You'll Get A Ticket For Christmas For Caroling In Cheyenne

Now, I'm not saying that Cheyenne has or is run by a bunch of Grinches, BUT, if you wanted to grab a merry bunch of carolers, you could pay for it. I mean, you can get a noise permit if you'd like to walk the straight and narrow with your motley crew. That's better than a ticket. Probably.

I frequent the group, Connections Cheyenne to see what people are talking about in town, and I saw a post recently where someone asked about Christmas Caroling, one person asked in a post if people go Christmas Caroling in Cheyenne anymore. Several posts after mentioned that it's still illegal to go Caroling in the Capital City.

So, of course, I had to look into it. I figured the best source to go to was Cheyenne Police Department's awesome Public Information Officer, Alex Farkas. Officer Farkas emailed us this ordinance for reference and said that "According to this ordinance, it is technically illegal to carol on public property".

Municipal Code 5.36.030 states: Persons desiring to deliver a public address or engage in singing or playing of musical instruments or give any other form of entertainment or advertise upon any streets, alleys, sidewalks or other thoroughfares or public property of the city must not block the same. If a noise permit is required, applicants must abide by the licensing provisions of Chapter 5.04. Persons shall obtain the consent of the owner or manager of the premises in front of the place such person proposes to give such public address, entertainment or advertising.

Even though the law states on public property, that probably doesn't mean you should hit up Frank down the street's house on his private property. We're in Wyoming, after all.

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I found some more information on this law from the Wyoming Liberty Group that pretty much shreds the law. The law has also been in place since 1897. According to their information on the post, you could get six months in jail or a $750 fine. I'm hard-pressed to believe that CPD would really go that far, or really care.

All in all, I'd probably just chalk this one up to one of those silly laws that you see pop up from time to time that no one enforces. But if you decide to Fa la la la la this year, don't say I didn't at least warn you.