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

08 requires a permit before a person may "hold, conduct, manage, carry on, or participate in" any parade, defined broadly to include any march, ceremony, show, exhibition, pageant or procession on a street, alley, park or other public place (Sec. 020). Funeral processions and supervised school activities are exempt. The organizer files a verified application with the city manager or designee at least 10 working days before the event, disclosing the sponsoring organization, the parade chairman's contact information, the date, route, starting and termination points, assembly and disassembly areas, the number of participants, animals and vehicles, and the hours of the parade (Sec.

040). The city manager must issue the permit if the parade will not substantially interrupt traffic, will not divert so many deputy sheriffs as to leave the rest of the city without normal police protection, will not interfere with fire, police or ambulance access, will not obstruct road construction, and is not reasonably likely to cause injury, among other findings (Sec. 050). If the proposed date, time or route conflicts with these requirements, the city manager may propose alternatives, and the applicant has five days to file a written notice of acceptance (Sec.

060). An approved permit fixes the starting time, minimum and maximum speed, spacing between units, streets that may be occupied, and maximum parade length (Sec. 070). The city manager acts on a completed application within five working days; a denial is mailed within five working days with the reasons stated (Sec. 080). Permittees must reimburse the city in advance for estimated departmental service charges, meaning the cost of traffic control, and for any city property damaged by the event (Sec. 110). The parade chairman must carry the permit during the event (Sec. 120).