Monroe Township (Gloucester County), NJ Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

Chapter 109 of the Monroe Township Code is the event permit chapter for temporary amusements. It defines a carnival or circus as an assembly of shows, Ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, whips, shooting galleries or similar amusements, legal games of chance or skill, and animal or horsemanship displays that are grouped together and carried on for a short period of time in the open air or under temporary structures. Legal games of chance need an identification number. The chapter covers carnival-style festivals and fairs through the words "other similar enterprise"; it contains no separate street fair section.

The applicant files with the Township Clerk and names the carnival company, the sponsoring group, the period of time for which the permit is wanted, and every concession, game, act or show. Carnival applicants must also comply with N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.22 et seq. The Clerk sends each application to the Township Council, and a permit issues only after Council approval. All required information and documentation is due within 30 days of the date scheduled for the governing body's vote, and a late or partial filing is deemed incomplete and returned.

The applicant also applies to the Construction Code Official for a construction permit. The fee schedule sits in Chapter 74, and the Code adds a $75 fee for the Construction Code Official's inspection plus any applicable NJDCA training fees. The zoning permit is the first step and cannot be approved without a safety plan reviewed by the Chief of Police, whose recommendations become conditions of the zoning permit. If the Chief orders special duty police presence, the applicant pays the per-officer rate before the zoning permit issues. The applicant provides a certificate of insurance in the minimum amounts required by the JIF and MEL, a written indemnity agreement, and a $500 cash bond with the Township Clerk, returned once the Chief of Police certifies compliance.

Fees are waived by Township Council or the Director of the Department for entities shown to be nonprofit, with a certified copy of the nonprofit document filed with the Clerk. Section 109-4 bans indecent performances and Section 109-5 bans controlled gaming devices. Section 109-6 closes every operation daily at 12:00 midnight and bars all shows, performances and games on Sundays. A majority of the Township Council decides any question of interpretation under Section 109-7.

Vendor-style markets fall under Chapter 143, Flea Markets, which requires a license from the Monroe Township Clerk for a sale with multiple outdoor vendors, with the Zoning Officer enforcing.