Jan. 01--Picnic permits for Cook County forest preserves go on sale Friday.
Parties with 25 or more people are required to have a permit to picnic at one of the Cook County Forest Preserve
District's 297 sites, officials said. Of those sites, 191 have shelters.
The permits will be available online at fpdcc.com/permits starting at 8 a.m. Those who want to buy permits in person can start lining up at 7 a.m. at preserve headquarters at 536 N. Harlem Ave. in River Forest.
Basic permits for up to 399 attendees cost $47 to $115, according to the county website.
The agency launched an online registration system last year. Users are encouraged to create an account ahead of time to be able to book this week.
Forest preserve officials said about 10 percent of all permits are sold on the first day, and more than a million people attended a sanctioned picnic in 2014.
saho@tribpub.com
