Dorchester County's Parks and Recreation Department offers multiple facilities perfect for most outdoor occasions. Our facilities are mostly focused on accommodating small private gatherings like birthday parties and family reunions. We do accept requests for public events hosted at our parks with proper application and approval from DCPRD (more info down below).

To book one of the facilities featured below, click here.

PRIVATE EVENTS

These are small gatherings that our facilities are best suited to accommodate. Examples of private events we regularly host include:

• Birthday Parties
• Graduations
• Family Gatherings/Reunions
• Company Retreats
• Team Building Exercises
• Corporate Dinners
• Scout Celebrations/Ceremonies

Below you can find a few of the facilities we offer at each park.

Ashley River Park

Located at 200 Renken Road in Summerville, SC just off of Bacons Bridge, the Ashley River Park has four facilities available for rental: The Cypress Shelter, the Palmetto Shelter, the Screened Porch, and the Ashley River Pavilion.

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 Cypress Shelter 

Palmetto Shelter

Both picnic shelters are close to the splash pad and playground area, making them perfect venues for small family gatherings and birthday parties. Shelters include charcoal grills and trash receptacles along with park benches underneath. They are available for half-day and full-day rentals at Dorchester County residential and non-residential rates. There is no difference between the two shelters, with the Cypress Shelter located closer to the restrooms and the Palmetto Shelter closer to the parking lot.

Screened Porch

The Screened Porch is located next to the Park Office building and is an ideal location for small gatherings and celebrations. It offers a wonderful scenic view of the nearby wooded area while also providing shading under ceiling fans. Not to mention its location grants close access to the nearby Park Office public restrooms. This space is available for hourly rentals at a four (4) hour minimum at Dorchester County residential and non-residential rates.

Ashley River Pavilion

The Ashley River Pavilion is the grand event space perfect for large private gatherings, such as weddings, corporate dinners, and large family reunions. The space has full amenities, including a bridal suite/changing room, restrooms, and a kitchen space for storing food including a refrigerator to keep food fresh and cool. With a breathtaking scenic view of the fishing pond and surrounding wooded area, the Ashley River Pavilion is a perfect space for people looking for a scenic, outdoor atmosphere for their venue.
To inquire about using the Ashley River Pavilion for your private event rental, please contact parks@dorchestercountysc.gov.

Davis-Bailey Park

Located at 5190 E. Jim Boulevard in St. George, SC, the Davis-Bailey Park has one shelter/picnic pavilion and a few athletic fields for rental.

Davis-Bailey Pavilion

The Davis-Bailey Pavilion is an ideal location for anyone interested in hosting a birthday party, family reunion, Scout celebration, or any other small outdoor gathering. The amenities include charcoal grills, a kitchenette area with a sink and refrigerator, and quick access to the nearby public restrooms. The area is close to both the splash pad and playground for easy access for kids to play as well as the parking lot for fast loading and unloading of any party supplies. Available for both half-day and full-day rentals at Dorchester County residential and non-residential rates.

Athletic Fields

All Davis-Bailey Athletic Fields are available for rental. Whether it's for small league practice, team building exercises, or birthday parties, our fields are ready for you to get your game on!
There is a charge for both field prep-work and to have a park aide oversee the rental (for a minimum of three hours). These rates can be found with our Recreation Fees information provided above.

SPECIAL PUBLIC EVENTS

These are public gatherings that are hosted by sponsoring agents or organizations. While our facility rentals are catered towards private events, we do accept applications for Special Events. Please contact parks@dorchestercountysc.gov and request a Special Events Application if you're considering:

• Inviting the general public.
• On-site fundraising (non-profit only).
• An organized public run/walk.
• Live music/Concert or Performance (open to the general public).

Note: Not all Special Event Application Forms are accepted and can be denied if your event does not adhere to DCPRD guidelines and standards.

Facility Rules and Guidelines

DCPRD takes pride in providing a safe, clean, and friendly environment for all of our park visitors. To help reinforce this, we have several guidelines in place to ensure facility rentals are done so safely without bringing risk of harm or damage to any of our facilities, renters, and park patrons. For a complete list of our general guidelines, click here.

Some general polices to keep in mind for all park facilities:

1. Please be mindful that another event may begin before or after yours. Your reserved time is the ONLY time you have access to the facilities and all setup and breakdown must be included in the reserved time frame.
    
2. Facility rentals do not include gate admission fees (Ashley River Park).
    
3. The parks will not be closed during your event.
   
   
4. There will be no reserved parking. Vehicles must be parked in designated parking areas only. Driving up to the venue is NOT permitted.
   
   
5. Severe weather may dictate the cancellation of your rental and shall be determined by park staff. In the event you cancel your rental, you may reschedule or receive a 50% refund. 
   
   
6. No host will be provided during your event.
   
   
7. We do not provide linens and silverware.
   
   
8. If you are grilling, please use a safe location and dispose your hot ashes accordingly.
   
   
9. All facilities and used utilities (grills, kitchenettes, etc.) must be cleaned before leaving.
   
   
10. Group members are prohibited from interacting with wildlife, including but not limited to: feeding, leaving food out, harassing, touching, approaching or distressing.
       
11. Decorations must not hang from any fixture in the venue. Use of paste, glue, nails, tacks, staples, or any other item that may mark walls, signs, beams, floors, ceilings, doors, or windows may not be used while decorating the premises.
    
    
12. Music and noise must be kept at reasonable levels as to not disrupt other facility patrons. All music must stop at 9:00pm.
    
    
13. We do not allow:
    -Water balloons.
    -Paint of any kind.
    -Rice, confetti, glitter, birdseed, etc.
    -Fireworks, sparklers, ritual lanterns, etc.
    -Candles (except for on cakes), or candelabras.
    -Any sticky adhesive (glue, tape, etc).
    -Alcohol (except at Ashley River Pavilion with approved alcohol permit).
    -Posting of printed materials.
    
    
14. Bounce houses and/or any other vendors are NOT allowed unless you have made arrangements with us.
    
    
15. Users are responsible for damage to or loss of facility property or equipment. 
    
    
16. Dorchester County Parks and Recreation reserves the right to postpone, delay, or cancel any event at the facility due to unsafe conditions, inclement weather, lightning, or general precautionary measures to preserve the playing surfaces maintain a safe environment. 

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