Barrow County, GA Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)

Barrow County Code § 89-187 requires anyone hosting a temporary public event, including carnivals, fairs, festivals, rodeos, horse shows or athletic events on private property, to obtain a permit and hold it only in a zoning district where such events are allowed. unless the permit says otherwise, subject always to the county noise ordinance. Attendance is capped at 1,000 people including staff, and the applicant must hire off-duty Barrow County deputies on a sliding scale, two at baseline, rising to six for roughly 900 attendees, to manage traffic and order.

Applications go to the planning and community development department at least 45 calendar days before the event and must include site details, ownership authorization, a site plan, a security and traffic plan, and public liability insurance naming the county as additional insured for at least $300,000 per personal-injury occurrence and $100,000 per property-damage occurrence. The planning director has 14 calendar days to approve, approve with conditions or deny; failing to act within that window counts as automatic approval. A denied or conditioned applicant can appeal in writing to the county manager within ten days.

No property may host more than four single-day permitted events per calendar year, or more than one multi-day event of up to seven consecutive days.