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

020 makes it city policy that anyone who wants to hold, manage or participate in organizing a street fair, festival or other local special event on a city street, sidewalk, alley, parkway, public place, or city-controlled property must first get a written permit from the city manager or a designee; activity protected by the First Amendment is exempt from the permit requirement. The application must be filed at least thirty working days before the event and must describe the proposed use, the specific street or property involved, how it will be used, the dates and times, the sponsoring individual or organization, a contact person, and the estimated number of attendees, accompanied by a nonrefundable fee set by city council resolution.

The city manager routes the application to the accounting department, police department, fire protection district, traffic engineering/public works, and code enforcement for review, and a traffic control and parking plan covering posted, coned or barricaded streets must be prepared jointly by public works and police. A street fair permit runs for no more than two consecutive days, though the city manager may extend it once for up to three additional days. Before the permit takes effect the organizer must pay the permit and daily fees, put up a cash deposit to cover estimated departmental service charges, and obtain a policy of insurance naming the city, its boards, officers, agents and employees as additional insureds, submitted at least ten days before the event; the city manager can waive the insurance requirement for a one-day event that presents no substantial liability risk. The city manager can deny or summarily revoke the permit for a false statement in the application or any violation of the permit's conditions.