Special Events & Permits in Lynnwood, WA

If you live in Lynnwood or are thinking about moving there, special events & permits are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Lynnwood has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of special events & permits, and some of them might surprise you.

Street Fair Rules

Lynnwood, Washington regulates fairs and festivals as "special events" under LMC 5.30.020(L), requiring a city permit before one can operate, and LMC 5.30.030(F) requires every business or vendor at the event to hold a Lynnwood business license and to record, report and remit any taxes owed.

Key details: Governing definition: LMC 5.30.020(L). Vendor license requirement: LMC 5.30.030(F). Max event duration: 14 days excluding setup. Max days per site per year: 60, plus 5 nonprofit days. Spacing between commercial events: 5 days minimum.

Operating a fair or festival, or a vendor booth within one, without the required special event permit and Lynnwood business license is unlawful under LMC 5.30.030(A) and (F). Failing to keep the event site free of litter or to close solid waste receptacles at the end of each day violates LMC 5.30.030(E), and the director may suspend or revoke the special event permit for noncompliance with the chapter or the permit's conditions under LMC 5.30.040(H).

Parade Permits

Lynnwood, Washington treats a parade of more than 25 people or things as a special event under LMC 5.30.020(F), and LMC 5.30.030(A) requires a special event permit before anyone may sponsor or conduct one. Applications go in at least 21 days ahead, and the initial permit fee is $226.

Key details: Parade defined as: Procession of more than 25 persons. Governing section: LMC 5.30.030(A). Application deadline: 21 days before event. Initial permit fee: $226. Repeat event fee: $74.

Sponsoring or conducting a parade requiring a permit without a valid special event permit is unlawful under LMC 5.30.030(A), and Chapter 5.30 sets its own penalties for violation of its terms. For an unpermitted event, the city retains the same authority to recover its costs, such as extra staffing or equipment use, that it has for a permitted one, under LMC 5.30.050(C).

Park Event Permits

Lynnwood, Washington requires director permission to hold a scheduled event in a city park after dusk, and a permit from the parks and recreation director, backed by a $100 bond, to sell merchandise, run a concession, or serve alcohol at a park gathering under LMC 10.16.020.

Key details: Concession/sales permit: LMC 10.16.020(I). Cleanup bond required: $100. Alcohol permit condition: LMC 10.16.020(K). After-hours closure: Dusk to dawn, 11 p.m. at 3 named parks. Administering department: Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts.

Selling merchandise, running a concession, or allowing alcohol in a city park without the required park and recreation director permit, or remaining in a park after the posted closing time without authorization, violates LMC 10.16.020. Any violation of that section is a misdemeanor under LMC 10.16.030, and city parks enforcement is handled by the parks, recreation and cultural arts department together with the Lynnwood Police Department.

Block Party Permits

Lynnwood, Washington does not require a special event permit for a neighborhood block party. LMC 5.30.030(G)(5) lists block parties among the activities exempt from the Chapter 5.30 special event permit, though the code still requires compliance with applicable laws and regulations such as traffic and noise rules.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 5.30.030(G)(5). Special event permit required: No, for block parties. Other exemptions in same list: Weddings, funerals, small private events. Still required: Compliance with applicable laws. Permit fee avoided: $226 initial special event fee.

Because a qualifying neighborhood block party is exempt from the Chapter 5.30 permit itself, there is no special-event permit violation for holding one without a permit. An organizer who blocks a street, uses barricades, or otherwise creates a public safety hazard without complying with other applicable Lynnwood ordinances, such as those governing obstruction of a public right-of-way, remains subject to those separate provisions and their own penalties.

The rules around block party permits in Lynnwood lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Lynnwood's special events & permits rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Lynnwood is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Lynnwood can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.