Special Event Policy

Purpose

The Town of Midland organizes and hosts annual festivals and events that enhance tourism, make Midland an exciting place to live and contribute to the economic development of the region. The Town also receives requests from individuals, groups/organizations, and event planners to operate Special Events on Municipal Property. Special events include, but are not limited to, festivals, fundraisers, parades, walks, sporting events, music concerts/music festivals, and community events.

To be successful, Special Events require responsible leadership, a high level of organization and proper planning, sufficient time and resources, contingencies for the unexpected, communication, and evaluation.

This Policy will establish standards and guidelines for the safe and successful management of Special Events organized by either the Town or Third-Party Event Organizers taking place on municipal property and ensure compliance with all legislation. 

Policy Statement

Special Events promote and showcase Midland as a tourism destination and the Town of Midland recognizes the importance of Special Events as key contributors to the community’s economic development and enhancement of the quality of life for residents. Special Events celebrate culture, provide opportunities for residents to participate, assist local not-for-profit organizations, and elevate civic pride. 

The objectives of the Special Event Policy are to:

1. Ensure that the Town hosts/is a host for a variety of events that add value and positively impact the community while meeting the needs and interests of diverse audiences;
2. Acknowledge events are part of the Town of Midland’s core business and to ensure adequate resources are allocated to support the investment;
3. Support safe and sustainable events and ensure that all of the necessary permits and permissions are secured and ensure compliance with all applicable legislation;
4. Provide clean guidelines and standards for operating events on Municipal Property and ensure that the responsibility of all parties are agreed to and understood;
5. Create a standardized process and criteria to ensure that decisions are transparent, consistent, and equitable;
6. Improve the customer service experience by providing a centralized resource for Event Organizers to various stakeholders, and providing timely assistance;
7. Coordinate the efforts of the many internal and external stakeholders involved in facilitating events and establish positive interdepartmental working relationships;
8. Communicate effectively to all stakeholders and ensure that all those affected and involved in events are included in the decision-making process;
9. Allow Town departments and stakeholders to plan for events and ensure that Town services and resources are not negatively impacted;
10. Maintain a balance between use of Municipal Property for event programming and general public use;
11. Ensure the safety of Town residents, Town assets and Special Event attendees.