§ 10-45. Fees for circuses, carnivals and similar public shows, side shows and concessions; prohibitions  


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  • (a) The license fee to exhibit a circus or menagerie, or circus and menagerie combined, wild west show or other itinerant show not exhibited in a permanent structure or place for public shows, shall be based on the number of railroad cars or trucks used to transport the property and equipment, but not the personnel, of such shows; and the fee shall be $2.00 for each such car per day or, if trucks are used, the fee shall be $1.50 for each truck per day, for each day on which any performance is given.

    (b) The license fee to exhibit a street or other carnival shall be $2.50 a week for each entertainment, performance or exhibition given at or in the vicinity of any such carnival. Each such entertainment, performance or exhibition shall require a separate license, whether or not shown under the same canvas and whether or not exhibited for additional compensation, and upon any such entertainment, performance or exhibition being concluded, so that an additional fee for admission is charged, an additional license fee shall be required for any further or additional entertainment, performance or exhibition. To operate any riding device of any kind at or in the vicinity of any street or carnival show, the fee shall be $5.00 a week for each such device.

    (c) To keep or maintain any concession stand selling services, goods, wares or merchandise, such as food, soft drinks, ice cream, candy floss and the like, at or in the vicinity of such street or carnival show, the fee shall be $2.50 a week for each such concession. To maintain any concession stand such as ball games, bingo, cane rack, penny pitch-till-you-win, striking machine, weighing machine, shooting gallery, artful dodger, bumper, fish pond, dart game, or other legitimate games of skill, none of which shall be controlled by the operator, at or in the vicinity of any street or carnival show, the fee shall be $5.00 a week for each such concession. To operate or maintain a candy wheel or any other legitimate merchandise wheels, when operated without control of the operator, the fee shall be $25.00 a day. To operate or maintain rides of all kinds, the fee shall be $12.50 each a week.

    (d) Such games as roll downs, blowers, spinners, swinging ball, creepers, race tracks, spot the spot, and all other games controlled by the operator are hereby forbidden, and no license shall be granted to any circus, show or street carnival where such games are operated; provided further, that no circus, show or street carnival shall be licensed which has any gypsy fortune-tellers or gypsies connected therewith in any manner.

    (e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any educational, literary, dramatic, musical or benevolent society, or volunteer fire companies, not conducted for private profit, where such exhibitions are confined to the town, unless professional or paid talent, other than director, is employed in such exhibitions.

(Code 1979, § 12-20)