Mission District Memorial Day Festival & Parade

Carnaval San Francisco is scheduled to return to the Mission District on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, for its 48th annual Memorial Day weekend festival, according to the event’s organizers. The free street festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days and stretches across 17 blocks centered on Harrison Street between 16th and 24th streets, organizers and San Francisco city listings say. Sunday’s Grand Parade is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning at 24th and Bryant streets before moving west to Mission Street and north to 15th Street. The 2026 theme is “La Copa del Pueblo,” or “The People’s Cup,” a soccer-themed program tied to community celebrations around the game, according to Carnaval San Francisco. ### When does the festival start, and where is it? Saturday, May 23, is the opening day of the two-day festival, which organizers say begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. each day. The main festival footprint is on Harrison Street between 16th and 24th streets, with activity spread across the surrounding Mission District blocks. SF Travel and SF.gov both describe the event as a free, family-oriented street festival with food, music, dance, arts and crafts. SF Travel says the festival includes five main stages, while the official Carnaval site says this year’s event will also include five DJ block parties. ### What happens on Sunday’s parade route? Sunday, May 24, is the day of the Grand Parade, which organizers say starts at 10 a.m. at the corner of 24th and Bryant streets. From there, the route proceeds west to Mission Street, heads north on Mission to 15th Street, and then turns east toward South Van Ness Avenue, according to the official Carnaval site and SF Travel. The parade covers 20 blocks in the Mission’s Latino Cultural District, organizers say. Grandstand seating is centered near Gray Area at 2665 Mission Street and nearby locations on Mission Street, according to the event website. ### How big is the event expected to be? Carnaval San Francisco says the 2026 festival will feature 50 local performing artists, 400 vendors and a 60-contingent parade lineup. The organization says more than 5,500 artists are expected in the parade, representing cultural traditions from Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Cuba, Peru, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, El Salvador and other countries. SF.gov says more than 400,000 people attend Carnaval each year. The city’s event page calls it the largest and longest-running multicultural celebration in California. ### What will visitors actually see there? The official Carnaval site says the festival will include international food, dancing, sampling sites and entertainment for families. SF Travel says parade contingents typically include Brazilian samba schools, Caribbean groups, Mexican Aztec performers, African drummers, Polynesian dancers, Japanese drummers, giant puppets and folkloric groups from across Latin America. Carnaval San Francisco has also announced a headline performance by Su Majestad Mi Banda El Mexicano de Casimiro. The group is featured prominently on the event’s homepage for the May 23-24 weekend. ### What should people know before they go? SF Travel says BART riders can use either the 16th Street or 24th Street stations and walk to the festival area. The tourism agency says driving and parking are discouraged because of street closures and heavy attendance. SF Travel also says pets are not allowed in the festival area. Organizers say some grandstand tickets may be sold on site on parade day, though seating is limited. ### Where can people find official details? Carnaval San Francisco has posted schedules, parade seating information and festival details on its official website. SF.gov also has a city event page tied to the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and SF Travel has published a visitor guide with route and transit information. May 23 is the festival’s first day, and May 24 is the parade day, with the Grand Parade set to start at 10 a.m. at 24th and Bryant and the street festival running until 6 p.m., according to organizers.