Venice Beach Recreation Center Special Event Permit Information

Thank you for considering Venice Beach Recreation Center as a host site for your next Special Event. With an average of 30,000 visitors a day and approximately 11 million visitors per year, Venice Beach is the ideal location. Host your next concert, car show, farmers market, festival or sports event at Venice Beach.

Venice Beach Outdoor Amenities — Basketball Courts, Children’s Playground, Handball Courts, World‑Famous Muscle Beach, Muscle Beach Calisthenics (Sand Pit), Paddle Tennis Courts, Roller Skate Dance Plaza, Scooter Park, Skatepark, Venice Fishing Pier, Venice Art/Graffiti Walls, Windward Plaza

To apply for a date, a Venice Beach Recreation Center Special Event Permit must be completed at least 8 weeks prior to your event date. Please note: due to the high volume of applications, alternate dates should be listed, as there are City/Department‑approved events that receive calendar priority. No special‑event permits are issued on holidays.

All Special Events held at Venice Beach require insurance. Insurance requirements are based on event type.

There are additional permits from the City of Los Angeles you may need to obtain (depending on your event). A plot plan will need to be submitted with your application. If your event is approved, your plot plan must be approved by the Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Inspector. If you plan to have live music and/or amplified music, there are additional permits by LAPD, along with insurance needed. If your organization is unable to provide Venice Beach Recreation Center with the additional approved permits within the allotted time frame, the Venice Beach management team will revoke its pending approval.

Submitting your paperwork does not guarantee your permit. All permits are reviewed by Venice Beach Management and the Risk Management Division. Applications must be submitted via email to venicebeach.recreationcenter@lacity.org.

You will be notified via email if your permit request is approved or denied. If you have additional questions, please contact the Venice Beach Recreation Center at (310) 396‑6764.

Beach Events — Events on the Venice Beach sand area are permitted through LA County Beaches and Harbors. If you are planning an event on the sand, please contact the County first.

Due to City staffing resources and impacts to residential areas and the public right‑of‑way, the Department of Recreation and Parks allows one special‑event permit per day.