Park Party Etiquette

It is a public park and there for everyone to use. However if the person hosting the party has rented the space, for instance the pavilion, you need to respect that. This doesn't mean you can't use the restrooms but you shouldn't go in and sit at the tables or try to get involved in the party games and activities.

As far as the swings and slides etc go I do not think you can rent those areas and everyone should be able to play on them.

It's a public space. The only area that should be off limits to the public is the area you reserve and pay for.
Playgrounds, fields, parking lot, restrooms, all those areas are (and should be) open to everyone.

Option 2. It's a public place. If you want to be alone, rent a space.

It's not rude in the least. We've had parties in public parks many, many times. What would be rude is if non-guests came into the party area where the food is and expected to be treated and served as a guest.

Here in our city, you can reserve areas in the park, but not the playground..

Sets of tables, a pavilion..can be reserved.. Burt the play areas are considered always public..

It's a PUBLIC park. When you have a party at a public park, the hosts KNOW that you share the park with other people. I think it's rude to expect people not to play at the park, because of your celebration. PRIVATE places are for reserving your celebration from the public.

I'm absolutely not going to leave a park, because someone is having a party. My tax dollars paid for that park, too. Take it somewhere else, if you don't want people there!

If there is a pavilion or something being used, then obviously I wouldn't go sit down and make myself comfortable!! The actual playground and grass for playing...that's for everyone.

How can it be "rude" to play at a PUBLIC park? It doesn't matter if someone is having a party there or not. All they are doing is reserving a table to guarantee they have one. It would never cross my mind if I showed up at the park and saw a party going on that I should leave or my kids can't play on the PUBLIC playground. Good luck.

Well people would never be able to take thier kids to the park
Here, there's a party everyday. So I'm option 2. It's a public place and if I want to take my kids to play I am.

All I'll say is....it's a public park. Key word, public.

Where I live, if you want to have park party, you need to reserve a space before hand. I would probably give some space to folks who are having a party, but I have also been handed a plate of food at a park party just because I happened to start chatting to folks. I would do the same thing if I was hosting the party.

Opinion 2 is my vote.

Now, if the non-party park visitors start hanging around the party at the pavilion area and getting in the way then it does become rude.

It's a public park. The pavilion is the domain of the party-goers, the slides, swings, etc. are open to any and all who wish to use them.
It's not rude to play on the playground if you're not a party guest; it would be rude to park your butt under the pavilion with the party.

A public park is public. It is not rude to play there when someone is having a party there. When people reserve a park space for a party it is only the party space, not the whole park.

Pavilion? No.
Playground? Yes.

Our park has LOTS of pavilions and playgrounds, I avoid ones obviously being used for a party.

The people who rented the park are aware that it is a public place and there will probably be other people there, the latter meaning using the equipment.

If you encounter a party at a park, there is NO reason to think it's rude to stay and play as usual.

Now crashing the party is another story.

lol this just happened to us today. I was watching my 2 plus 2 extra of my friends kids. I told the kids we would go to the park for an hour, I pull up and between grad parties and reunions, there wasn't a place to park and all the pavilions were full.
there is a park ranger there that told me i could park across the field and walk over, which is what we did since we drove 15 mins to get there and i sure as heck wasn't telling a car full of kids that we couldn't play.
in actuality the playground equip wasn't too full. i wish the other children had been better supervised since it looked the grandma's had been enjoying the party quite a bit, but we played for about 10 mins and left.
it didn't feel like we were invading the party because the parties were more for adults i guess.
intersting question, would love to hear your view on it.
Don't you think though that leaving is over the top extra conciencious because as in my case how was i to know there was a party going on?

Option 2 definitely. The park is public and there's no reason at all for you to avoid it just because someone else is having a party. Just don't "invite" yourself to the party!

We've had most of my kids' parties at public parks and there are always other kids at the park playing on the equipment. I always expected it and it never bothered me at all.

Unless it's a public school playground and the school is in session (part of their regular day) or their sanctioned day camp is using the playground, I say if it's out there and open to the public, anyone can use it.

If someone wants their own private play area, they can always schedule their kids party at an indoor play park or kids gym.

Opinion 2 gets my vote.

where we used to live we had a neighborhood park (in a gated community). I would avoid the park when there was a party.

I had my son's party there and planned it when preschool ended and before the regular school got out. I felt this was the best time to have his preschool friends and avoid the big kids.

Every park has a little different layout so my answer would depend on how close the equipment is to the pavilion. The one in my old neighborhood was right in the middle of the 2 play structures so I would have felt part of the party if i used the equipment.

Opinion 2. Having recently hosted a party at a public park, I wasn't bothered in the slightest by other kids on the equipment. It's expected if you use a public venue!

I think it depends... We have two parks by our house. One is very open and even has a walking path going around a lake with a grill, volleyball nets and the works. Here, I wouldn't think twice about playing at the park while someone was having a party at the Pavilion. The other park is in the middle of a neighborhood and has one entrance leading to the pavilion, playground and such. Although it is a public place, if I saw that someone had clearly rented the space I would leave and go elsewhere. That park has a very cozy and intimate feel to it. If I let my kids play there I would feel like we were invading or crashing their party.

Definitely option 2. I've had several parties at public parks and it would never even occur to me that the park should be empty except for us. Having said that, I've also had one experience where non-party kids lined up for a swing at the piñata and wanted lunch and cake as well. That I did consider out of line. I can't imagine ever allowing my kids to walk up to someone's picnic lunch and ask for a sandwich, so I was pretty surprised when we wound up with extra kids at the table.