Bowie, MD Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before erecting any carnival/fair use
- Application deadline
- 30 days before event
- Max permit length
- 17 days
- Annual limit
- 2 permits per property per year
- Minimum distance
- 250 ft from residential dwellings
- First-offense fine
- $100 (then $200)
Summary
The City of Bowie requires a temporary use permit before anyone erects a carnival, fair or similar amusement, filed with the City Manager at least 30 days ahead. Chapter 3 of the Bowie City Code caps each permit at 17 days and limits any one property to two fair or carnival permits per calendar year, with the City Manager approving hours, security and site conditions.
No carnival will be permitted within the City without a permit being obtained as provided for herein. No amusement, carnival, fair or similar use shall be operated in the City except in full compliance with this chapter, nor shall any amusement, carnival, fair or similar use be operated in violation of any applicable law or regulation of any governmental agency having jurisdiction in the matter. ... It shall be unlawful for any person to erect any temporary structures to be used as an amusement, carnival, fair or similar use whatsoever within the limits of the City without having first made application for and received permission to do so by receiving a temporary use permit from the City Manager.
Full Breakdown
Applicants file with the City Manager under § 3-7, providing the sponsor's name and address, the property owner's written permission, a site sketch showing abutting streets, the number and placement of rides and structures, security and parking plans, sanitary facilities, a trash-control plan, lighting locations, sign use and the date and number of any Prince George's County permit. The City Manager notifies the County Police, Fire and Health Departments, investigates the application, and under § 3-8 can issue the permit only after that review and payment of the fee set annually by the City Council's budget ordinance (§ 3-5).
Under § 3-11 the site must sit at least 250 feet from any residential dwelling and, in noncommercial or industrial zones, on a parking lot. Section 3-13 lets the City Manager set operating hours, but requires all operations to stop by 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday (11:30 p.m. if the next day is a holiday) and by 11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with no equipment installed or removed before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. The applicant must post security at its own cost (§ 3-14), clear all equipment and trash from the site within 24 hours of closing (§ 3-15), and keep livestock off-site outside operating hours (§ 3-16). A denied applicant can appeal to the City's Board of Appeals, which must rule within 15 days of the hearing (§ 3-9).
Violations & Fines
Violations of Chapter 3 are municipal infractions enforced under City Code § 1-6, which sets a $100 fine for a first offense and $200 for every subsequent offense, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense. Citations go to the Administrative Review Board or District Court, and the City Manager can revoke the temporary use permit for noncompliance with any permit condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead must I apply for a Bowie fair or carnival permit?
How long can a Bowie carnival or fair permit run?
What are the operating hours for a Bowie street fair?
What happens if the City Manager denies my permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bowie
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