Gardena, CA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

Gardena Municipal Code Section 18.60.050 defines a Special Event as any temporary use of a business premise for an activity unrelated to or beyond the scope of the license already held there, expressly naming swap meets, fairs, festivals, flea markets, car shows and auto dealer sales events, whether held indoors or outdoors. Each special event may run up to four days, and the organizer must pay all applicable business license fees under Title 5 and comply with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration's rules for swap meet, flea market and special event operators.

Anyone providing a service that requires a state license or certificate at the event must carry that credential plus government-issued identification while working. Section 18.60.050(B) caps the total number of temporary events of any combination, including special events, grand openings and outdoor sales events, at twelve per single property address in a rolling twelve-month period; certified farmer's markets and nonprofit walk-up food distributions are excluded from that cap. Alcohol service is allowed only once the organizer has obtained the required license from the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control before the event, per subsection C.

Applications go through the community development director under Section 18.60.060, and the director may impose conditions to satisfy the findings in Section 18.60.080. Under Section 18.60.110, the director can revoke or suspend a temporary event permit immediately, by written notice, if the activity becomes a public nuisance, endangers public health or safety, is run contrary to its conditions or state or city law, or if the applicant made false statements in the application; a suspended permit resumes once the suspension period ends. Denials or revocations are appealable to the city manager under Section 18.60.120 by filing with the planning division within ten days, with a hearing held no later than the third business day after filing and a written decision due the next business day; a fee is required to file the appeal. Section 18.60.130 separately bars using 'City of Gardena' or the city seal in event promotion without written authorization.