The Assemblies Ordinance applies to all unincorporated areas of Marathon County, regardless of their zoning status.

The Assemblies Ordinance applies to events held on or after May 1, 2025, that meet the ordinance criteria.

“5,000 people in aggregate” refers to the total number of attendees accumulating over time within an 8-hour period. If your event reaches or exceeds 5,000 people at any point during this timeframe, you’ll need an assemblies permit. If you’re uncertain but anticipate your event may approach the 5,000-person threshold, please contact Marathon County Conservation, Planning, & Zoning for guidance.

This is very similar to the maximum capacity of a building. We are looking for a number that the event holders believe that they can safely accommodate at any one time with the resources and staff they’re proposing to have in place. It should be an estimate.

Permit applications must be submitted at least 40 business days prior to your event. The reason for this is to allow Marathon County staff time to review the permit materials, request additional information, issue the permit, and allow for any appeals, as outlined in the ordinance. However, we recommend that an application be submitted earlier to allow for any changes and give you plenty of time to organize your event.

The review process can take up to 40 business days. This includes a 30-business day review period followed by a 10-business day appeal process.

Your permit will become effective 10 business days after the date of issuance and will remain in effect only for the dates specified on the application.

To discuss an event or submit an assemblies permit application, please contact Marathon County Conservation, Planning, & Zoning (CPZ) using one of the following methods:

• Call: 715-261-6000
• Email: cpz@MarathonCounty.gov

If your event is held in a town subject to County Zoning regulations and has an expected attendance of less than 5,000 people, you may still need a Special Event Permit. If your event is outside a County-zoned town, contact the appropriate town official to inquire about any additional requirements.

Your event may require additional permits. While Marathon County staff will assist in identifying other permits you may need, it is ultimately your responsibility as the event organizer to ensure all other necessary permits are obtained.

The Marathon County Health Department has specific permitting requirements for camping and food. The Parks Department also requires separate permits or contracts for site rentals. CPZ staff can help you coordinate with these departments if additional permits are needed.

For Health Department permits, contact health@co.marathon.wi.us

Additionally, you should also contact the zoning authority for the town where your event is taking place. This permit DOES NOT exempt you from complying with local or county zoning requirements.

If you're unsure of the exact attendance, start with a general estimate of how many people you can reasonably accommodate. If the actual attendance exceeds your estimate, our department will work with you after the event to help determine a more accurate count for future assemblies.

Set-up and clean-up activities may be completed outside of the hours of operation, however, the timeframe for these activities should be specified in your application.

Application and resources can be found at www.marathoncounty.gov/assemblies.

If you do not meet the requirements of the ordinance, you would NOT be granted a permit to be able to hold your event. Marathon County staff are available to assist you in navigating the permitting process to ensure you are able to hold a compliant event.

Marathon County asks that an alternative date for the event be identified on your application. However, we will make every attempt to work with you to reschedule if necessary/possible.

Yes. A written appeal must be made within 5 business days of the date of denial. After a legal appeal has been made, the Marathon County Administrator, or his/her designee, has 5 business days to issue their final determination in writing.

An appeal may be submitted by an individual, group, or organization to whom a permit has been denied or by a Township in which an event is intended to take place. No party may appeal the issuance of a permit under this section based upon a disagreement with the content, message, or viewpoint of the event or assembly.

Townships should be contacted by the applicant as part of the application process. Applicants are required to coordinate with the town regarding fire and rescue services. Upon the receiving a completed application, the town in which the assembly is proposed to be held will be notified by CPZ. The town will also be notified of the approval or denial of the application.

Applicants will be notified during the application review process if they have requested a service that is extraordinary. CPZ staff will connect the event organizer with the appropriate department to discuss services and associated costs. They would be required to enter into a contract with that County department for those services at the discretion of the department providing the service. For this reason, we strongly encourage event organizers to submit their application well in advance of the event to discuss your needs and how you will meet those needs.

The County maintains the authority to inspect all assemblies permitted under this ordinance.

You are not required to hire a security company, but there is a minimum-security requirement of 3 licensed security personnel per 1,000 attendees present at any given time. These personnel must be licensed by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. Alternatively, you can enter into a contract with the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, though their acceptance of the contract is at their discretion.

You can find information regarding this process at: https://dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Business/fm2271.pdf

If contracting with the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office for event security, the ratio of deputies to attendees is at the discretion of the Sheriff.