Nassau County, FL Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- County Manager
- Application deadline
- At least 60 days before the event
- Time limit
- 10 hours/day, 2 days maximum
- Small-event exemption
- 300 or fewer attendees, 8 hours/day
- Liability insurance
- $1,000,000 minimum, $2,000,000 if alcohol sold
Summary
Anyone staging a festival, fair, art show or musical event in Nassau County must first get a festival permit from the county manager under Code § 19½-2. Festivals are capped at ten hours a day, two days total, and must shut down between midnight and 8:00 a.m.
No person shall stage, promote, or conduct any festival in the county without first obtaining a festival permit from the county manager. ... (1)Permit the festival to continue for more than ten (10) hours in any twenty-four-hour period, under no circumstances however, shall the festival be conducted within the hours of 12:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., within the permitted period. No festival shall exceed two (2) calendar days.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 19½ defines a festival broadly as any gathering for musical entertainment, fairs, art shows or displays, fee or free, but excludes athletic events, religious events, rodeos and anything at the county fairgrounds. Section 19½-2 requires a permit from the county manager before staging, promoting or conducting any festival in the county, and § 19½-3 requires the application at least 60 days ahead with plans for sanitation, approved food service, medical staffing through county fire/rescue, traffic and parking approved by the sheriff and public works, and security staffed through the sheriff's secondary-employment program at one officer per 150 attendees, or one per 70 if alcohol is served.
Applicants must also post liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per person and $1,000,000 in property damage, doubled to $2,000,000 if alcohol is sold, notify property owners within 1,000 feet, sign an indemnity agreement, and post a cash clean-up bond of $250 per 301 anticipated patrons. m. m.
Violations & Fines
Staging a festival without a permit, or violating the approved sanitation, security, insurance or hours plan, is a second-degree misdemeanor under § 19½-7, and the county manager may suspend or revoke a permit under § 19½-6 for any violation or false statement in the application; permit denials or revocations can be appealed to the Board of County Commissioners within 20 days under § 19½-9.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a small art show in unincorporated Nassau County?
How far ahead do I need to apply for a festival permit?
How long can a permitted festival run in Nassau County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nassau County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Nassau County to another location·View the Florida special events & permits overview
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