New Britain, CT Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Code of Ordinances §§ 5-16-5-19
- License required from
- New Britain Common Council
- Street fair fee
- $20.00 per day
- Circus fee (comparator)
- $100.00 per day
- Fee exemption
- educational, charitable, religious organizations
- Revocation
- Common Council may revoke for cause
Summary
A street fair in New Britain needs a written license from the Common Council before it can operate. Sec. 5-16 makes the license mandatory for any public amusement, and Sec. 5-17's fee schedule sets the street fair rate at $20.00 per day, well below the $100.00 daily circus fee, while Sec. 5-18 lets the Council approve with conditions or deny with reasons.
No person shall display or produce, or aid or assist in producing any public amusement, concert, opera or other performance within the limits of the city without written license therefor from the common council. ... Every applicant for any license required by section 5-16 shall pay to the chief of police for such license the fee herein provided, such fee to be paid when the application for license is made. ... (2)Circus, per day . .100.00(3)Street fairs, per day . .20.00(4)Merry-go-round, per day . .25.00 ... The common council shall after receipt of an application and fee filed pursuant to the provisions of this article, grant to the applicant a license to display or produce a public amusement, concert, opera or other performance or shall notify the applicant of the denial of his application and the reason or reasons therefor.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 5-16 requires anyone who displays, produces, or helps produce a public amusement, concert, opera or other performance in the city to first get a written license from the Common Council. Sec. 5-17 sets the fee schedule paid to the chief of police when the application is filed: $20.00 per day for street fairs, alongside $100.00 per day for a circus, $25.00 per day for a merry-go-round, and tiered fees of $50 to $125 per year for theaters based on seating capacity. Sec. 5-17(b) exempts educational, charitable and religious organizations from paying any license fee for their exhibitions, though the license itself is still required.
Sec. 5-18 directs the Common Council, after receiving the application and fee, to either grant the license under reasonable conditions serving public health, safety and good morals, or notify the applicant of denial and the reasons for it; every license issued must state the date, licensee's name, fee paid, and the name of the licensed exhibition. Sec. 5-19 lets the Common Council revoke any license for cause on due notice, at which point operations must cease immediately.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 5 does not spell out a specific fine for running a street fair without the required Sec. 5-16 license, so the citywide general penalty in Sec. 1-15 governs: up to $150.00, with each day of unlicensed operation a separate offense. A license already granted can also be revoked outright by the Common Council for cause under Sec. 5-19, forcing an immediate stop to operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a street fair in New Britain?
Are nonprofit or church-run street fairs exempt from the fee?
Can the city shut down my street fair after it's already approved?
What happens if the Council denies my street fair license application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Britain
Compare New Britain to another location·View the Connecticut special events & permits overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.