard parks, splash pads, walking trails, two dozen pavilions for picnicking and reunions, and three terrific pools.

You’ll even find the unusual: We have a tremendous number of horseshoe pits for amateurs and pros alike. Even handicapped-accessible pits are easy to find. An indoor tennis facility? Ours is the only one in the region. We even make sure our annual Holiday Magic event features a snow hill for our powder-deprived residents. And a family camp out in a park? Yep, under the stars, by the campfire and making s’mores.

You can be anything you want to be in Bryan. Except bored.

Activity Guide

Pavilion Rental Fees

Picnic pavilions are available for rental through the Parks and Recreation Office. Most parks have family-oriented accommodations with lighted pavilions, restrooms, playgrounds, volleyball courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, nature trails, exercise trails, picnic tables, and barbecue grills.

Pavilions are now available for rental half days or full days:  Half Day (6am–2pm) or (3pm–11pm)

For more information, and availability of the pavilions, please call (979) 209-5528, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday  – Friday. We are open during the lunch hour for your convenience.

• Alcohol Use Permit available with any pavilion rental  |  $50 Resident/$60 Non-Resident          
• Park Vendor Permit per location per day (one-day permit)  |  $50.00 Resident/$60 Non-Resident

Rental fees include customary cleaning prior to and after the rental. Additional charges may apply if excess trash or cleanup is required. If staff is called out because renter did not pick up key (water or pavilion) or for repairs because of misuse, there will be a $25.00 charge.

Refunds on rentals are given minus a $10 or 10% (of total amount paid) administration fee. The City of Bryan will also assess a $15 service charge for all returned checks. Participation in leagues, classes, or facility rentals will cease until service charges are paid in full. To find out more about pavilion rentals, please call (979) 209-5528.

Special Event Permits

City of Bryan staff will route a Special Event Permit Application through the appropriate city offices for approval or denial of application. An applicant will be notified of approval/disapproval pending compliance with noted concerns, within 10 business days of the application.  Final notice will be given no less than 5 days prior to the date of the event.  Applicants may appeal the denial of a special event permit application or the conditions to be imposed with the permit pursuant to Section 106-196 of the Bryan City Code.  If Streets need to be closed or Solid Waste Containers are needed, the proper applications need to be completed and the applicable fees paid. Make sure any sketches, maps, or additional information as outlined in the application are included.

Download: Special Event Permit (PDF)

Let’s Define What is Considered a “Special Event”

Special Event: Shall mean an event to be held within the City of Bryan,that is of limited duration, and is likely to attract 100 or more visitors and shall include, without limitation, exhibitions, automobile races, sporting events, festivals, air shows, carnivals, circuses, revivals, tent sales, concerts, parades, runs, walks, races or motorcades.

Street Closing Event: Any activity, including but not limited to special events which require the closing of any public street, sidewalk or alley and which require rerouting of normal or usual traffic flow.

Parade: Any march or procession consisting of people, animals, or vehicles, or a combination thereof, except funeral processions, upon any public street, sidewalk, alley, park or other outdoor places owned or under the control of the city.

Run: Any event that is considered a walk, run, or race consisting of people upon any public street, sidewalk or alley.

Motorcade: Any organized procession containing 10 or more motor vehicles, except funeral processions and authorized governmental processions, upon any public street, sidewalk or alley.

Exemptions to Special Event Permits

The following may be conducted within the City of Bryan without a permit:

• Special Events, Street Closing Events, Parades, Runs, Walks, Races or Motorcades hosted or sponsored by the City of Bryan (i.e., where the City of Bryan itself is the promoter) shall not require a permit but notice of same shall be given to the Police Department, Fire Department, Public Works Department, Development Services Department and the Brazos County Health Department.
• Private Parties Held on Residential Private property and to which the public is not invited and where there are no more than 100 guests.
• An Event Wholly Contained On property specifically designed or suited for the special event and which has an appropriate certificate of occupancy, appropriate zoning, and adequate parking.
• Funeral Processions

Special Event Permit and Deposit Fees

The Special Event Permit Fee shall be paid at the time of application.  The permit must be present on site at all times during the event.  The deposit fees shall be paid when the total amount of all event fees are determined.  The deposit fees will be refunded after the event, within 20 business days, less any expenses incurred by the City due to the event.

Cancellation Policy

• Cancellation notice procedure: Notice must be made in writing at least 10 working days in advance of reservation date to qualify for an eighty percent (80%) partial refund. Mail your written notice to Parks and Recreation Office, PO Box 1000, Bryan, TX   77805. Or, fax to (979)209-5524. Notification date will be the date the Parks and Recreation Office receives the written or fax notice.
• Groups failing to use their permits and/or failing to cancel permits at least 10 working days prior to their event date will forfeit their entire fees paid.
• Permits may only be transferred or fully refunded with weather exceptions or City preemption. The Parks and Recreation Office must receive written request for such within 5 working days after the original permit date.

Street Closings

Temporary street closing is defined as a street closure for duration of eight (8) hours or less.  The deposit fees will be refunded after the event, within 20 business days, less any expenses incurred by the City due to the event.

The City of Bryan will provide temporary street closing using the following method:

• Requesting group or individual will fill out the Temporary Street Closing Application.
• Applicant shall attach a required sketch or drawing of the proposed closure.
• City delivers, sets, and retrieves barricades: $100.00 for the first location, $50.00 per location thereafter
• Street Closing Deposit: $200.00 (separate check)

Solid Waste Containers

If Solid Waste containers are needed, they may be made available for temporary use during special events.

The fees shall be (per container):

Each time (after the first) that a container is serviced, there will be an additional servicing fee of:

Standard guidelines for determining Container needs:

• Estimate 1 CY/300 people.
• Events over 4000 people will need to obtain roll-off containers from a permitted waste hauler.
• Container requirements may increase based on the type of event and potential for waste generation.

Street Sweeping

If street sweeping is requested, the fee is $75.00 per hour.

Electrical

If use of the median electrical outlets (Main Street) is requested, the fee is $50.00 per block.

Vendor and Alcohol Permits

If there will be vendors at your event, each of them will need to purchase a special event vendor’s permit.  The permit will allow vendors to sell food, non-alcoholic beverages, or merchandise at the event.  The special event vendor permit is $50.00.  If food and beverages are served, you may need to purchase a $55 temporary food permit for food & soft drinks from the Brazos County Health Dept. @ 361-4450.

If there will be alcohol present/allowed at the event, you will be required to purchase an alcohol permit.  The alcohol permit is $35.00.  If you provide/sell alcoholic beverages, you will need to contact TABC @ 260-8222.

Port-O-Potties

The City of Bryan does not provide port-o-potties.  It is the responsibility of the event organizers to supply port-o-potties (or restrooms) at a rate of 1 per 150 persons, including at least one that meets ADA requirements.

Security

The Bryan Police Department will determine if and how many police officers will be required at your event. Expenses for the Officers will be paid by the event organizers directly to the Bryan Police Department. If additional police need to be brought in to handle a problem during the event, it will be at the event organizer’s expense.

Booths, Tents or Canopies

If your event will include any tents or canopies, please provide a copy of the Certificate of Fire Retardant when submitting the permit application. All booths that will be cooking on-site, must meet all applicable fire codes for the City of Bryan. Fire extinguishers must be supplied for events that include booths, tents, or canopies.

Insurance

Insurance is required for all special events at which the attendance is estimated at 500 or more people. It may be required for events with fewer people if food or alcohol is sold or given away or activities are of a physical nature that would warrant insurance. The City reserves the right to review and determine amount of coverage required based on level of activity at the Special Event.

Amounts of general liability insurance required are:

• Up to 999 people in attendance: General Liability with minimum limits of $500,000 Combined Single Limit for personal injury, death, property damage.
• 1,000 up in attendance: General Liability with minimum limits of $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit for personal injury, death, property damage.

All events, no matter what size, will be required to have $1,000,000 liquor liability insurance if any alcohol is being sold or served. Host liquor liability insurance will satisfy this requirement if alcohol is only being served.

Each policy will name the City of Bryan as Additional Insured and a copy of the Certificate of Insurance will be submitted to the City Parks & Recreation Department at least 10 working days prior to the event.  Failure to provide required insurance will result in cancellation of the event and forfeiture of permit fees paid. The City of Bryan will not waive insurance requirements.

Area Notifications of Impacted Neighbors

The event coordinator, with an expected street closure, shall notify all residences and businesses within the street closure area and within a 300 foot radius of the outer perimeter of the event (as marked by fencing or entrance table indicated on the event diagrams submitted to the City). The event organizer shall obtain signatures of those so notified of the upcoming event. Such signatures do not denote approval but solely signify notification.  A diagram of the notification area shall be submitted with the signature sheet.

The event organizer shall leave a notification letter with each signee.  This letter shall include the following information: 1. Name of Event, 2. Dates and times of Event, 3. Brief description of the Event, 4. Any closure areas, 5. Name and phone number of Event contact should they have issues, 6.  Where attendees will be parking.

The signatures of notification, the notification letter and the notification diagram shall be submitted at least 10 working days prior to the Special Event. In addition, the event organizer shall comply with all additional requirements imposed by the City of Bryan with respect to notification and approval by residents and businesses affected by the Special Event. Under certain circumstances where events may generate extremely large crowds, loud noise or parking issues, staff may require additional notification time/signatures/outreach.