Special Events & Permits in Whittier, CA (2026)
5 verified special events & permits rules for Whittier, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Block Party Permits
Whittier requires a special events permit before any festival, assemblage, or other temporary use of a public street, including a neighborhood block party, under Municipal Code Section 5.16.010, and approves the permit only for events run by a nonprofit with a principal office in the city that promotes the city or its residents.
Whittier Special Event Street Closure Permit
Significant RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 5.16.010, § 5.16.020
A.All assemblages, public meetings, and other special events including festivals, ceremonies, addresses, speeches, exhibits, performances, plays, circuses, musical events, athletic events and other similar temporary uses of public streets are prohibited unless a properly issued special events permit has first been obtained pursuant to this chapter. [...] Unless a waiver is granted by the city c...
Park Event Permits
Hosting a picnic, celebration, parade, service, or business in a Whittier public park requires a special permit under Municipal Code Section 12.44.020. Permits are issued by the city council or the parks, recreation and community services director under Section 12.44.010, and even attending an unpermitted event is itself unlawful.
Whittier Park Event Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 12.44.020
No company, society, group or organization shall hold or conduct any picnic, celebration, parade, service or business in any public park without a special permit granted as provided in this chapter, and no person shall take part in any picnic, celebration, parade, service or business held or conducted contrary to the provisions of this chapter.
Parade Permits
Whittier requires a written permit from the parking and transportation commission before anyone may hold a parade, march or procession, or play drums, gongs or wind instruments, on any public street or alley in the city.
Whittier Parade and Procession Permits
Significant RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 12.12.010(A)
No person, firm, corporation or association shall hold, conduct, manage, participate in or carry on any parade, march or procession on any public street or alley in the city or beat any drum, gong, triangle or tambourine, or blow, use or play and wind or stringed musical instrument upon any public street or alley in the city unless such person, firm, corporation or association has first made a ...
Street Fair Rules
Whittier's special events permit controls vendor activity at any street fair or festival held on public property: Municipal Code Section 5.16.010(C) requires vendors to get the event permit holder's written approval, lets the holder charge a registration fee, and Section 5.16.030 lets the city condition the permit on the location of vendor booths and event boundaries.
Whittier Street Fair Vendor Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 5.16.010(C), § 5.16.030
C.A special events permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall control over any business licenses issued pursuant to Chapter 5.04. Only those vendors who have received prior written approval from the special events permit holder will be allowed to operate within the prescribed special event venue area. The written approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. The special events permit holder ma...
Commercial Filming on Public Right-of-Way
Whittier folds commercial filming into the same permit system that governs any special use of public or private property. Municipal Code Section 5.44.010 requires a city manager permit before anyone films television, a motion picture, a commercial, digital media, a student film or still photography on private land, streets, parks or any space open to public view, so a shoot tied to an event still needs this filming permit rather than a separate event permit.
Whittier Requires One Permit For Any Filming
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 5.44.010
No person shall use buildings, structures, lots, yards, courts, open spaces, spaces open to public view or any public property for the purpose of television, motion picture, commercial, digital media, student film or still photography without first obtaining a permit from the city manager or his/her designee therefor, except as specifically provided for in this chapter.
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Whittier city rules.
Special Events & Permits in Los Angeles County →