Tampa Parks and Recreation Department offers a variety of picnic shelters and gazebos that may be reserved for special events like birthday parties, family reunions, or corporate functions.

Picnic Shelter Facility Use Permits

Rental hours for a shelter are 8:00 a.m. to sunset, unless otherwise posted or approved on your Permit. Use of the facility is guaranteed for the period specified in the permit only. Facility Use Permit are issued at the time payment is made.  Please take the permit with you to the park on the day of your picnic along with your receipt.  The remainder of the park is open to the public. You must arrive no later than one hour after the scheduled time listed on your Facility Use Permit or the shelter will be opened to use by the general public.

• Reservations for park shelters and open space are taken on a first come, first served basis.
• Shelter reservations will not be taken on Thursday and Friday for the upcoming weekend.
• Full shelter rental payment must be made as soon as the original rental request is taken.
• Types of payment accepted: cash, check, money order, Visa and MasterCard.
• Shelter reservations for the upcoming weekend will not be accepted after 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
• Credit card payment may be made over the phone by calling (813) 274-8184

Rental Rules & Regulations

Before renting a shelter or gazebo, be aware that there are rules and regulations you must adhere to. Download the Picnic Shelter Rules & Regulations.

Parks with shelters that can be rented:

Phone and Walk-in Reservations

It is suggested you make your reservation well in advance. You may make your reservation by phone, Reservation Office at 274-8184 or in person. If reserving by phone, please have your Visa or MasterCard in hand to make your payment at the time of the reservation.  Reservation Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Payment

You can pay for your permit with a check or money order made out to the City of Tampa, or in person with a Visa or MasterCard credit card or cash. A valid photo ID is required for all transactions. Please see our Picnic Shelter Rules regarding refunds and cancellations.

Clean-up/Damage Deposit

We work hard to make your picnic site clean and welcoming. If you find vandalism or excessive litter when you arrive at your site, please call the Park Security Office number listed on your permit.  A Clean-up/Damage Deposit is now required on all picnic shelter rentals. The Clean-up/Damage Deposit is used to offset the cost of damage/repair and excessive cleaning needs to park facilities. You and your group are responsible for cleaning up after your activity and you must leave the shelter area in the same condition you found it. The Clean-up/Damage Deposit will be returned after the facility is inspected by City of Tampa Parks and Recreation staff and is found in a satisfactory manner and the event was incident free.

Requests for Refund/Rescheduling Due to Rain-out

If inclement weather prevents the use of the shelter you may reschedule your event or request a refund with proper notification. To reschedule your event or request a refund due to a rain-out:

• The first business day after your rental, call and notify the Shelter Reservation Office at (813) 274-8184. The Shelter Reservation Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• You must mail or present a copy of your Facility Use permit and the original white receipt. The Shelter Reservation Office is located at 3402 W. Columbus Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.
• Refunds will be reimbursed to the credit card. If payment was made by cash or check, a refund check will be mailed to the address of the person/organization paying the rental/damage deposit fee. Issuance of refund checks takes approximately 4-6 weeks.
• Refunds will only be given to the person/company whose name appears on the check or if paying cash, the person who signed the Facility Use Permit.
• Once a shelter is occupied, there are no refunds due to rain or bad weather.
• All rescheduled events are subject to availability.

Rescheduling

If you need to modify an existing reservation (change the time, date, etc.), it must be done at least seven (7) days prior to the scheduled use. All modifications are subject to availability.

• Modifying event times may be done over the phone by calling the Shelter Reservation Office at (813) 274-8184.
• Modifying at date and/or location must be made in person. You must bring in your Facility Use form to the Shelter Reservation Office, located at 3402 W. Columbus Drive, Tampa, FL 33607. The Shelter Reservation Office is open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   

Helpful Planning Information

• Illegal substances, alcoholic beverages and glass containers are prohibited.
• Nothing, including decorations, may be affixed to the shelter or tables.
• Vehicles may not drive on the turf/grass or in unauthorized areas.
• Fires must be confined to grills.
• Petting zoos, amusement rides, water games/slide, horseshoes and paintball games are prohibited. Moon bounces are allowed, however, the company must have a current certificate insurance on file, naming the City as an additional insured.  Moon bounces are limited to one (1) per shelter rental and may not exceed the following dimensions (20' length, 20' width, 17' height).
  Insurance Forms and Instructions for Moonbounce Companies (PDF, 285K)
• Dogs must be kept on leash at all times, except in designated Off Leash sites, and you must pick up after them.
• Groups of 200 or more anticipated attendees will be considered a special event, and require submission of a Special Event Application(s).