Picnic shelters may be reserved in the following parks in the City: Bayville Farms, City View, Great Neck, Lake Lawson / Lake Smith Natural Area, Little Island, Mount Trashmore, Munden Point, Red Wing and Woodstock Park. Shelter sizes range from eight to twelve tables and all shelters have grills for charcoal cooking.
Picnic Shelter Reservation Prices:
Half Day Shelter
9:00 am - 2:00 pm | $70
3:00 pm - 1/2 hour before posted park closing time* | $70
Full Day Shelter
9:00 am - 1/2 hour before posted park closing time* | $140
*The 11pm closing time for Bayville Farms Park, City View Park and the 9 pm closing time for Little Island Park does not apply to picnic shelter reservations. Shelters are for day use only.
Between November 6 and March 12, all shelter reservations will be for the full day at a discounted rate of $70.
Note: Full day shelter reservations are required on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays beginning the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend and ending on Labor Day.
Shelters at Mount Trashmore Park
In addition to three large shelters, Mount Trashmore Park also has two medium and six small shelters available for reservations. The medium shelters have two tables and are available for the full day for $70. The small shelters have one table and are available for the full day at $35. All shelters have charcoal grills.
How Do I Make a Reservation?
To reserve a picnic shelter, please call (757) 385-7275, Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Payment is due in full at the time of the reservation.
Do I Need a Permit?
Permits must be secured no less than 30 days prior to event date and require a paid shelter reservation. Items requiring a permit include but are not limited to:
Amplified sound • Commercial cookers • Showmobile • Live entertainment • Amusements • Food vending • Staging • Non-food vending • Generator • Merchandise sales • Mechanical rides • Raffles • Pony rides • Petting zoo
Fill out our Event Permit Interest Form to give us a better idea of your event needs.
Permitting Fees:
Park Land Use
- $100 small
- $250 medium
- $500 large
Event Permits (with paid shelter or land use reservations only)
- $100 special use permit fee (1-2 items)
- $200 event permit fee (3-4 items)
- $300 large event permit fee (5 or more items)
Note: There will be an additional charge for those patrons wishing to enter the park before or after normal operation hours.
Refunds/Cancellation Policy
If cancelling your shelter reservation 21 days or more prior to the event date, you are eligible for a full refund. All permit fees associated with your reservation are non-refundable. For more information on the cancellation policy, please contact Parks and Natural Areas at (757) 385-7275.
Rain Date
Reservations will not be refunded or rescheduled based on the weather forecast. If your event is rained out, please call (757) 385-7275 within seven (7) business days after rental date to reschedule or request a refund. At the time of your call, your shelter reservation must be rescheduled within the current calendar year or a refund will be processed.