Southeast Asian Songkran Festival at Fulton Plaza

The Bamboo said it will stage Songkran Festival 2026 at Fulton Plaza in San Francisco’s Civic Center on Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The free event is billed as a Southeast Asian New Year celebration with a public water blessing, food vendors and live performances, according to listings published by The Bamboo, Funcheap and Eventbrite. Organizers say the program will run outdoors at Fulton and Larkin streets and will be open to the public. Eventbrite says RSVP is encouraged, though admission is free. ### What exactly is happening at Fulton Plaza on Saturday? Saturday, May 16, is the date listed for a one-day Songkran festival centered on Southeast Asian New Year traditions at Fulton Plaza. The Bamboo describes it as a family-friendly cultural celebration focused on traditional arts, music and community activities, while Funcheap lists it as a free public event in Civic Center. (bamboovoice.org) Fulton Plaza, at Fulton and Larkin in San Francisco, is the location named across the public listings. Eventbrite says the festival will run for seven hours, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and presents it as an all-ages event. ### What will people actually see if they go? The 11 a.m. opening parade is the first scheduled item in the Eventbrite program. (bamboovoice.org) That listing says the parade will include traditional Thai dance and long drums, followed by an 11:15 a.m. opening ceremony and an 11:45 a.m. water blessing ceremony that is interactive and open to the public. (sf.funcheap.com) Afternoon programming includes live cultural performances, a Vietnamese jazz band, a community pageant and a live concert finale, according to Eventbrite. The Bamboo’s own event page separately says attendees can expect a central performance stage, a traditional water blessing with community leaders and elders, and a Songkran beauty pageant and cultural ambassador program. (eventbrite.com) ### How much of the festival is food and vendors? About 20 vendor booths are planned, according to The Bamboo’s event page. The organization says those booths are expected to include food, artisan and community vendors, and Eventbrite says Southeast Asian food will be part of the festival lineup. Thai street food is one of the details highlighted in the Eventbrite overview. (bamboovoice.org) Funcheap’s listing also describes the event as featuring food, artisan and community vendors in addition to performances and the pageant. ### Who is behind the event? The Bamboo is named as the organizer on both Funcheap and Eventbrite. (bamboovoice.org) The Bamboo’s website says the festival is part of its cultural programming and describes the event as the first Songkran festival in San Francisco organized by The Bamboo Voice Organization, a 501(c)(3). Eventbrite says the event has support from the APA Heritage Foundation, the Royal Thai Consulate General, the Thai Association of Northern California, and Thai cultural councils in Berkeley and Fremont. (sf.funcheap.com) Those supporting groups are listed on the event page, though the public listings do not detail financial terms or programming roles. (bamboovoice.org) ### Is this a ticketed event or something people can just walk into? Free admission is stated in both the Funcheap and Eventbrite listings. Eventbrite says RSVP is encouraged for updates and schedule highlights, while Funcheap says entry is free and open to everyone. Saturday’s first public program item starts at 11 a.m., according to Eventbrite, which advises attendees to arrive before 11 to catch the parade. (eventbrite.com) The same listing says the live concert finale is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the festival ending at 6 p.m. (sf.funcheap.com)