Baltimore County, MD Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

Baltimore County Code § 21-9-103 puts the Department in charge of permits for "a traveling carnival, circus, or exhibition to be held or staged in the county." The Department may issue that permit to a volunteer fire company, or a bona fide fraternal, civic, war veterans, religious, or charitable organization, to sponsor "circuses, carnivals, lawn fetes, and other types of outdoor entertainment," provided the group manages the event with its own members and complies with county and state law, including the building code and animal control law. A circus may not run at one site more than 7 consecutive days unless the Director extends it, and permitted organizations may lease Ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, and other mechanical rides.

The broader Title 9 event scheme applies to any street fair or festival that counts as a "special event": § 21-9-106 requires an application filed at least 60 calendar days (but not more than one year) before the event, with a security plan approved by the Police Department and a list of similar events the applicant held elsewhere in Maryland in the prior 12 months. The county must grant or deny the permit at least 14 days before the event, and § 21-9-107 lists 19 grounds for denial, including inadequate traffic facilities, unapproved security plans, insufficient toilet facilities under the Plumbing and Gasfitting Code, and inadequate litter-control plans. Permit holders must keep the street clean during the event, restore it afterward, and reimburse the county for any property damage (§ 21-9-108). For events that are parades, § 21-9-105(d) bars selling food or merchandise within 100 feet of the parade route without the permit holder's express written permission, except for vendors located inside an established building on the route.