Union, NY Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issued by
- Town Board, signed by Supervisor, countersigned by Town Clerk
- Where it applies
- Town of Union outside the villages
- Trigger
- Admission of any kind or nature is charged
- Hearing notice
- Published at least 5 and not more than 20 days before action
- Bond
- Required from a duly licensed bonding company
- Penalty
- Up to $250, up to 15 days, or both, per offense
Summary
In the Town of Union outside the Villages of Endicott and Johnson City, anyone who runs an outdoor carnival, field days, road show, circus, rodeo or similar event, or a concession or refreshment stand tied to one, needs a Town Board permit first. The rule applies where admission of any kind is charged. Chapter 68 sets the hearing, bond, fee and penalty steps.
No person, firm or corporation, without first having procured a permit therefor, as hereinafter provided, shall, outside the corporate limits of the villages in the Town of Union, exhibit or conduct out of doors, in tents or in any other temporary structure, any carnival, field days, road show, circus, rodeo, menagerie or similar exhibition or performance, or any show, exhibition, performance, concession or refreshment stand in conjunction therewith, for which an admission of any kind or nature is charged.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 68 of the Town of Union Code covers outdoor shows that charge admission. Section 68-1 bars any person, firm or corporation from exhibiting or conducting a carnival, field days, road show, circus, rodeo, menagerie or similar performance out of doors, in tents or in any other temporary structure, without a permit. The bar reaches any show, exhibition, performance, concession or refreshment stand run in conjunction with the event. It applies outside the corporate limits of the villages, so an event inside the Village of Endicott or the Village of Johnson City falls under that village's own code rather than the town's.
The application must be in writing and filed with the Town Clerk for the Town Board. It must give the applicant's name and address and the name and address of the person or corporation hosting or sponsoring the event (§ 68-2). The Town publishes notice of a public hearing at least five and not more than 20 days before the Town Board takes final action. If the Board decides a permit is in the public interest, the applicant must file a bond from a duly licensed bonding company guaranteeing faithful compliance with the permit conditions and must pay the fee the Town Board sets from time to time by resolution (§ 68-3).
The Town Board issues every permit. The Supervisor signs it, the Town Clerk countersigns it and keeps a record of its number, date, purpose and fee, and the permit does not take effect until the Clerk endorses the receipt showing the fee is paid. The Board issues a permit only to a person, firm or corporation it deems fit and proper, and each permit specifies its object and how long it runs (§ 68-4). The Supervisor can suspend a permit until the next Town Board meeting, and the Board can revoke it for cause after notice to the permittee. The Town Clerk serves the revocation notice personally or by mail, and the permit then has no force or effect.
The text of Chapter 68 is written around events that charge admission, so the admission language is the trigger for this particular permit.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Chapter 68 is punishable by a penalty of not to exceed $250 or imprisonment of not more than 15 days, or both, for each offense (§ 68-5). Running a carnival, circus or similar show without the Town Board permit, or operating a concession beside one, is a violation, and a revoked permit has no force once the Town Clerk serves notice of revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues a carnival or circus permit in the Town of Union?
What does a permit application have to include?
Is a bond required for the permit?
Does Chapter 68 apply inside Endicott or Johnson City?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Union
New York rules heatmap·Compare Union to another location·View the New York special events & permits overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.