HOST AN EVENT AT CATAMOUNT

If you are a school, business or organization interested in bringing students, clients, groups or programs to Catamount, please contact us directly at least 70 days in advance for large events or races and 45 days in advance for small group or program visits.

The Catamount Outdoor Family Center (COFC) operates on the Catamount Community Forest (CCF) which is a Town of Williston Forest. As a License holder with the town, COFC has a specific event process we must comply with. Please review the following information, especially Williston’s new Temporary Event Ordinance, prior to reaching out to COFC staff about your proposed event or group visit.

Necessary Steps

After reviewing all of the information on this page, email programs@catamountoutdoor.org expressing your event or visit interest. COFC’s staff will send you the appropriate forms (either the Large Event Application or Program & Group Visit Application) based on your proposed event.

Be ready to submit the following documents with either of the above mentioned COFC’s Application:

COI’s (Certificate of Liability Insurance) listing both the Town of Williston & the Catamount Outdoor Family Center as Additionally Insured.
Fee Checklist
Deposit to cover COFC administrative costs and to hold date.
S3 From (if tax exempt)

Should your application need a Temporary Event Permit (see thresholds listed above), be ready to complete the following for the permitting review.

Create a site map
Create a schedule for the event

Event Planning Timeline

COFC recommends our Event Holder Applications be submitted to us as far in advance as possible to ensure a smooth planning process for all involved. The TOW requires that Temporary Event Permit Applications be submitted a minimum of 30 days in advance of the event date.

Review all information on this page and communicate event interest with the COFC event staff via email at least 3-6 months prior to the event date. We recommend scheduling a meeting or site visit for this step. Although we can help plan over email, we are limited in the amount of admin time we can divest into potential events and meetings allow us maximize this time.
Complete and return COFC’s Large Event Application a minimum of 2 months prior to the event date. Include your S3 form (if tax exempt), COI’s, & non-refundable deposit with your application.
If a Temporary Event Permit is required by the TOW (see outlined thresholds above), the application is then viewed by the Town Manager who can approve it or send it to be review by the Selectboard at the next meeting that has space on its agenda. If the latter occurs, you may be asked to attend this Selectboard meeting to clarify any concerns town officials may have regarding the proposed event. If a TEP is not required, planning continues between the event organizer and COFC event staff.
If additional permits are needed for food, alcohol, vendors, or capacity limits you must ensure that all permits are in place and proof be submitted to COFC staff no later than 30 days prior to the event so proper notification can be provided to the Town of Williston per the Temporary Event Ordinance.
~Event is non-refundable after the 30 day mark~
Event organizers must send proof of parking accommodations, if applicable, ASAP after the event has been approved but no less than 3 weeks in advance.
Any additional requests MUST be communicated to COFC’s event staff at least 3 weeks prior to the event date. This includes trail marking, alternative courses, mowing, grooming, ATV assistance, race set-up & take down, etc. COFC staff reserves the right to accept or decline requests at their discretion.
Final Event Contract must be signed by COFC and the Event Holder asap after planning is completed but a minimum of 2 weeks in advance of the event.
Final invoice will be sent out after the event date and must be paid within 30 days upon receipt.

A Temporary Event Permit (“TEP”) will be required for events/visits that exceed the following thresholds and criteria:

1. Event attendance of over 225 people, which includes but is not limited to all event participants, attendees, staff and volunteers.
2. Events at the property of over 50 people between the hours of 10pm and 7am.
3. Events that involve overnight camping.
4. Events that involve the service of alcohol.
5. Events that involve a tented area greater than 1,200 square feet.

Events that do not exceed these thresholds and criteria do not require a Temporary Event Permit but do require Catamounts Event or Group Visit Application.

COFC Parking Message

All events at COFC that will exceed the parking capacity of 75 vehicles will need to have parking accommodations in place. COFC is not responsible for these parking accommodations.

Minimum of 2 parking attendants to park vehicles efficiently and direct others to overflow parking options. Must maintain Emergency Vehicle Access by only allowing parking on one side of Gov. Chittenden Rd.
Messaging to participants must include verbiage about carpooling if possible.