St. Joseph County, IN Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

01 makes it unlawful to operate, exhibit or participate in exhibiting any circus, sideshow, carnival, street fair or similar paid display within the county without a permit issued by the county auditor. 02, the promoter must submit a written application to the auditor not less than 60 days before the scheduled date. 03 requires the application to specify the time, date, place and number of sideshows, plus an application fee for the first day and a separate fee for each additional day, both set in the county's schedule of fines and fees.

04 lets the auditor refuse a permit whenever there is reasonable cause to believe the exhibition would violate any county ordinance or state statute, and every permit holder stays bound by both bodies of law regardless of the permit. Two exemptions carve out major local venues. 05 excuses circuses, sideshows, fairs, carnivals and similar displays connected with a county fair association during an actual county fair, and separately excuses anything held on the grounds of the University of Notre Dame's athletic and convocation center. 15 caps agricultural, horticultural, rural or conservation fairs and commercial amusement exhibits at seven consecutive days per event and 30 total days per calendar year at any one site in the unincorporated county.

99: a fine for the first offense and a steeper fine for each repeat, set in the fee schedule, with every day of continued violation counted as a separate offense. Indiana law caps county ordinance fines at $2,500 per violation under IC 36-2-3 and IC 36-1-3-8.