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Temporary Food Events
Temporary Food Event permits are issued for a limited-time event or celebration, such as a fair, carnival, circus, or sporting event. These permits are issued to individuals or groups that operate a temporary food establishment.
Temporary food establishment means a food establishment that operates at a fixed location for a period of no more than 14 consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration such as a fair, carnival, circus, public exhibition, anniversary sale, or occasional
sales promotion. Occasional means not more than 3 days during any 12-month period.
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PLEASE NOTE: Personnel are available for in-office consultations from 8-10 AM, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). If you would like to make an appointment, call the Environmental Health Division at 262-636-9203.
Event Licensing
If you are holding an event:
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Contact the Environmental Health Division (262-636-9203) to determine if your event requires a permit.
- If so, they will provide you with a copy of the
Temporary Food Service Permit Application.
- Be specific and detailed when filling out the application. It will be reviewed, and follow-up questions and necessary changes will be discussed with the event coordinator.
- Mail, fax, or return the application in person, along with all necessary fees (detailed on the application), to the Environmental Health Division.
Note: When faxing, call 262-636-9203 to provide credit card payment information.
- There is a special rate available for non-profit organizations. In order to get this rate, a copy of the organization's 501(c)(3) must be supplied when applying.
- All food handlers must complete a Temporary Event Food Service Class offered by the Environmental Health Division detailing proper food service. This can be done online or in person; see details below.
Law prohibits a temporary event operator from serving food more than three (3) times at the same facility in a licensing year, unless it is in association with different events. If you are planning numerous events, other permit options are available.
Event Coordinators: Fill out and return the
Temporary Event Coordinator Checklist along with your application. Also, review the
Temporary Food Service Event Requirements. This booklet contains procedures for setting up food service areas, cooking and storing food, and sanitizing work/service areas. Knowing and following this information will ensure that the permitting process, as well as the event, runs smoothly and safely.
Other Agencies to Contact for Temporary Permits:
Environmental Health Division:
Noise Variance
City Hall, 730 Washington Avenue, Room 1
262-636-9203
Clerk/Treasurer's Office:
Peddler's/Seller's License, Alcohol/Soda License
City Hall, 730 Washington Avenue, Room 103
262-636-9146
Parks, Recreation, & Cultural Services Department:
Special Event at a Park Permit
Annex Building, 800 Center Street, Room 127
262-636-9131
Temporary Event Food Safety Class
The Environmental Health Division offers a Temporary Event Food Safety Class for those preparing, handling, or serving food at a temporary event that requires a permit (see above). This class can be completed online, at your own pace, by reviewing the six links below (each opens a PDF in a new window or tab) and completing the online quiz. Those who receive a quiz score of 80% or above will receive a Certificate of Completion via email. If you receive a score less than 80%, you will be contacted by the Public Health Department to review the missed question(s) prior to receiving a Certificate of Completion. You are allowed to retake the exam after re-reviewing the course material..
If special accommodations are necessary, an in-person class at the Environmental Health Division can be requested. In-person classes are offered at Racine City Hall, 730 Washington Avenue by appointment only. Interested individuals can call 262-636-9203 or email PublicHealth@cityofracine.org for availability, registration requests, and questions.
Online Temporary Food Service Class
Food Stand Construction
- Every temporary stand must have a roof and sidewalls. It can be built of wood, canvas, nylon, or plastic.
- Have enough room for all cooking equipment except for barbecue grills. Those may be outside the stand as long as they are blocked off.
- Areas used for extensive food preparation must be effectively enclosed or screened.
- The food preparation area may have a food pass-through opening or entry door.
- For booths not on concrete; sealed wood racks, plywood, or shredded bark should be used to control mud, dust, and water.
- Use pallets, crates, racks, or tables to keep all food and single-service items at least six inches off the ground.
Food Stand Layout![]()
- Cooking equipment: Grill areas must be separated from the public for a distance of at least 4 feet by using fences, ropes, or other means.
- Do not use barrels that formerly held chemicals or toxics as cooking devices. Enamelware equipment and utensils (i.e., older metal nesco cooker inserts) may not be used to prepare or store food.
- Provide a secure and level area for all propane tanks.
- Electrical power: Sufficient power must be available for all electrical equipment
- Sanitary services: Arrange for adequate trash, grease, and wastewater containers and service in and around the food stand.
- Do not empty grease and liquid wastes on the ground or street. Never dump grease or wastewater in to the storm sewers or on the grass at an event.
- Water: Have a sufficient supply of approved drinking (potable) water. Connections to city water must be made using approved backflow prevention.
- All hoses used for food preparation, handwashing, or utensil washing must be food grade (ANSI/NSF). If city water is not available, potable water may be brought to the site in a water buffalo or covered food grade water container.
Dishwashing
- Warewashing: equipment and utensils can be taken to an approved facility at the end of each day for warewashing. Adequate utensils must be provided and replaced with clean utensils at least every four hours. When water under pressure is not available on site, basins large enough to immerse
utensils may be set-up for warewashing.
- Hot water: If hot water under pressure is not available, provide a means of heating water such as a coffee maker or heated in a container on the grill.
- Proper storage of cleaning aids- All chemicals must be used according to label directions and properly labeled. Store them away from food, equipment, utensils, and single service articles.
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Wiping cloths: Wiping cloths that are in use for wiping food spills shall be used for no other purpose and shall be stored clean and dry or in a container of clean sanitizing solution at the proper concentration.
Handwashing
- Hand wash facilities must be located in all stands where open food is handled or prepared and convenient to all employees. Grill areas that are separate should have a separate handwash facility.
- When water under pressure is not available, the hand wash facility shall consist of soap, paper towels, wastepaper basket, discard bucket, and a minimum 5-gallon insulated container with a free flowing spigot that is filled with warm water.
- Employees may not touch ready-to-eat foods such as: bread, lettuce, tomatoes, or cooked foods with their bare hands. Use gloves, tissues, tongs, or other utensils.
- Gloves and hand sanitizers are not a substitute for handwashing and may only be applied to hands that have been thoroughly washed.
- Employees must wear clean clothes and hair restraints. Smoking and eating are not allowed in food stands. Small children, friends, and visitors must not be allowed into food stands.
Safe Food Temperatures
Cook:
- Poultry, poultry stuffing, stuffed meat and stuffing containing meat to 165°F for 15 seconds.
- Ground beef/hamburger to 155°F for 15 seconds.
- Uncooked brats or polish sausage to 155°F for 15 seconds.
- Whole pork, beef roasts, and ham to 145°F for 4 minutes.
- Pork chops/ribs to 145°F for 15 seconds.
- Fish to 145°F for 15 seconds.
- Raw shell eggs prepared for immediate service to 145°F for 15 seconds.
- Fruits and vegetables cooked for hot holding to 135°F.
Hold:
- At 135°F or above for safe hot holding.
- At 41°F or below for safe cold holding.
- Use date marking for potentially hazardous, ready-to-eat foods prepared or opened on-site and held for more than 24 hours.
Cool potentially hazardous cooked foods:
- Within 2 hours, from 135°F to 70°F.
- Within 6 hours total from 135°F to 41°F or below.
- To speed cooling:
- Use ice bath with frequent stirring or add ice as an ingredient.
- Use frozen paddle.
- Separate food into shallow pans and refrigerate.
Reheat rapidly (within 2 hours):
- To 165°F for 15 seconds.
- To 135°F for ready-to-eat foods taken from a commercially processed sealed package (e.g. frozen soup).
- Stir food while reheating.
Thaw:
- In refrigerator at 41°F or below.
- Submerged under cold running water at 70°F or below.
- In microwave oven on defrost or low when an uninterrupted cooking process immediately follows. Note: can be cooked to165°F in microwave and held covered for 2 minutes.
- In conventional oven or cooking unit to the proper internal temperature, as part of the regular cooking process, until food reaches proper temperature throughout.
Important Reminders:
- All food operations need a hand wash station set up before any food processing can be done onsite.
- Food operations considered high risk will not be allowed to operate until inspected and the permit isissued.
- To prevent short-term closure of a food service, operators should make sure that safe food handling practices and temperatures are implemented and followed.
For More Information
If you have questions or would like more information, call 262-636-9203.