Charleston, SC Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)

City Code § 2-187 defines a 'parade' as any organized group, formation or procession consisting of persons on foot, animals, vehicles and conveyances of any sort, or any combination thereof, moving in unison upon any public street or sidewalk of the city which does not comply with normal traffic regulations or controls, expressly excluding funeral processions, school groups under staff supervision, government agencies acting within their functions, and First Amendment demonstrations. As a special event, a parade must clear the same application process in § 2-189, including a description of the route, the approximate number of marchers, animals and vehicles, whether the parade will use the full street or sidewalk width, the spacing between units, the parade's length and its proposed speed, filed 60 to 120 days ahead depending on expected size.

; drivers may not drive between marching units or persons while the parade is in motion; the chief of police may close parking along the route and must post signs to that effect; and no one may unreasonably hamper, obstruct, impede or interfere with a parade or its participants or animals. The chief of police also directs security staffing, including off-duty officers, for the event.