A performer in the Carnaval Grand Parade in San Francisco's Mission District on May 26, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)
In just a few days, Carnaval San Francisco will take over the streets of San Francisco’s Mission District, bringing a flurry of colors, feathers and sequins moving to the beats of samba, cumbia and reggaeton.
This community celebration, now in its 47th year, will fall on Memorial
Day weekend: Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25. With a two-day festival featuring headliners Mexican Institute of Sound and Cuban rising star Wampi, and a Grand Parade on Sunday featuring over 70 different contingents, Carnaval is one of San Francisco’s most emblematic celebrations — and it’s all completely free.
Never seen the Grand Parade before? Picture Mission Street not full of the usual commuter traffic and Muni buses — but instead brimming with beautifully decorated floats accompanied by thousands of dancers and musicians representing the many cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean.
And that’s only Sunday. With over 3,000 dancers, musicians and artists sharing their work throughout the weekend, you’ll never run out of things to do. Keep reading for all the information you need to make the most of Carnaval 2025.
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Carnaval 2025: An ode to the African diaspora of the Americas
Back in 1979, Carnaval was first held in SF’s Precita Park as part of an effort by artists and organizers to pay homage to the historic Carnaval celebrations across Latin America and the Caribbean — while giving a platform for local musicians and dancers to come together and pass on traditions. This community celebration has now grown to include over twenty blocks of the Mission District, making it one of the biggest celebrations of its kind on the West Coast.
The culture and history of the African diaspora have always been integral to Carnaval, Carnaval Executive Director Rodrigo Durán said. “This year, we are highlighting the contributions and the gifts that the folks from the African diaspora have given us in the Americas — from Alaska all the way down to Patagonia,” he said.
So much of the music you usually hear at Carnaval — samba, salsa, bachata, reggaeton and cumbia — was created by enslaved African people brought to the Americas and their descendants. While there will be plenty of opportunities to hear these genres at Carnaval 2025, you’ll also get to explore even more music from the African diaspora that’s not as widely heard in the United States. (Jump to: Who’s playing at Carnaval San Francisco this year?)
Cathedral City High School Ballet Folklórico performs during the Carnaval Grand Parade in San Francisco’s Mission District on May 26, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)
Where is Carnaval San Francisco, and what’s the schedule?
Carnaval has two main components: the festival and Sunday’s Grand Parade.
The festival will take place on Harrison Street, from 16th to 24th streets. Hundreds of artisans and food vendors fill up this space, with DJs jamming out at block parties on 18th, 19th, 20th and 22nd streets.
Alma Mejia (left) and Sandra Sandoval, from the group Xiuhcoatl Danza Azteca, talk before the Carnaval Grand Parade in San Francisco’s Mission District. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)
Where are the entrances to the Carnaval 2025 festival?
You’ll find free entrances (and exits) on every street from 16th to 24th streets, located at:
16th and Harrison
17th and Alabama
18th and Folsom
19th and Alabama
20th and Folsom
21st and Folsom
21st and Alabama
23rd and Folsom
24th and Harrison.
Security staff will be present at each entrance to check bags.
Consuming alcohol is allowed in the festival, but only in specific enclosed areas, requiring visitors to provide identification for access.
San Simón Cochabamba Filial California members Stephanie Nonalaya help Kasandra Barrientos with her hat before dancing in the Carnaval Grand Parade in San Francisco’s Mission District on May 26, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)
When does the Carnaval Grand Parade start, and what’s the parade route?
The Carnaval Grand Parade takes place on Sunday, May 25, starting at 10 a.m., and features dozens of floats and hundreds of dancers moving through the entire neighborhood.
The Carnaval parade route begins at Bryant and 24th streets, then moves through 24th Street, takes a right on Mission Street, stays on that street all the way to 15th Street, and wraps up at Harrison and 15th Street. The dancers and musicians in the parade perform nonstop the whole way, which is a particularly impressive feat when you consider that some of the most elaborate outfits can weigh up to 40 pounds.
Carnaval SF parade route.
On top of that, there’s a contest element — as contingents, or comparsas, compete against each other in multiple categories. Judges will rank each comparsa on originality, choreography and production design.
If you can’t make it exactly at the 10 a.m. parade start time, don’t worry: The parade goes on for hours before finally wrapping up at 2 p.m.
Street closures in the Mission District will begin as early as Friday afternoon, when crews begin setting up the festival space along Harrison Street.
From 4 p.m. to Monday 2 a.m., cars will not be able to circulate in the areas between 16th and 24th streets and between Folsom and Alabama streets.
On Sunday, a bigger part of the neighborhood will be blocked off from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. due to the Grand Parade:
Mission Street between 15th and 24th streets
15th Street between Mission and Alabama streets
24th Street between York and Mission streets
Bryant Street between 17th and Cesar Chavez streets
Harrison Street between 15th and 16th streets
Treat Avenue between Harrison and Alameda streets.
Many parking spots usually available for residents in this area will also be off-limits. If you live on any of the streets that’ll be taken over by Carnaval this weekend and need to move your car in or out of your garage, look for a Carnaval staff member so they can escort your vehicle through the emergency access lanes.
A few things to look for at the Carnaval San Francisco Grand Parade
What makes San Francisco’s Carnaval distinct from other Carnaval celebrations you may see in Rio de Janeiro or Barranquilla: the way it reflects not just one national culture, but instead brings together the diversity and histories of California’s Latin American and Caribbean diasporas.
This is exemplified by this year’s grand marshals, who’ll be leading the parade: Brazilian-born musician, dancer and teacher Dandha Da Hora, and seven-time Grammy-nominated percussionist and bandleader John Santos, born in San Francisco to a Puerto Rican and Cape Verdean family.
Who are the King and Queen of Carnaval? This year, German Tike, originally from Colombia, and Zoel Esperanza, an Afro-Mexican dancer and musician now settled in New York, will wear the crowns during the parade.
The 70 different comparsas that make up this year’s parade include long-standing groups like Flavaz of D’ Caribbean, who’ve won multiple Carnaval categories year after year with high-energy choreography representing the music of Trinidad and Tobago. You’ll also find first-time groups like Karimba Afrikans, which will feature uniquely Afro-Colombian musical traditions like mapalé and son de negro, with many dancers flying in from Barranquilla, Colombia just to perform at Carnaval.
And while you dance to the music, make sure to pay close attention to what the performers are wearing — as many comparsas start preparing their parade outfits months in advance. Dancers with Carnaval Putleco, a comparsa which honors the culture of Putla, Oaxaca, will be wearing tiliches: incredibly colorful and elaborate full-body suits made out of hundreds of ribbons, shells and beads.
Groups from Oaxaca dance on Mission Street during the Carnaval Grand Parade in San Francisco’s Mission District on May 26, 2024.
If the Carnaval San Francisco Grand Parade is free, can I just show up?
Yes: no tickets or registration required. Just show up anywhere along the parade route and enjoy the show.
However, if you want a unique vantage point, you can purchase special Grand Stand seats for the Carnaval parade. These elevated bleachers, located along Mission Street between 22nd and 23rd streets, are next to the judges’ tables, where each contingent will pause and perform for an extra amount of time. Keep in mind that Grand Stand tickets will only be available before the parade and will not be sold day of.
There are no truly bad spots from which to watch the parade, but if you post up at 24th Street, you’ll be much closer to the performers — albeit a bit more cramped with foot traffic. If you’re on Mission Street, you’ll definitely have a lot more room to move around.
Left: Jediah Pratt, 15, dances with Loco Bloco in the Carnaval Grand Parade. Right: Loco Bloco dancers perform. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)
Who’s headlining this year at Carnaval San Francisco?
Over 50 musicians, DJs and dance groups will perform throughout the weekend across the four stages and five block parties located throughout Harrison Street. This year’s headliners are:
Mexican Institute of Sound: Led by Grammy-nominated Camilo Lara, Mexican Institute of Sound has transformed Mexico City’s electronic music scene, deftly combining cumbia, electronica, rock and mambo. The group’s work is even featured on the Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack. Performing on Saturday at 5 p.m. on the 17th and Harrison Street stage.
Wampi: Currently residing in Cuba, Wampi specializes in a distinctly Cuban genre: reparto, which evolved in the late 2000s and mixes reggaeton, hip hop and the more traditional timba. “He really is a trailblazer with what he’s doing,” Carnaval Executive Director Durán said, adding reparto’s popularity has grown all over the Caribbean — and that it’s time for it to flourish in California. Performing on Saturday at 5 p.m. on the 22nd and Harrison Street stage.
Danza Mestiza celebrates Selena during the Carnaval Grand Parade in San Francisco’s Mission District on May 26, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)
Is Carnaval San Francisco family-friendly?
Yes: For many Bay Area families, going to Carnaval with the kids, teens and grandparents is a decades-long tradition. In the festival space, organizers have set up a Kids Zone at Harrison and 18th Street where families can paint, dance and play drums.
And this year, Durán said, “the Smurfs are coming to Carnaval.”
The upcoming release of Paramount Pictures’ Smurfs movie means there’ll be Smurfs characters with giveaways and photo opportunities at the Kids Zone on Harrison Street, and at the nearby Casa de Carnaval at 683 Florida St. throughout the weekend.
You’ll also find an area set up for skateboarding on 23rd and Treat, next to a health and wellness pavilion offering testing for both COVID-19 and blood pressure.
Event staff will be present at several points throughout the festival, including an information booth on 19th and Harrison.
How do I get to Carnaval San Francisco? What about parking?
If you’re planning to drive into the Mission during Carnaval weekend, it’s not going to be easy.
The areas surrounding Harrison Street, from 16th to 24th streets, will be closed off to cars the whole weekend, which means a lot of the neighborhood’s parking spots will be off-limits. Even residents will have to move their cars to make way for the festival, so there’ll be a lot of competition for the few remaining spots left.
“Driving in is not the best idea,” said Carnaval’s Durán, who recommends that folks instead use public transit or a ridesharing app to get to the celebrations. But if you do need to drive, he suggested looking for a spot to the west of Harrison Street (past Valencia Street) as the streets on the eastern half of the Mission District will see the most competition for parking.
On Sunday, all cars parked along the Grand Parade route will have to move, including Mission Street from 24th Street to 15th Street, chunks of 24th and 15th streets as well, and sections of Bryant Street.
Remember, if you live on any of the streets that’ll be taken over by Carnaval this weekend and need to move your car in or out of your garage, look for a Carnaval staff member so they can escort your vehicle through the emergency access lanes.
More than 400 members of Karibbean Vibrationz celebrate the group’s 10-year anniversary at Carnaval with a performance titled, ‘Evolution to Epicness.’ (Audrey Garces/KQED)
Taking public transit to Carnaval San Francisco
BART will continue operating with a weekday schedule at both 16th and 24th Mission stations. On Saturday, you can ride the 22, 33, 55 and 48 Muni bus routes, which will pass near the festival entrances, and the 9, 12, 14, 14R and 49 bus lines can drop you off a few blocks away. Prepare for your trip on Muni using SFMTA’s online planning tool.
SFMTA officials confirmed with KQED that the complete list of Muni services affected by the festival and parade will be available a few days ahead of Carnaval.
If you want to avoid congestion caused by all the changes to Muni service, your best bet would be to take BART to either the 16th or 24th Mission BART stations. Prepare for your trip on BART using the agency’s online planning tool.
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