Rules

Furry Picnic Rules

Here are the rules for Wickham Park – please read these first.

2024 Rules and Regulations

Everything these days needs structure, even a picnic! Furry picnic has rules, because sometimes “Furries Ruin Everything” and “Common Sense Isn’t Common”. Here’s some things to keep in mind for the event.

  1. By being a registered attendee to the Furry Picnic event, the registrant agrees to hold harmless Furry Picnic and its staff from any legal action resulting from personal injury or property damage or loss due to the actions of any individual within the event or otherwise, including members of the Furry Picnic staff.
  2. Fursuiters must use vehicles or walk single file along roadways while moving through the park & use low-traffic routes.  We had no issues regarding this rule in 2016, but we’d like to remind guests of Wickham Park’s request.  In 2015, we received our first complaint from the Park management stating fursuiters were not using good judgement when walking along the roadside, such as walking in large groups and spilling into the roadway. For our continued success, we must be good neighbors and follow this rule absolutely. Email from Wickham post event below:  “I hope you enjoyed your event here at the Park this past weekend, gorgeous day!  We would like to make a suggestion regarding your walk about the Park.  Instead of walking in the busiest vehicle and pedestrian traffic area, could you please walk the route toward Lot E –it is safer and would not interfere with our wedding reservations parking and traffic.

    Thanks for choosing the Park for your event!:
  3. Do not enter any Gardens for photography without checking if it is in use, or reserved – always enter Gardens from the front. We had no issues regarding this rule in 2016, but we’d like to remind guests of Wickham Park’s request. Wickham Park’s various gardens are open to the public when not reserved by another group, usually for photography.  Reserved or open status is posted at the front entrance of the garden.  Always enter in the front – trespassing on a reserved space may affect our relationship with Wickham park.
  4. No underage drinking and no illegal drug use or possession – it is prohibited by law.  – If you are not 21, and you are caught drinking, or suspect that you have been drinking or are under the influence, or are using or under the influence of drugs at the picnic,  we will be contacting law enforcement and/or asking you to leave event. (Note – In 2013, we could smell folks smoking pot close enough to the Wickham pavilion to notice.  Please don’t do it at our event; at their park.  Seriously, we don’t need an eviction.)
  5. Distribution of alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age and possession of alcohol under 21 years of age is also prohibited by law.  – If you break this rule, we will be contacting law enforcement and/or asking you to leave the event.
  6. Attendees will be required to have photo ID, and wear an wristband that identifies their age and registration at the event.  It must be worn at all times during the event. – We will be using color coded wristbands so staff and attendees can visually identify who is underage and who is not for purposes of alcohol control, and also to determine who is a registered guest. This is why we require ID at the event for everyone, and this is line with the Wickham Park rules on alcohol – this is a private event, at a public venue.  Also, If you are in costume or fursuit that prevents others from identifying your age, we ask you to refrain from consuming alcohol.
  7. Furry Picnic will not provide or distribute alcohol at this event. – Although BYOB is permitted, we are enforcing rules for our protection and the protection of all the guests to ensure the legal consumption of alcohol at the event is only by adults 21 years of age and older.
  8. If anyone appears impaired or intoxicated, you may be asked to leave the event. – If we ask you to leave our event space, we will not ask you to leave the park, and we reserve the right to contact law enforcement if we believe an attendee is impaired in such a way that poses a danger to themselves or others.
  9. Public decency must be maintained, because this is a public facility. – Please keep yourself legally clothed – no nudity.  We also ask fursuiters and plain-clothed attendees not to engage in sexually suggestive behavior or role-play in our event area and all of Wickham Park.  We reserve the right to ask attendees who do not cooperate with this rule to leave the event.
  10. Please respect the right to privacy of other park guests. – Please don’t engage other park guests in games or interact with them without permission, while in fursuit, in costume, or in general.  Also, even if you have permission or assume its okay to interact, and park guest appears bothered or harassed, or asks you to stop or leave, please follow their request.  Also,  don’t enter other groups rented picnic areas without permission, and be safe and smart if invited to enter one – not all invitations are friendly.
  11. Please do not smoke in the pavilion, rest rooms, and dining areas. – We would like attendees to enjoy themselves, smokers and non-smokers alike, so please try to keep 25 feet away from the pavilion and dining areas when smoking.  Please cooperate if you are asked to move to another spot while smoking by an event organizer or staff.
  12. No air-soft guns, water guns, silly-string, water balloons, or facsimile weapons. – Please obey the laws of the State of Connecticut regarding any and all weapons. Do not bring toys and fake weapons that may alarm our own attendees and park guests.
  13. Be considerate and safe when playing games that involve body contact, such as Nerf toys. – Please use care and caution when having fun, and play these games in open areas around the park, not in the picnic area.
  14. If you are doing something dangerous, harassing, or bothersome and are asked to stop –  stop! – If you bring some toy to the event that is a nuisance, or are trying to do something unsafe, or generally annoying everyone, we may warn you that it is a problem, or ask you to stop.  Attendees that continue to be a problem will be asked to leave the event.
  15. Keep the language clean. – We understand people swear, and that the occasional swear will happen,  but we can’t tolerate a constant stream of profanity or hateful speech in our picnic area, and especially if it can be heard by other park guests.  Stay classy, and keep it “PG-13”.
  16. No fights, no drama. – If you get into a fight, or engage in disruptive behavior – by yourself, or with others, you will be asked to leave the event.
  17. No vandalism, no breaking park property. – If you break something by accident or see someone who is breaking or attempting to steal something, report it to the event organizers, and we’ll deal with it.
  18. No loud stereos or live music. – This is our rule, and a rule of Wickham Park. Please be considerate when enjoying your music.  Small personal speakers are fine, DJ kits and boom cars aren’t.
  19. Photography and video is permitted, but if someone does not want to be photographed or on video – respect their wishes. – Please ask permission to photograph and video attendees and park guests.
  20. “Ghosting”, badge borrowing or swapping, removing a wristband, borrowing a wristband, or any action designed to forge registration to the event or misrepresent ones’ age will result in ejection from the event, for anyone involved in breaking this rule. – If serious enough, we will refer such actions to law enforcement on the grounds of criminal trespassing.
  21. Contaminating, tampering with, or endangering the food, drinks, water, and food preparation and storage area is prohibited. – If this occurs, we will take any and all actions necessary to ensure everyone’s’ safety, including contacting law enforcement and/or appropriate parties.
  22. The Furry Picnic staff and organizers and Wickham Park staff and rangers have the final say. – Situations and events that may require immediate action regarding safety and comfort of Furry Picnic attendees and park guests may be necessary.  Please comply with all reasonable and lawful requests of Furry Picnic & Wickham part staff.

 

By being a registered attendee to the Furry picnic event, the registrant agrees to hold harmless Furry Picnic and its staff from any legal action resulting from personal injury or property damage or loss due to the actions of any individual within the event or otherwise, including members of the Furry Picnic staff.

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