Street fairs (single block festivals and street festivals) enliven city streets by hosting vendors of foods and other goods and services. The events are community-sponsored and can be used to support neighborhood institutions with fundraising or promotion. Street fairs are free and open to the public.
Castle Hill Avenue, Bronx
Castle Hill Avenue, Bronx
Benefits
Scope and Eligibility
- Single Block Festival: Closes a single block for one day for a maximum of 12 consecutive hours
- Street Festival: Closes multiple blocks for one day or more for a maximum of 12 hours a day
- Street fair vendors pay a fee to participate
- Must be organized by a documented local nonprofit in good standing with the community; event must be held on the block where the nonprofit is located, or nearby
Process
- Single Block Festival: Applications due to SAPO 90 days prior to event; a $25 application fee is required, and additional fees may be required
- Street Festival: Only events that took place the year prior are eligible to apply in the current calendar year to SAPO, and applications may be submitted November 1 – December 31 of the preceding year
- The event fee is twenty percent (20%) of the total fees paid by vendors to participate
- Applicant must provide commercial general liability insurance in the amount of $1 million per occurrence naming the City of New York as an additional insured
- Additional permits or insurance may be required (e.g., rides and inflatables require a permit and additional insurance from DCWP; petting zoos or other non-domesticated animals require a permit from DOHMH)
- Rain dates are not permitted
Recommendations and Best Practices
- Coordinate with the corresponding Community Boards for comment and approval of events as SAPO considers these comments when approving permits; Community Boards may also mandate signatures from residents as part of the application
- Make contact early with the relevant NYPD Precinct and obtain their approval of the proposed streets closures