Union County, NC Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

Union County regulates large festivals and open-air events through Article III of Chapter 26, Mass Gatherings. Sec. 26-49 defines a "mass gathering" as the congregation of more than 200 people in an open space or open air, for a continuous period of at least six hours, where admission is charged or other contributions are solicited in reasonable contemplation of profit. Sec. 26-50(a) requires a permit issued by the director of the Union County Consolidated Human Services Agency before anyone may "organize, sponsor or hold" such a gathering, and the permit is good for that event only, not transferable to another promoter.

Sec. 26-51 requires the application at least 45 days before the event, listing the organizers, location, schedule, expected attendance, and a site map showing toilets, water sources, electrical service, camping areas, food service, and entrance and exit points. Sec. 00. Sec. 26-53 conditions final permit issuance on a site inspection roughly 15 days before the event, and Sec. 26-54 authorizes the Consolidated Human Services Board to set detailed standards for crowd control, medical care, sanitation, and noise levels at the site perimeter.