Bakersfield, CA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Application deadline
- At least 30 days before event
- Cash deposit
- $1,000 cleanup/removal bond
- Eligible zones
- C-2, M-1, M-2, M-3 only
- Issuing authority
- City manager or designee
- Appeal window
- 10 days to city council
Summary
Bakersfield requires a permit at least 30 days before any outdoor festival, circus, carnival or tent show under Municipal Code § 5.38.020, with a $1,000 cash deposit and a restriction to C-2, M-1, M-2 or M-3 zoned sites.
Applications for permits under this section shall be made on forms furnished by the city manager or designee, shall be submitted no less than thirty days prior to commencement of the event... Cash deposit in the sum of one thousand dollars, to be forfeited to the city in the event the permittee fails to remove all merchandise, equipment and rubbish from the premises upon which the stand is located before twelve noon on the day after the expiration date of the permit... That the proposed site is located in a C-2, M-1, M-2, M-3 zone and is suitable and proper for conducting such event as proposed in the application.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 5221, passed July 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020. 030 and must be filed at least 30 days before the event, listing the organizers, the applicant's business tax certificate number, prior permit history, dates/times, and the maximum expected attendance. Required attachments include a scaled plot plan showing utilities, parking, structures, curb cuts, and the nearest potable water, sanitation and fire hydrant sources; written landowner authorization if the applicant doesn't own the site; a $1,000 cash deposit forfeited if the site isn't cleared of merchandise, equipment and rubbish by noon the day after the permit expires; and proof of general liability and workers' compensation insurance.
The city manager may only issue the permit if the site sits in a C-2, M-1, M-2 or M-3 zone and is suitable for the event, no permit to the same applicant was revoked in the prior three years for related reasons, the activity won't create a substantial traffic hazard, and adequate parking exists. 060 gives a denied or revoked applicant 10 days to appeal in writing to the city council, which must hold a hearing within three weeks.
Violations & Fines
Conducting an outdoor festival, circus, carnival or tent show without the required § 5.38 permit is unlawful and enforceable under the city's general penalty provisions. A permit can be immediately revoked under § 5.38.050 for misrepresentation on the application, violation of permit conditions or law, interference with neighborhood peace, or a public safety finding, and the $1,000 cash deposit is forfeited if the site isn't fully cleared by noon the day after the permit expires.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an outdoor festival happen in Bakersfield without a city permit?
What zones allow an outdoor festival or carnival in Bakersfield?
How much notice does Bakersfield require for a festival permit application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bakersfield
California rules heatmap·Compare Bakersfield to another location·View the California special events & permits overview
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