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

Under Code of Ordinances § 22-171, the special events permitting rules of Article VI apply to parades unless stated otherwise, and staging a parade or procession without first securing a permit from the chief of police is unlawful. Applicants file with the city manager or designee along with the special events permit fee set on the city's fee schedule, and the application must include the route, staging areas, dates, times, expected crowd size, security and cleanup plans, and whether alcohol will be sold (§ 22-167).

The city manager weighs factors including whether the parade will interrupt traffic flow, divert police resources needed elsewhere, interfere with fire or ambulance access, or has been requested so often on the same route that it becomes too disruptive to residents and businesses (§ 22-168). 00 in comprehensive general liability insurance naming the city as an additional insured, though that requirement can be waived for expressive activity protected by the First Amendment or when insurance is shown to be unobtainable (§ 22-168(b)-(c)). The city may recover the cost of excessive public safety response caused by an unpermitted or poorly planned event (§ 22-164).

If a permit is denied, the applicant may seek reconsideration from the city manager, and any denial can be appealed to city council within five days (§§ 22-172, 22-173). During the parade itself, no one may hamper or interfere with parade participants, drive through a moving parade, or park along a route the police chief has posted as restricted (§ 22-174).