Birthday Party at Playground

Typically, if you're just using the available picnic tables, you don't have to do anything but show up. If you're using a building or pavillion or any type of "special" area, then you have to request permission from the Parks & Rec in that city. But, just to go and use the picnic tables -- those are for anybody's use anytime.

HTH,
R.

I'd say it would be best to call. Otherwise, you run the risk of showing up and finding that another group has either reserve the tables or gotten there before you. If they don't do reservations at the park you're considering, I would have a back-up plan that you let guests know about, just in case.

Good luck!
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You have to reserve most places with the city parks and rec dept.

If your just using picnic tables then you don't have to do anything but get there early to get them. I had my sons birthday last year at a park. It started at 10am on a sat so I had my MIL get there at 9am to make sure no one else got the tables. It was perfect and made a great party.

If it's a city park, be sure and make a reservation. I've done that for 2 events I held at Celebration Park in Allen. It ensures you have the area. Nothing worse than being booted without a place to hold your party, because someone else had reserved the area.

as others have said - if you want the pavilion - it's best to reserve. It's relatively cheap ($25-$35) and it gives you that spot for the time you reserved it (and you can boot out folks w/o a reservation ;-)). If no-one has reserved it, obviously, it is fist come first serve, but if you're not sure, you run the risk of some-one with a reservation booting YOU out. Like someone else said - regular picnic tables (not under the pavilions) are not reservable and are first come first serve. This is for Dallas, btw. Not sure on other cities.