Regulation of street performers.
Riverside Municipal Code § 13.21.040
in effect13.21.040 - Regulation of street performers.
A. Based on the purpose and findings outlined above, the City Council declares that street performers may perform at the Festival on any public pedestrian area within the Festival Boundaries except as set forth below:
1. Switch-On Ceremony.
2. High Traffic Days: The Pedestrian Mall and the area surrounding The Mission Inn as follows: all sidewalks and right-of-ways on Mission Inn Avenue from the Pedestrian Mall to Orange Street, all sidewalks and right-of-ways on Orange Street from Mission Inn Avenue to Sixth Street, and all sidewalks and right-of-ways on Sixth Street from Orange Street to the Pedestrian Mall.
B. Additional regulations.
1. A street performer and the performer's equipment may not block or obstruct the free and safe movement of pedestrians. 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, fire or code enforcement official may disperse that portion of the crowd that is blocking or obstructing the passage of the public. If a street performer cannot conduct a performance in a location without blocking or obstructing the passage of the public, a police, fire or code enforcement official may cause the performer to leave the location or require that the street performer relocate his or her equipment, but shall not prevent the performer from occupying another location in compliance with this chapter.
2. A street performer shall not charge for a performance. Money given for a Performance shall be on a donation only basis. A street performer may not charge a set fee for the performance or use aggressive measures for the solicitation of donations. Solicitation at any time by a street performer within the FOL boundaries is strictly prohibited. For purposes of this subsection, aggressive measures shall include: blocking or impeding the passage of the solicitee intentionally; touching the solicitee with the intent to intimidate or coerce; following the solicitee, going behind, ahead or alongside of him or her with the intent to intimidate or coerce; threatening the solicitee, by word or gesture, with physical harm; or abusing the solicitee with words which are offensive and inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction.
3. A street performer shall not use any firearm, knife, sword, torch, flame, explosive, smoke emitting device, axe, saw, replica of any of the aforementioned items, or other object that can cause serious bodily injury to any person or damage to property.
4. A street performer shall stay with his or her instruments, props, equipment, merchandise, or other items at all times that these items are on a public sidewalk, public street, or public right-of-way and shall be able to reasonably transport and remove all at once within three minutes.
5. A street performer shall not use, move or remove City property or festival decoration as a prop, equipment, stage, or as part of any performance.
6. A street performer shall not use any audible siren, alarm, or other alert as part of their performance or for the purpose of drawing attention.
7. Comply with Chapter 13.30 of this Code.
(Ord. 7491 § 3, 2019; Ord. 7394 § 2, 2017)
Source: City of Riverside, California, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/riverside/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_TIT13STSITRTR_CH13.21FELIRE_13.21.040RESTPEFetched: 11/1/2026