Port Townsend, WA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit type
- Temporary use permit, PTMC 17.60
- Who issues it
- PCD director; police chief sets conditions
- Max duration
- Up to 180 days
- Vendor license
- Separate PTMC 5.32 street vendor license
- Civil penalty
- $250 per day of violation
Summary
Festivals and street fairs need a temporary use permit under PTMC 17.60, and the police chief sets safety conditions for vendor booths and tables in the right-of-way.
In issuing any event permit or temporary use permits for use of the right-of-way or any public space, the chief of police (or designee), in consultation with the planning and community development director and the public works director, is authorized to establish conditions and restrictions for the event to ensure public safety, including conditions that restrict others’ use of the area set aside for the event or use. For example:
A. The chief could grant a permit holder the right to use portions of streets or sidewalks (subject to conditions to maintain public access and ensure safety). For example, a permit to a festival could allow the festival the authority to use certain sidewalks for event purposes (such as tables and booths) in the discretion of the permit holder, so long as minimum access standards set by the chief were maintained for safety of the public.
B. Chief could grant a permit for exclusive use of the sidewalk as part of an event. For example, a permit for an event at a building that also included outside activities could also include use of a defined area around the building (with conditions to ensure safety). (Ord. 3335 § 2 (Exh. C.N), 2024; Ord. 3287 § 5, 2022; Ord. 3154 § 4(6) (Exh. H), 2016; Ord. 3091 § 2, 2014).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Any officially sanctioned festival, carnival, or street fair on Port Townsend streets or sidewalks requires a temporary use permit from the Planning and Community Development director under PTMC 17.60.020, unless specifically exempted. The police chief, consulting PCD and Public Works, sets conditions under PTMC 17.60.055 and can authorize a festival to use adjacent sidewalks for tables and booths, so long as minimum public-access standards are kept. Permits run up to 180 days (PTMC 17.60.060). Vendors selling goods from a stand or cart at the fair still need their own street vendor license under PTMC 5.32.040, unless they qualify for the short-term nonprofit exemption in PTMC 5.32.100.
Violations & Fines
Operating a festival or vendor stand without the required permit or license draws a $250-per-day civil penalty, or a misdemeanor charge of up to $1,000 and 180 days in jail under PTMC 1.20.060, .065 and .075.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do street fair vendors need a separate license?
Who controls sidewalk use during a Port Townsend festival?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
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