Fort Wayne, IN Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permits from
- City Right-of-Way Department
- Police overtime share
- 23% of costs (2022+)
- Advance notice
- 30 days before event
- One-day festivals
- Exempt from police fee
- Bond
- 25% of prior-year overtime
Summary
Any festival using city streets, sidewalks, alleys, parks or parking lots needs a barricade, sidewalk or parade permit from Fort Wayne's Right-of-Way Department, plus payment of police and fire overtime costs tied to the event.
The City Right-of-Way Department shall administer all barricade, sidewalk and parade permits. The Board of Public Works shall establish policies, regulations, liability insurance requirements and fees for barricade permits issued for the use of city rights-of-way during a festival. Such policies, regulations, liability insurance requirements and fees must include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
(1) If the sponsor of an unofficial festival activity is a single business entity located within the area where the activity is to occur, said sponsor may not receive a barricade permit for more area of city right-of-way than is directly adjacent to the property of said business entity.
(2) Failure to comply with any policy, regulation or requirement issued by the Board of Public Works shall be grounds to revoke a barricade permit.
(D) Police Department cost recovery. All festival sponsors held partially or entirely on city-owned property or rights-of-way, including streets, sidewalks and alleys, shall be subject to the payment of user fees to the city for festival police overtime expenses according to the following terms:
(1) Thirty days prior to the commencement of an official festival event, the festival sponsor shall notify the City Police Department of the date and time the event will occur.
(2) The festival sponsor shall be billed and responsible for the following percentages of the police overtime expenses incurred by the City
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-60: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. G-19-26, passed 7-14-26, and Res. 83-19, passed 12-17-19 State legislation current through Legislative Service, 2025 Acts, Pamphlet No. 3).
Full Breakdown
Under Chapter 118, a festival held partly or entirely on city property or rights-of-way must get barricade, sidewalk and parade permits from the City Right-of-Way Department, with policies, insurance requirements and fees set by the Board of Public Works. Sponsors must notify the Police Department 30 days before an official festival event and pay a rising share of police overtime costs, fixed at 23% for 2022 and every year after; one-day festivals are exempt from the police fee. A permit applicant may also have to post a bond equal to 25% of the prior year's overtime, and unofficial-activity sponsors can't get barricades covering more right-of-way than sits adjacent to their own business.
Violations & Fines
Failure to comply with any Board of Public Works policy, regulation or requirement is grounds to revoke a festival barricade permit outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a street fair in Fort Wayne?
Will I have to pay for police at my festival?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Wayne
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