Fresno County, CA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 858.5.050
- Event duration cap
- 10 days or five two-day weekends/year
- Application deadline
- Filed at least 180 days before the event
- Neighbor notice
- Mailed to owners within 300 feet
- Siting rule
- Non-residentially zoned property only
- Zoning violation penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 180 days jail
Summary
Fresno County requires a Temporary Use Permit before any fair, festival, carnival, swap meet or similar event can operate in the unincorporated county. Section 858.5.050 caps these events at 10 consecutive days, or five two-day weekends, per 12-month period, and Section 858.5.060 requires the application at least 180 days before the event with notice mailed to neighbors within 300 feet.
858.5.050 - Allowed Temporary Uses
The following limited duration temporary uses are allowed, if not already listed as a by-right or by-right value-added use in the underlying Zone District, subject to the issuance of a Temporary Use Permit, and only when conducted on non-residentially zoned properties and in compliance with Section 858.5.090 (Conditions of Approval), below.
B. Events.
1. Amusement rides, arts and crafts exhibits, auctions, carnivals, circuses, community clean-ups, concerts, fairs, farmer's markets, festivals, flea markets, food events including farmer's markets, outdoor entertainment/sporting events, rodeos, rummage sales, secondhand sales, and swap meets for 10 consecutive days or less, or five two-day weekends, within a 12-month period.
Full Breakdown
5 of the Fresno County Zoning Ordinance governs Temporary Use Permits for short-term activities that would not otherwise meet the standards of the applicable zone. 050 lists 'Allowed Temporary Uses,' which include amusement rides, arts and crafts exhibits, auctions, carnivals, circuses, community clean-ups, concerts, fairs, farmer's markets, festivals, flea markets, food events, outdoor entertainment and sporting events, rodeos, rummage sales, secondhand sales, and swap meets. These events are capped at 10 consecutive days or five two-day weekends within any 12-month period, and they may only be sited on non-residentially zoned property.
2. 1, written notice must be mailed to every property owner within a 300-foot radius of the site's boundaries. 070. 080, including that the use will not endanger public health, safety or welfare and that the parcel is adequately served by streets able to handle the event traffic.
Violations & Fines
Holding a fair, festival, carnival or swap meet in unincorporated Fresno County without an approved Temporary Use Permit, or beyond the 10-day/12-month cap in Section 858.5.050, is an unpermitted zoning use. Under Zoning Ordinance Section 878.6.030, any Zoning Ordinance violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $500, up to 180 days in County Jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fresno County require a permit for a street fair or festival?
How far in advance must a festival organizer apply?
Do neighboring property owners get notified about a planned fair?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fresno County
California rules heatmap·Compare Fresno County to another location·View the California special events & permits overview
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