Street Performer Permit

Street Performer – A person engaging in a performance that includes, but is not limited to, the following activities: playing musical instruments, singing, dancing, acting, pantomiming, puppeteering, juggling, reciting, or creating visual art in its entirety as a performance.

STREET PERFORMER RULES AND REGULATIONS 

1. The license holder shall post the license in a conspicuous location at the location of the performance. 

2. The street performer license is non‐transferable. 

3. Performing is limited to 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

4. No performance shall prevent the public from utilizing any public benches, waste receptacles, informational signs or other amenities during the performance.  No performance shall restrict the width of any sidewalk to less than five feet or otherwise inhibit the free movement of pedestrians on the sidewalk.  No performer shall perform on any street or in any public parking space. 

5. To prevent congestion on sidewalks, no performer shall perform less than 20 feet from another performer or group of performers on the Main Street, Warren Street, Green Street, Washington Street, Hill Street, Perry Street or Diagonal Street  right‐of‐ways. 

6. No performer shall perform within 10 feet of the doorway or an open window of any business or residence.  If a sufficient crowd gathers to observe a performer such that the passage of the public through a public area is blocked or obstructed, a police officer or fire official may disperse that portion of the crowd that is blocking or obstructing the passage of the public. If a performer cannot conduct a performance in a location without blocking or obstructing the passage of the public, a police officer or fire official may cause the performer to leave the location but shall not prevent the performer from occupying another location in compliance with this Chapter. 

7. Performance space is allocated on a first‐come, first‐serve basis.  Performance space shall not be reserved and no performer shall leave his or her instruments, props, equipment, or other items unattended, or otherwise occupy a performance space, before 10:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. 

8. Not more than five performers may perform as a coordinated unit or group in one location.   

9. No performer shall construct, erect, or maintain any stage, platform, tent, canopy or similar structure for use during any  performance.  A table, not to exceed 30 inches by 30 inches in area, may be used by each performer.  A performer may sit on a stool or chair while performing and make available a stool or chair for the public. 

10. No performer shall require someone to pay a fee or set or negotiate a fee for a performance.  Voluntary donations may be accepted by performers.  Selling of any items or services is prohibited.   

11. Each performer may display a sign at the performance location not to exceed 12 inches by 18 inches.  Signs shall not be located in the street or in a location to obstruct or block the passage of the public. A sign may display not more than the name of the performer and the type of performance.  Any street performer sign approved by the City prior to January 1, 2016 shall be considered grandfathered, but shall not be changed or structurally altered to prolong the life of the sign.  Signs in the National Register Historic District shall be constructed and painted in a workmanlike manner, utilize historic colors and earth tones, and shall be compatible with their surroundings in the Historic District. 

12. No performer shall utilize any speaker, microphone or mechanical amplification device. 

13. No performer shall generate any sound by any means so that the sound is louder than 70 decibels (70dB) on the Capital A Scale of an ANSI approved sound level meter measured at a distance of 50 feet or more, either horizontally or vertically from the point of generation. 

14. No performer shall use any knife, sword, torch, flame, aerosol, spray paint, axe, saw, or other object, liquid, gas, toxin or carcinogen that could be flammable, explode or otherwise cause serious bodily injury to any person. 

15. The use of animals is not permitted. 

16. The use of chalk on the sidewalk is prohibited. 

17. No performer shall plug any electrical device into any outlet, use a generator, or use lighting. 

18. No street performer shall engage in the application of tattoos or body piercing.  No street performer shall include obscenity  in a performance.  No street performer shall engage in harassment or coercion of a passersby or other performer.