Alachua County, FL Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit category
- Tier A temporary use permit, § 402.149(a)(1),(3)
- Duration cap
- 3 days/permit, 18 days/yr, § 402.150 Table
- Sanitation review
- Food-facility inspection plan required, § 402.151(c)(3)
- Signage limit
- 16 sq. ft. per sign, § 402.152(a)
- Alcohol
- Temporary Alcohol Permit required, § 402.152(g)
- Hearing trigger
- >2,000 attendees moves event to Tier C
Summary
A street fair, farmers market, craft fair, or carnival on private property in unincorporated Alachua County needs a Tier A temporary use permit under Section 402.149(a)(1) and (a)(3). The Growth Management Department caps each permit at three days, requires food-facility inspection and sanitation plans, and limits on-site signage before vendors can set up.
(1)Market events for the temporary sale of retail products as a single- or multi-vendor event where vendors sell goods or personal services directly to the public, such as but not limited to pop-up farmers markets, art fairs, and craft fairs. ... (3)Sports, religious, political, music and community events sponsored by for-profit, nonprofit, charitable, civil or membership organizations, such as but not limited to concerts, carnivals, and car shows.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
149(a) sorts temporary events into tiers. 1 caps a Tier A permit at three days, eighteen days per location per year, and six permits per location per year, with a 60-day separation between events. 151(a)(1) requires the application at least thirty calendar days before the fair opens. 151(c)(3) specifically requires 'plans for sanitation and public health protection including temporary bathroom facilities, inspection of food facilities, drainage, garbage and litter control, dust control, and recycling,' reviewed by the Director in consultation with State and County health agencies, which reaches any food vendor at the fair.
422 before any beer or wine tent can operate. An event drawing more than 2,000 people, or including overnight camping, is bumped into Tier C and requires a public hearing before the BOCC.
Violations & Fines
Operating a street fair or market event without an approved Tier A permit, or ignoring the conditions attached to one, exposes the organizer to the same enforcement path as any other temporary use: suspension of the permit under Section 402.151(d), followed by mandatory cessation of activity, permit revocation for continued noncompliance, and, under Section 402.151(d)(3), injunction or the penalties in Sections 10.08–10.09 of the County Code, up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a food vendor at a county craft fair need a separate health inspection?
Can vendors sell alcohol at a street fair?
How large can a market event be before it needs a public hearing instead of a staff permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Alachua County to another location·View the Florida special events & permits overview
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