Rochester, NY Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)

City Code § 111-28(A) bars any parade, procession or other organized formation of persons or vehicles, other than a funeral procession or sidewalk picket line, from occupying, marching or proceeding along a street without a permit from the Mayor. Under Subsection B, the application goes to the Commissioner of Recreation and Human Services not less than 72 hours before the requested start time, and Subsection C requires it to list the organizer's contact information, the parade chairperson responsible for conduct, the date, route, starting and ending points, the approximate number of people, animals and vehicles, the start and end hours, and the location and assembly time for any staging area.

The Mayor must issue the permit under Subsection D if the parade will not substantially interrupt safe traffic flow along the route, keeps no more than 50 yards between units while moving expeditiously from start to end, is not held solely to advertise a commercial product or for private profit, and enough police officers are available to protect participants, observers and the rest of the city. m. The permit itself, under Subsection F, must state the assembly time and place, starting time and point, the route and streets to be traversed, and the disbandment point; the chairperson must carry the permit during the parade under Subsection G(2).