Special Events & Permits in Revere, MA

Revere maintains 121 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with special events & permits. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Revere falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Parade Permits

Anyone organizing or joining a parade or procession that would take over a Revere street to the exclusion of other users needs a written permit from the chief of police first, under City Code Section 10.28.010. The chief sets how much of the street the event may use and for how long, and the parade's chief officer is personally responsible for keeping the event inside those limits.

Key details: Permit issuer: Chief of police. Form required: Written permit. Who's responsible: Event's chief officer. Trigger: Occupies street, excludes others. Backup authority: Street closure, Section 10.08.030.

Revere's code does not spell out a specific fine for holding an unpermitted parade under Section 10.28.010; instead, enforcement runs through the chief of police's general authority to close streets and control lawful assemblages, demonstrations and processions under Section 10.08.030. An organizer who marches without a permit risks police halting or rerouting the event on the spot, and the event's chief officer bears responsibility if the crowd exceeds the street space or time actually authorized.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Revere actively enforces its parade permits requirements.

Sidewalk Dining & Cafés

Restaurants in Revere cannot serve food or alcohol outside their licensed premises without written License Commission approval expanding that license into the public way. Section 17.16.310(B) governs sidewalk and public-way dining, routing every application through site plan review before the License Commission signs off, and requiring full ADA compliance.

Key details: Governing section: Revere Municipal Code § 17.16.310(B). Approval required: Written License Commission license expansion. Prior step: Site plan review committee recommendation. Standard: Full ADA compliance for outdoor areas. Special-permit districts: RC, RC1, NB, GB1 need council conditions.

Serving food or alcohol in the public way without the License Commission's written approval violates Section 17.16.310(B) and can trigger the general zoning penalties in Section 17.60.090: a fine of up to three hundred dollars per day for each day the violation continues. The building inspector may also withhold or revoke related permits under Sections 17.60.040 and 17.60.050, and the License Commission itself may revoke or decline to renew the underlying license.

Compared to other cities, Revere takes a harder line on sidewalk dining & cafés. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Revere is tougher than many cities when it comes to special events & permits. Out of the 2 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Revere, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Revere's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.