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Park · Sebastopol, Sonoma County

Ives Park picnic guide

Picnics welcomeNo alcoholFree entry

Can you picnic at Ives Park?

Yes — Ives Park has picnic areas open to the public. No reservation is needed for the picnic area. Fee: Free. Alcohol isn't allowed here.

Checked September 2026 from cityofsebastopol.govStated on the venue's own website

Picnic rules at a glance

Picnicking
Picnics welcome
Bring your own food
Allowed
Alcohol
Not allowed
Purchase required
No
Reservation
Not required
Fee
Free
Groups
Unreserved picnic areas are first-come, first-served. To reserve an area (the city's own example is the stage and BBQ area), get a city special event permit through Public Works, citypw@cityofsebastopol.gov or (707) 823-5331, at least 30 days ahead. 2026 fees for up to 50 people: $50 (community group), $75 (resident) or $100 (non-resident) daily use fee plus a $150 refundable deposit.
Hours
Daily, dawn to dusk
Season
Open year-round, dawn to dusk. The park hosts large festivals such as the Apple Blossom Festival.
House rules
Alcohol: not allowed without a City of Sebastopol 'Use of Alcohol in City Park' permit under Sebastopol Municipal Code §9.24.265, approved by the Police Chief. The application covers picnics, birthdays and parties at Ives or Libby Park, the applicant must be 21+, and an ABC license is also needed if alcohol is sold. Also: parks open dawn to dusk; nothing may be staked into the ground; amplified sound, stage and bounce-house use carry permit fees; the city's noise and no-smoking ordinances apply.

What the picnic area is like

Sebastopol's oldest park, with grassy fields, picnic areas and a stretch of Calder Creek alongside the public pool, a ball field, a playground and an outdoor theatre stage. A community sculpture garden with work by local artists adds interest to a stroll after lunch.

  • Picnic tables
  • Lawn
  • Playground
  • BBQ grills

Good for: Families · Budget-friendly

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About Ives Park

A classic small-town green space and the heart of Sebastopol's festival calendar, with a pool, playground, ball field, stage and creek-side picnic areas. It's a pleasant, free stop for a family picnic, but drinking there requires a police-approved city permit.

  • Free city park with picnic areas and a BBQ area
  • Alcohol only with a city permit (SMC §9.24.265)
  • Playground, public pool, ball field and outdoor stage
  • Community sculpture garden
  • Reservable through Public Works; 2026 daily use fee from $50

More family-friendly spots in Sonoma CountyMore free spots in Sonoma County

Make a day of it

Stock up at a deli nearby, then picnic close by — a short, easy loop.

  1. Andy's Produce Market

    Deli & market · Sebastopol · about 2.3 mi away

  2. Ives Park (this park)

    Park · Sebastopol

  3. Tomodachi Park

    Park · Sebastopol · about 0.6 mi away

Pick up picnic food nearby

More picnic spots nearby

Park

Tomodachi Park

Sebastopol· 0.5 mi

Bring your own foodNo reservationShade

A small city-run preserve on the Laguna de Santa Rosa, just east of downtown Sebastopol on Highway 12, with shaded picnic tables and grills under valley oaks. It's peaceful and good for birding, but there's no restroom and it can flood in winter.

Tomodachi Park

Bring your own foodChecked Sep 2026
Own food
yes
Wine allowed
not confirmed
Reservation
Not needed
Dogs
not confirmed
Fee
Free entry

Nearest picnic food: Andy's Produce Market · 1.9 mi

Details: Tomodachi Park
Park

Willard Libby Park

Sebastopol· 0.7 mi

Bring your own foodNo reservation

A friendly, free Sebastopol neighborhood park with a pond, gazebo, bocce court and picnic lawns. It's a good family alternative to the busier downtown Ives Park.

Willard Libby Park

Bring your own foodChecked Sep 2026
Own food
yes
Wine allowed
not confirmed
Reservation
Not needed
Dogs
not confirmed
Fee
Free entry

Nearest picnic food: Andy's Produce Market · 1.4 mi

Details: Willard Libby Park
Benches, lavender and a curving path in the Peace Garden at Ragle Ranch Regional Park
Park

Ragle Ranch Regional Park

Sebastopol· 1 mi

Bring your own foodNo reservationWine allowedDogs OK

Sebastopol's big regional park pairs a full-service picnic ground (grills, four reservable group sites, playground, tennis and sand volleyball) with oak meadows and creekside trails. Unlike the county's river beaches, it has no posted alcohol ban, which makes it one of the easiest public places in west county to open a bottle with lunch.

Ragle Ranch Regional Park

Bring your own foodChecked Sep 2026
Own food
yes
Wine allowed
yes
Reservation
Not needed
Dogs
Yes
Fee
$8/vehicle

Nearest picnic food: Andy's Produce Market · 1.1 mi

Details: Ragle Ranch Regional Park
Red and cream umbrellas shading outdoor tables beside the red-roofed redwood barn under big oaks at Horse & Plow
Winery

Horse & Plow Winery

Sebastopol· 1 mi

Bring your own foodNo reservationDogs OKShade

A relaxed West County barn pouring organically grown wines and local hard cider among gardens and orchards outside Sebastopol. It's one of the few Sonoma tasting rooms with a clearly posted, flat-fee picnic policy.

Horse & Plow Winery

Bring your own foodChecked Sep 2026
Own food
yes
Wine purchase
not confirmed
Reservation
Not needed
Dogs
Yes
Fee
not confirmed

Nearest picnic food: Andy's Produce Market · 0.6 mi

Details: Horse & Plow Winery

All picnic spots in Russian River Valley & West County →

Frequently asked questions

Can you picnic at Ives Park?

Yes — Ives Park has picnic areas open to the public. No reservation is needed for the picnic area. Fee: Free. Alcohol isn't allowed here.

Can you bring your own food to Ives Park?

Yes. Outside food is allowed at Ives Park.

Can you drink wine at Ives Park?

No, alcohol isn't allowed at Ives Park.

Do you need a reservation to picnic at Ives Park?

No reservation is needed to use the picnic area. Unreserved picnic areas are first-come, first-served. To reserve an area (the city's own example is the stage and BBQ area), get a city special event permit through Public Works, citypw@cityofsebastopol.gov or (707) 823-5331, at least 30 days ahead. 2026 fees for up to 50 people: $50 (community group), $75 (resident) or $100 (non-resident) daily use fee plus a $150 refundable deposit.

Is there a fee to picnic at Ives Park?

Free.

Sources & accuracy

We last checked this listing in September 2026 (freshest source: City special event permit packet revised Jan 26, 2026; city parks page (c) 2026). Policies change — especially for groups and holidays — so confirm with Ives Park before you go. How we verify.

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