Events, vendors, alcohol and the parks

Renting the Depot Park building

• $75 rent plus a $50 deposit, paid at City Hall at least 30 days ahead, cash or separate check. Cancel less than two weeks out and half the deposit is refunded.
• Inside: microwave, sink, restroom, 46 chairs, eleven 8-foot tables, one 4-by-4 table and an 8-person booth. The eight picnic tables outside are first come.
• No glass. No alcohol without a council-approved permit, requested by the first of the prior month; the council approves each permit by name on its consent agenda.
• Key checkout at City Hall; return it to the alley drop box. Leave the floor as found; the crew inspects next morning.

The pool

Private pool parties: $100 per hour, two-hour minimum, booked through the pool (507-789-5913) in season.

Farmers Market

First and third Thursdays, June through early October, 4–7 p.m., in the First Evangelical Lutheran Church lot at 309 Forest Street. No vendor fee; homegrown, homemade or handcrafted goods only, no multi-level marketing. Bring the signed vendor liability form or email it to kenyonfarmersmarket@gmail.com. Donations go to the Depot Park fund.

Rose Fest

Food vendor, craft market, parade and garage sale registrations can all be submitted on this site: food vendor, craft market, parade, garage sale listing; the full festival is on the Rose Fest page. Craft-market vendors contact council member Kim Helgeson, 507-210-1595. The committee meets Monday, September 21, 2026 at 6 p.m. at Cahill Bistro and welcomes new members; email kenyonrosefest@hotmail.com.

Selling in town

Door-to-door or vehicle sales need a peddler / transient merchant license ($125 investigation fee plus $125 per day or $500 per year) or a mobile merchant license ($125 initial, $75 annual). Sidewalk displays need a sidewalk obstruction license, $20 plus a $20 inspection. Tobacco sales need a tobacco license, $75.

Alcohol

• On-sale liquor $1,100 a year, Sunday $200, wine $500, 3.2 beer $600 on-sale or $100 off-sale, club $300 (apply). Temporary 3.2 beer $45 per day and temporary nonprofit liquor licenses (apply). Caterer's permit for a special event $350 (apply). License holders pay a $100 training verification fee.
• Kenyon runs its own municipal liquor store and bar, the Muni, at 645 2nd Street (507-789-6176). Ordinance 87 set Sunday sales hours.
• The city grants charitable gambling premises permits (pull-tabs) at the Muni and the VFW to local nonprofits; the Kenyon Fire Relief Association took over the Muni's pull-tabs from the Snowdrifters in November 2023.

Dances and gatherings

A public dance requires a $40 dance permit. Raffles, bingo and pull-tabs need council approval of the state gambling permit. Large gatherings in parks should be arranged with City Hall; National Night Out (August) and Trunk or Treat (late October) are city-run events at Depot Park.

Sources: Depot Park rental sheet; cityofkenyon.gov Farmers Market, Rose Fest and Liquor Store pages; Resolution 2026-01; council consent agendas 2023–2026.