Public Events

Special events with alcohol service that are held on campus or in unlicensed spaces and are open/advertised to the general public require approval on a case-by-case basis from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC). A Public Special Event License application needs to be submitted to the AGLC and can take 8-12 weeks to process. Otherwise, events must be private and follow specific advertising rules.

To have a public event approved, groups must first complete the appropriate University of Alberta application (staff groups complete the online application and registered student groups complete the BearsDen event application) and submit a written proposal to Insurance & Risk Assessment at least four months in advance of the event. The written proposal must include:

• A detailed site plan.
• Time, date, location, purpose of event.
• List of planned activities & entertainment.
• Food & beverage details.
• Emergency plan.
• Security details.
• Proof of host liquor liability coverage.

Once an event is approved by the University of Alberta, groups must work in coordination with Insurance & Risk Assessment to submit a Public Special Event License application to the AGLC for final approval.

If you expect 300 or more people to attend, please be aware that there may be additional requirements for your event to be approved.