Organising an event

If you want to organise an event you need to work with us to make sure it's safe and legal.

If you are organising an big event or festival in our area you need to contact us to plan and manage it safely and legally.

There are other things you need to do if you want to:

Safety information for event organisers

Event organisers:

  • are legally responsible for the safety of the public
  • need to minimise the impact of the environment from polution, noise, sewage and waste
  • plan well for the event

There is guidance on running events safely from:

Safety checks

All events need to be looked at by our Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

The SAG includes organisatons like the County Council, the emergency services that will need to know your event is happening and prepare to help if needed. They will also provide advice to the event organiser.

We will act as a point of contact between the event organiser and the SAG.

Pre-application checks and information for event organisers

Before you get in touch with us you should do the the following things.

1. Get approval:

Get agreement from the landowner before the event and consult with the Parish Council for their views.

2. Give plenty of time:

Contact us as soon as possible. We advise four months' notice for small events and nine months for big events

3.Check potential issues and apply for licences:

4.  Terrorism threat

The threat from terrorism is real, with public spaces and crowded areas being an attractive target for a terrorist.

Having a plan can greatly reduce the chance of a terrorist attack.

Think what you can do to reduce your risk of an attack.

You can:

5. Public liability insurance

You should arrange public liability insurance to at least £5 million.

6. Advertise

Send details of your event through Cumbria Tourism, 'Visit the Lakes' website.

Sport grounds and stadiums

There are different procedures for organising events in sports grounds and stadiums, please contact us for advice.

Outdoor events

If the events is outdoors follow guidance on how to reduce the impact on lakes and rivers, please contact us for advice.

Contact us

Email: event.notification@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk