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(a) Purpose. Pursuant to the authority granted to the city by the Code of Virginia and the city charter, this section is adopted in order to ensure the free and safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles on the public rights -of -way, to ensure free and safe access to public areas, and otherwise to regulate and control the time, place and manner of activities that would otherwise threaten the public health, safety, and welfare, while also encouraging the exercise of rights under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution (First Amendment) in the city. (b) Definitions. The following terms shall have the meanings set out herein, unless the context in which they occur clearly indicates otherwise: (1) City- sponsored event means a planned event which the city sponsors or is otherwise affiliated with for the primary purpose of providing recreational benefits for citizens and not for the purpose of providing a forum for expressive activities. City- sponsored events include the Memorial Day Parade, Bunny Hop Race, Portsmouth Farmer's Market, Seawall Art Show, Safe Trick or Treat, Fish Bowl Parade, Olde Towne Ghost Walk, Buffalo Rider Parade of Horses, and any other event which is designated as a city- sponsored event by the city manager. (2) Event means a parade, public assembly or expressive activity. (3) Expressive activity means any activity protected under 'the First Amendment other than a parade or public assembly, addressed below, including, but not limited to, leafleting. (4) Parade means any march, demonstration, procession or motorcade consisting of persons, animals, or vehicles, or a combination thereof, upon any traditional public forum within the city that interferes with or is likely to interfere with the normal flow or regulation of pedestrian or vehicular traffic within said forum. (5) Public assembly means any meeting, demonstration, picket line, rally or gathering of any kind that occupies any traditional public forum within the city and interferes with or is likely to interfere with the normal flow or regulation of pedestrian or vehicular traffic or with the customary public usage of said forum. (6) Spontaneous event means an unplanned coming together of persons, animals or vehicles in a parade or public assembly in a traditional public forum which was not contemplated beforehand by any participant therein, and which is caused by or in response to unforeseen circumstances or events. (7) Traditional public forum means, pursuant to the public forum doctrine under the First Amendment, as created and revised by the courts, those government - owned spaces open to the public generally, such as many streets, sidewalks and parks, that have by long tradition and government fiat been devoted to parades, public assemblies and expressive activities generally. (c) Permit required. (1) It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct or participate in a parade, public assembly or expressive activity in any traditional public forum of the city without a written permit issued in accordance with the provisions of this section.