HOST YOUR PARTY AT LIBERTY LANDS
Who needs a reservation?
Any event at Liberty Lands that is planned in advance should make a reservation. This ensures that there's enough space at the park and that events don't interfere with each other. Reserved events always take priority over unreserved events. Wedding ceremonies are a delightful use with some specific issues: please contact the park organizers at park@nlna.org for more information.
What do I get?
Parties must be 40 people or fewer (excluding lap infants/children under 2) and are limited to one time slot of 3 hours including any necessary set up and clean up times. There are three designated party areas: the “stage tables” are two tables at the north end of the park, closest to the stage; the “swing tables” are two tables centered at the south end of the park, closest to the swings; and the “toddler tables” are two tables at the southeast side of the park, close to the toddler playground and potty.
Reserved uses have priority over unreserved uses, and if necessary, you may ask unreserved users to leave the reserved space/picnic table area. You are welcome to mark the tables with a sign on the day of your party stating the time during which they are reserved if you wish, but please remember that there may be reserved uses before yours.
No use of the park can ever restrict public access to the playground and community gardens. Park uses that restrict or reduce public access to the other open areas of the park are limited to a few per season.
Special requests
In general, the party areas can be reserved for 3-hour slots per day (morning 9am-12pm, afternoon 1pm-4pm, and evening 4pm-7pm). This is to ensure that as many people can use the park as safely as possible and that larger gatherings do not occur at the same time. During the summer, no reservation should go past 8:00 p.m., including clean up time. (Liberty Lands is closed after dusk.) If you have any questions about your event please contact reservations@nlna.org.
What does it cost?
Liberty Lands is owned and maintained by the neighborhood and receives no city funding for its operations. A small fee per reserved use is requested to help offset the costs of park maintenance.
Unless the event makes an unusual drain on park resources, we ask for a $45 donation for the basic use. Extra charges would only apply for unusual events that generate a lot of trash or that may cause damage to the grass. As explained below, we also ask for a $50 security deposit related to trash to complete your reservation. Rental includes the use of the park port-a-potty.
Condition of Park and Trash/Clean Up
A reservation does not guarantee the physical condition of the park on the day of your use. While the park volunteers do their best to keep the lawn mowed, trash picked up, and gardens weeded, limitations of time, money, and weather may affect what the park looks like any particular day. If your event requires certain conditions (such as a recently mowed lawn), you may be able to make arrangements with the park volunteers to schedule (and pay for, as necessary) those conditions to be met. This will not always be possible, but earlier notice makes it more possible.
While recycling bins and trash cans are at the park, we ask parties to supply separate trash bags for their event so that the park trash cans are not overwhelmed. These bags can be placed in the large green cans in the trash corral on American Street after an event. All park users are expected to clean up after themselves and to make a sincere effort to recycle their disposables. There are extra recycling bins available in the trash corral also: you are encouraged to use them and return them (full) to the corral at the end of your party.
What else?
Please be sure to include time to set up and clean up your event in the reservation time. Rain dates are not automatic – a specific rain date reservation must be rebooked in the reservation system.
Access to electrical hookup and to park water is available for reserved events with prior permission. Electrical hookup is available free of charge at the wall shared with Kaplan’s Bakery. Electrical hookup at the stage area will incur an additional $25 fee.