Special Events

As the nation’s capital, Washington, DC hosts numerous special events that reflect the city’s diverse and rich heritage. The Government of the District of Columbia provides essential municipal services in support of special events to ensure events occurring on public space in the District of Columbia are conducted in a manner that protects public health and safety. Coordinating the city’s public safety planning efforts for events requiring interagency coordination is the responsibility of the Mayor’s Special Events Task Group (MSETG).

The MSETG meets to review presentations of proposed events the second and fourth Monday of each month, except on government holidays.  The organizers of proposed special events are required to present event proposals to the MSETG and receive the concurrence of the group prior to the issuance of permits or licenses by the permit-granting agencies.    It should be noted that the  applicable  permit-granting agencies have the final authority for granting or denying permits for any activities under their jurisdictional authority.  

Presentations of event proposals to the MSETG are required no less than ninety (120) days prior to the proposed date of the event. Presentation requests to the MSETG should therefore, be received in writing a minimum of one hundred twenty (180) days, and are accepted up to one year prior to the proposed date of the event.  The request should be addressed to the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency; Mayor’s Special Events Task Group; 2720 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE,  2nd Floor; Washington DC 20032;  or via fax on (202) 715-7288.

For details on what your written request must contain, see Your Guide to Planning a Special Event