Fort Worth, TX Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)

City Code § 20-415 makes it unlawful for any persons, delegations, companies or groups to conduct a parade on city streets without a permit; using only the sidewalks needs no permit, but a parade on a median, median strip or traffic island is barred outright. Only one parade per calendar day is allowed in the Downtown Outdoor Events District, the Cultural District, the Near Southside Outdoor Events District or the Stockyards Outdoor Events District; outside those areas the outdoor events manager, in consultation with the police and fire chiefs, may permit same-day parades if their start times are at least four hours apart.

Mandatory requirements before issuance mirror the special-event process: a completed application 210 days ahead for a downtown parade expecting over 2,500 participants, 120 days for other parades or smaller downtown parades (500 to 2,500), or 60 days for a parade under 500 participants; payment of all fees at filing; attendance at the pre-event meeting; and the other submissions required under Article XII. Section 20-415(a)(4) lets the city deny a permit outright if the parade would conflict with a previously scheduled event, present an unreasonable danger to health or safety, interfere with fire, police or ambulance protection along the route without an acceptable alternative, place an unsustainable burden on emergency services citywide, or conflict with events scheduled at the Fort Worth Convention Center or Will Rogers Memorial Center.