Bakersfield, CA Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)

76 Parades defines a parade broadly as any 'march or procession consisting of persons, animals or vehicles, or combinations thereof, except funeral processions,' that does not comply with normal traffic controls. 020 makes it unlawful to conduct one without first obtaining and maintaining a valid permit from the traffic authority, defined for this chapter as the police chief or designee. 030 must be filed 10 business days to 90 calendar days before the event and include the sponsoring organization's contact information, a proposed route (drawn from five standard corridors in the Police Department Parade Manual, the L Street, F Street, Truxtun Avenue, East California Avenue, and Baker Street corridors, or a custom route), assembly and disbanding locations, unit size and sound equipment details, and any prior permit history.

The traffic authority evaluates nine criteria, including whether the parade would need police protection beyond what the city can reasonably provide, whether it is purely commercial advertising (which disqualifies it), and whether it conflicts with another already-permitted parade or special event. 040 the traffic authority must issue or deny the permit within eight days, with a written reason for any denial. Permits can carry conditions on timing, speed, spacing, unit count, and route length. 060. 080.