Honolulu County, HI Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Waikiki cap
- 2 permits per 4-month period
- Election-day ban
- No Waikiki festivals on election day
- Legacy status
- 15+ consecutive years of annual events
- Outside Waikiki
- Permit required, no numeric cap
- Max penalty
- $200 fine or 30 days jail
Summary
Street festivals anywhere on Oahu need a street activity permit, and inside the Waikiki special district the director may approve only two per four-month period each year.
Waikiki street festivals. For street festivals in the Waikiki special district, including Waikiki legacy street festivals, the director may approve a maximum of two permits per triannual period (four-month period) of the calendar year, based on the date the street festival will be held.
(iv) Waikiki legacy street activities. Waikiki legacy street activities will receive a permit if all permit requirements are satisfied. It is the responsibility of the applicant for a Waikiki legacy street activity permit to demonstrate that the street activity qualifies as a Waikiki legacy street activity.
(v) Restrictions on dates street activities may be held.
(aa) No street activity permits for non-First Amendment street activities in the Waikiki special district may be issued for days on which a general election is held; and
(bb) The director may, by rule adopted pursuant to HRS Chapter 91, designate up to a maximum of 10 dates during the calendar year (other than general election day) as unavailable for non-First Amendment street activities in the Waikiki special district, if the director finds that those dates historically have experienced high traffic volumes in Waikiki.
(C) Review of a street activity permit application by the chief of police. Upon the filing of an application for a non-First Amendment street activity, the director shall transmit a copy of the application for review to the chief of police, and at the director’s discretion, to any other agency if that
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-10: Supplement 10, 12-2025 Ordinance No. 25-40 through Ordinance No. 25-56).
Full Breakdown
A street festival, a stationary gathering with entertainment, cultural activities, and food or merchandise vendors that closes a street and is free to attend, needs a street activity permit under Revised Ordinances of Honolulu § 15-24.20. Outside Waikiki, applications go to the Department of Transportation Services under deadlines the director sets. Inside the Waikiki special district, including legacy festivals held there for 15+ consecutive years, the director may approve at most two street-festival permits per four-month period of the calendar year, and none on general election day.
Violations & Fines
Holding a street festival without an approved permit is a violation under § 15-24.20(h), punishable by a fine up to $200, up to 30 days' imprisonment, or both, per offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many street festival permits does Waikiki get per year?
Can a street festival happen anywhere else on Oahu without the Waikiki cap?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Honolulu County
Compare Honolulu County to another location·View the Hawaii special events & permits overview
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