Memorial Day Weekend Fiesta & Parade SF

Carnaval San Francisco is set to return to the Mission District on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, for its 48th annual festival and parade, according to the event’s organizers. The free event will spread across Harrison Street between 16th and 24th streets, with festival hours scheduled for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The Grand Parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday at 24th and Bryant streets and run north through the Mission, organizers said. This year’s theme is “La Copa del Pueblo,” a soccer-centered concept that organizers say is meant to highlight community participation and Latin American cultural ties. ### When does the festival start, and where does it take place? Saturday, May 23, marks the start of the two-day street festival, with activity centered on Harrison Street in the Mission District. SF Travel and SF.gov say the festival footprint runs between 16th and 24th streets, while the official Carnaval site describes a 17-block event zone with multiple stages and DJ areas. Festival hours are listed as 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days. (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) San Francisco officials describe Carnaval as the state’s largest and longest-running multicultural celebration, and SF.gov says more than 400,000 people attend each year. The city’s event page says the festival includes international food, dancing, family entertainment and hundreds of vendors. ### What happens on Sunday’s parade route? Sunday, May 24, is the day of the Grand Parade, which organizers say covers 20 blocks. (sftravel.com) The official Carnaval site says the parade starts at 24th and Bryant, moves west to Mission Street, then heads north on Mission to 15th Street. SF Travel says the route then turns east to South Van Ness Avenue. KQED reported on May 13 that the parade is expected to include more than 70 contingents. (sf.gov) SF.gov says the annual procession typically features more than 2,000 dancers, while KQED reported that more than 3,000 dancers, musicians and artists take part across the weekend. ### Who is performing, and what is new this year? (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) Su Majestad Mi Banda El Mexicano de Casimiro is this year’s announced headliner, according to the official Carnaval website. The site says the 2026 edition will include five music stages and five DJ block parties. SF.gov lists 60 local performing artists and 300 vendors, while the official site says the event draws more than half a million attendees from around the world. (kqed.org) Rodrigo Durán, Carnaval San Francisco’s executive director, told KQED that the 2026 theme embraces soccer because the sport is “deeply ingrained in Latin American culture.” The official event site says a temporary soccer arena, billed as La Plaza del Fútbol, will be set up at 20th and Harrison streets during the weekend. (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) ### What should visitors know before they go? BART stations at 16th Street Mission and 24th Street Mission are the closest rail stops for the festival area, SF Travel said. The tourism group said driving and parking are discouraged because of street closures and heavy attendance. KQED’s guide also points readers to transit, parade viewing spots and road closure information ahead of the weekend. (kqed.org) Pets are not allowed in the festival area, according to SF Travel. The official Carnaval site says grandstand seating will be available near Gray Area Theatre and The Hall SF on Mission Street for spectators who want reserved viewing areas near the judging zone. ### How big is Carnaval in San Francisco’s annual calendar? The Mission District celebration dates to 1979, KQED reported, when it was first held in Precita Park as an effort by artists and organizers to honor Carnaval traditions across Latin America and the Caribbean. (sftravel.com) KQED said the event has since expanded to more than 20 blocks in the Mission. SF.gov says past performers have included Celia Cruz, Santana, the Neville Brothers, Tito Puente, Oscar D’León, India and Los Tigres del Norte. Sunday’s Grand Parade begins at 10 a.m. on May 24 at 24th and Bryant streets, and the festival continues on Harrison Street until 6 p.m., according to organizers. Updated schedules, seating information and neighborhood guidance are available through Carnaval San Francisco’s official site and local event guides published ahead of the weekend. (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) (kqed.org)