Education Programs and Resources

View the recording of the Event Vendor Lunch and Learn:  How to Avoid Fines through Licensing and Compliance that was presented on March 9, 2022. The program included the following presentations which provided important updates on fire safety and public health and licensing requirements related to selling and sampling food at outdoor markets and events. The recording also includes a Q&A session after each presentation.

Denver Fire Department (DFD), Jaxon Shelburne

View the DFD PowerPoint(PDF, 1MB).

• DFD Permits – When and How to Apply
• Permit Fees
• Cooking and Propane Use

Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE), Maggie Steele and Kirstin McEachran

View the DDPHE PowerPoint(PDF, 4MB).

• Food Safety – preparation, sampling and handwashing
• CBD
• Inspections and Fines

Excise and Licenses (EXL), Abbey Borchers and Crystal Reyes

View the EXL PowerPoint(PDF, 309KB).

• Liquor Special Event Permits, Temporary Modifications, and Temporary Salesroom
• Marijuana
• Food Trucks and Temporary Restaurants

Resources Shared During the Lunch and Learn

Denver Fire Permit Application

Denver Fire Special Event Guidelines

Questions related to the collection and filing of sales tax (Event sales tax is at the bottom)

EXL Special Event Liquor Licensing and training videos on how to apply

Temporary Modification of Premises

EXL Temporary Restaurant Licensing and training videos on how to apply

Retail Food Mobile License (Food Truck or Food Cart) 

Food License Information

Marijuana Advertising Rules

Guide for CBD Product Distribution and Sales at Special Events

Temporary Use Permit Project Guide

View the recording of the virtual Event Emergency Action Plan Workshop delivered on March 1, 2022 which included presentations(PDF, 3MB)  on how to develop an appropriate EAP and the following resources:

• Denver Hazard Mitigation Plan (*in final stages of approval, local adoption scheduled for April 2022)
• National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS)
• National Weather Service (Denver/Boulder)
• ADA Checklist
• OSE online resources

A special event Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a required and enforceable component of the Office of Special Events Permit (OSEP). An EAP clearly and comprehensively outlines an event's response plan for a variety of emergency situations. Every EAP must be tailored to site-specific conditions as well as the scope of the event, the risks to spectators and participants, community impacts, and the support (including personnel, equipment and logistics) required to respond effectively.

2022 Special Events Forum Recording, Slides and Resources

The 2022 Special Events Forum was held virtually on Wednesday, Jan. 26 and consisted of a “Coffee Talk” networking session followed by formal presentations.

Coffee Talk

During the Coffee Talk session, event organizers connected with each other, City agencies and partner organizations to get their pre-event-season questions answered. Coffee Talk participants were encouraged to visit one or more breakout rooms on the topics of Events in the Right of Way (with DOTI and RTD staff), Events in Parks (with DPR staff), Licensing for Events (with EXL, DDPHE Food Safety and DDPHE Noise staff) and Event Safety (with DFD, DDPHE, OEM and CPD staff).

The following resources below were some that were discussed in the Coffee Talk breakout rooms.

• Guidance for Marijuana Advertising at Special Events in Denver
• Guide for the Sale or Distribution of Hemp/CBD Products at Special Events
• Parks Permit Office website
• DOTI On-Street Parking and Meters Information
• DOTI Special Event Permit Information
• DOTI Parking Meter Bagging Permit Request Form

Forum Presentations

The Forum was recorded (view the recording) and included the following presenters and topics.

Welcome

OSE Executive Director, Katy Strascina, kicked off the Forum with some important news about staff changes and educational programming coming in 2022.

The Importance of Life Safety Planning

(view Life Safety Planning PowerPoint(PDF, 6MB))

Denver Fire Marshal, Chief Cory DeBaere, delivered an educational message about the importance of life safety planning and the critical need for organizers to thoroughly address life safety planning for all their events.

Managing Noise at Events

(view Managing Noise PowerPoint(PDF, 1MB))

Justin LaMascus, Environmental Public Health Investigator with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, provided an overview of the Denver noise ordinance, permitting processes and fines, and share recommendations as well as industry best practices about effectively managing noise at events.

The following resources were shared during the Managing Noise at Events presentation:

• Special Events – Noise Ordinance Fact Sheet
• Noise Ordinance Requirements Worksheet
• Noise Electronic Communications Agreement

•  

  OSE: What's New in 2022

  (view What's New PowerPoint(PDF, 1MB))

  OSE Deputy Director, Rose Watts, shared relevant updates on the OSE application system; enforcement of the Office of Special Events Permit (OSEP) and related processes and fees; upcoming education programs; and a new approach to organizer surveys.

  The following resources were shared during the OSE: What's New in 2022 presentation:

  • Event Planning Guide
  • OSE's NEW Education Programs and Resources Webpage
  • OSE Special Event Application

Regardless of whether you attended the Forum live or watched the above video, please complete this SHORT follow-up survey to provide us with your feedback.

View additional DFD Resources:

• DFD Permit Fee Schedule
• Carnival, Fair, & Street Festival Checklist(PDF, 206KB)
• Parade Float Requirements(PDF, 172KB)
• Pyrotechnics Regulator Checklist(PDF, 157KB)
• Flame Effects Regulator Checklist(PDF, 193KB)
• LPG Pricing Chart(PDF, 23KB)

OSE was officially added to the Denver's Revised Municipal Code in 2021 resulting in the following:

• OSE is no longer positioned under the Mayor's Office but a stand-alone agency.
• Organizers of public events that are held on public property and work with two or more City agencies are now required to submit an OSE application 60 days prior to the first day of the planned event.
• Organizers of public events that are held on public property are now required to obtain an Office of Special Event Permit (OSEP) which will be issued when all applicable City requirements have been met. The OSEP will not replace any other agency permits but will signify the final step in the event application process.

Details about these changes (agenda below) were provided at a Lunch and Learn on Thursday, September 16. View the recording of the Lunch and Learn and the PowerPoint presentation.

AGENDA

• What events will be required to get an Office of Special Events Permit (OSEP)? (review the Do I Need an Office of Special Event Permit (OSEP)? Checklist)
• When  and how to apply for an OSEP
• Debut of the New OSE Event Guide
• OSEP Fees and Requirements

Event Safety Workshop presentation slides (2020)

Event Safety Workshop presentation slides (2019)

Denver Office of Emergency Management's training calendar and other resources

Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partnership (CEPP)

Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab® (CELL®)

International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA)

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4)

Event Safety Alliance® (ESA)

"If You See Something, Say Something®”

DHS Active Shooter Preparedness Program

National Weather Service, Boulder Website

DHS Soft Targets and Crowded Places Security Plan Resources

DHS FEMA “Until Help Arrives” Program

 Protective Measures Guide

Major Event Security Cases

The 2021 Special Events Forum was held virtually for the first time on January 28, 2021 and included a keynote presentation from Bob McDonald, Executive Director of DDPHE as well as invaluable information sharing from OSE staff and a panel of event organizers.

View a recording of the 2021 Forum program that includes the following:

• Welcome, Katy Strascina, OSE
• Keynote, Bob McDonald, DDPHE (view slides)
• COVID 101, Meghan Sullivan, OSE (view slides)
• Comprehensive Site Plans, Nate Hayden, OSE (view slides)
• OSE Ordinance Proposal, Rose Watts, OSE (view slides)

At the Coffee Talk networking session, the Community Planning and Development Department discussed a summary document of building codes, policies and guides and a link to its Building Permit Policy.