Harrison Street Festival & Parade May 23-24

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. The free event will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Harrison Street between 16th and 24th streets, according to the festival’s official website. The grand parade is scheduled for Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning at 24th and Bryant streets and continuing through the neighborhood. Organizers are framing the 2026 edition around “La Copa del Pueblo — The People’s Cup,” a soccer-themed concept tied to the Bay Area’s World Cup year, according to a January press release. ### Where exactly is the festival, and what streets are closed for it? Harrison Street between 16th and 24th streets is the core festival footprint for the two-day event, according to Carnaval San Francisco’s festival page and map. Organizers say the festival covers 17 blocks in the Mission District. The event FAQ says no parking will be allowed from 4 p.m. on Friday, May 22, through 2 a.m. on Monday, May 25, on streets within the event zone. The official site directs visitors to consult the posted festival map for access points, stages and special event areas. ### When does the parade start, and where does it go? Sunday, May 24, is the date of the grand parade, and organizers list the start time as 10 a.m. at 24th and Bryant streets. The route proceeds west to Mission Street, heads north on Mission to 15th Street, turns east on 15th, and ends at South Van Ness Avenue, according to the parade page and FAQ. The parade covers 20 blocks in the Mission’s Latino Cultural District, the organization says. (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) Limited grandstand tickets will also be sold on site the day of the parade, according to the special events page. ### How big is the event this year? Carnaval San Francisco says the 2026 festival will feature five main stages, 50 local performing artists and 400 vendors. The organization describes the event as free and open to the public. The parade page says 60 contingents and more than 5,500 artists are expected to participate, representing countries including Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Cuba, Peru, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala and El Salvador. (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) A sponsor deck posted on the site says the event draws about 500,000 people, though that attendance figure appears in promotional material rather than an independent estimate. ### What is different about the 2026 edition? January 14 is the date organizers used to announce this year’s theme, “La Copa del Pueblo — The People’s Cup.” Rodrigo Durán, executive director of Carnaval San Francisco, said in the release that the event would celebrate “fútbol, culture, community, and economic empowerment” during Memorial Day weekend. An April 15 release said the 2026 festival will add “La Plaza del Fútbol,” a community soccer experience tied to the year’s World Cup focus. (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) The official site says the broader festival is intended to center the people “who play it, love it, and live it.” ### Who is performing, and what should visitors expect on site? April 8 is when organizers announced Su Majestad Mi Banda El Mexicano de Casimiro as the 2026 headliner. The festival site says visitors can expect international food, dancing, family entertainment and vendor booths across the event footprint. The posted map also lists additional attractions including Casa de Carnaval at 683 Florida St. and a lowrider car show. (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) Organizers advise visitors to use the official lineup, FAQ and maps pages for the latest stage schedules and access details before the weekend. May 23 at 11 a.m. is the scheduled opening time for the festival, and May 24 at 10 a.m. is the scheduled start of the grand parade, according to Carnaval San Francisco’s official site. Festival maps, parade details and ticket information for grandstand seating remain available through the organization’s website ahead of Memorial Day weekend. (carnavalsanfrancisco.org) (carnavalsanfrancisco.org)