Anchorage, AK Special Events & Permits: Block Party Permits (2026)

004 defines a special activity as any preplanned activity, sponsored by an individual or organization, proposed to be conducted in or having a direct effect upon the municipality's public right-of-way. Its non-exhaustive list names block parties expressly, alongside parades, processions, walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, foot races, bike races, motorized races, dog races, street fairs, street dances, and similar activities, so a residential street closure sits squarely inside the permit requirement. Sponsors must apply for the right-of-way special activity permit not less than 30 days before the proposed date, though the mayor can waive that deadline for good cause shown.

The application package includes a route or closure map and a security plan, and the permit fee is scaled to expected attendance: $65 for 1-25 participants, rising by tier up to $640 for 1,000 or more. Depending on how much the event affects traffic, the municipality may also require a traffic control plan and payment of police presence costs. The traffic engineer is the issuing office, so the same desk that manages Anchorage's rights-of-way decides whether your street can close and under what conditions.