Walton County, FL Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit fee
- $100.00 nonrefundable
- Application deadline
- 45 days before the event
- Attendance trigger
- Over 200 people or tickets
- Reviewing body
- Outdoor Review Committee (ORC)
- Liability insurance minimum
- $300,000 per person / $500,000 per occurrence
Summary
Any fair, carnival or festival held outdoors in unincorporated Walton County counts as an 'outdoor event' once it charges admission, rents booths, expects over 200 people, blocks a road, or is advertised to the public, and Section 4-27 makes staging one without a $100 outdoor review committee permit unlawful.
Outdoor event means any planned assemblage open to the general public held outdoors within the unincorporated areas of Walton County which any of the following conditions occur: (1)Admission is charged or there is a fee for the event,(2)Booths, tables, or tents are available for rent,(3)Anticipate attendance in excess of 200 people or the sale of more than 200 tickets,(4)Blockage of roads or rights-of-way,(5)Any activity that would hinder the flow of traffic or fire/emergency access to any residence, commercial, public, institutional, or industrial use of property, or(6)Advertisement by signs, mailings, social media or by any other means that solicits the attendance of the general public. ... (a)Required. It shall be unlawful for any person to stage, promote, or sell tickets to or conduct any outdoor event in Walton County without first obtaining a duly authorized outdoor event permit from the Walton County Administration or designee once the application has been reviewed and approved by the outdoor review committee (ORC). ( ... h)Fees. ... There shall be a nonrefundable fee of $100.00 for obtaining an outdoor event permit.
Full Breakdown
Section 4-26 of the Walton County Code defines 'outdoor event' broadly to include contests, fairs, carnivals, festivals, concerts, seasonal events, competitions, car shows and art or craft shows held outdoors in the unincorporated county, triggered when admission is charged, booths or tents are rented, attendance is expected to top 200 people or 200 tickets are sold, roads or rights-of-way are blocked, traffic or fire and emergency access is hindered, or the event is advertised to solicit public attendance. Section 4-27 makes it unlawful to stage, promote or sell tickets to such an event without a permit from Walton County Administration approved by the outdoor review committee (ORC), made up of Planning and Development Services, Engineering, Code Compliance, the Sheriff's Office, the fire district or Fire Rescue, Emergency Management and Public Works.
00 per occurrence. County-sponsored events, school board events, and qualifying religious, private-school or 501(c)(3) events on their own property are exempt from the permit and fee, though they still need a fire and life-safety inspection. 00, with additional fees possible for extra sheriff or fire service. The ORC can deny an application if resources are inadequate or the event would create a nuisance, and it can impose additional conditions.
Violations & Fines
Staging, promoting or selling tickets to an outdoor event without a permit is unlawful under Section 4-27(a) and is punishable under the general penalty in Section 1-6. Section 4-28 also bars the same applicant, host or entity from getting an outdoor event permit for the same or similar event the following calendar year, and the county may revoke a permit for any violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a street festival in unincorporated Walton County need a county permit?
How much does an outdoor event permit cost and how far ahead must I apply?
Is any outdoor event exempt from the permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Walton County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Walton County to another location·View the Florida special events & permits overview
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