Permits for special events in the public right away are issued by the Department of Public Works (DPW) Special Event Permit Office. The permit system provides for public safety and coordination of all activities. The office also provides permits for hanging vertical banners on city light poles, cross-street banners and holiday decorations and reviews vending box permits issued by the City Clerk License Division.

The Special Event Permit Office assists with:

• event planning and coordination with the Police and Fire Departments, the Common Council, DPW traffic engineering and street projects, the Milwaukee County Transit Authority, Milwaukee County Parks and others with regular activities in the public way
• arranging DPW services such as post-event street sweeping
• barricading and occupying a city street or sidewalk
• traffic and/or parking restrictions
• hooding parking meters and installing "Temporary No Parking" signs
• providing use of Dumpsters, garbage carts, and barricades
• police escort and traffic control (event security is not provided by the police)

The Special Event staff meets with the organizers of the larger events and the aldermen of the area where the event is held. It is important to make sure that the events do not have a negative impact on the residents and businesses. In addition, the Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee County Transit and sometimes the Milwaukee County Sheriff Department are involved in the planning process to make sure the events are successful, and more importantly safe.

If your special event will include food, music or alcohol please see, Additional Special Event Permit Information

Examples of events for which permits are required included:

• parades
• foot or bicycle races
• block parties
• sidewalk sales
• photo or film shoots
• reservations for on-street areas for unloading equipment from trucks
• passenger shuttle services,
• use of city street(s) for a school recess area