Carnaval San Francisco

2–DAY FESTIVAL: MAY 23–24, 2026
GRAND PARADE: MAY 24, 2026

Let the Drums Take Over

Now in its fourth decade of celebration, Carnaval San Francisco has been an opportunity for many cultures to come together in one spirit to share their creative expressions.

Come celebrate with us at our FREE 2–day family festival & Grand Parade in San Francisco’s Mission District where we will showcase the very best Latin American and Caribbean cultural arts and traditions.

Carnaval San Francisco is the largest multi–cultural celebration on the West Coast.

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Su Majestad Mi Banda El Mexicano de Casimiro to Headline 48th Annual Carnaval

San Francisco’s “La Copa del Pueblo – The People’s Cup”

Over Half a Million Attendees from Around the World Transform the Mission District into a Vibrant Hub of Music, Dance, and Cultural Celebration, May 23–24, 2026

Carnaval San Francisco is bringing the spirit of the World Cup to the Mission District! The family-friendly 48th annual festival, taking place Memorial Day weekend, May 23–24, will feature the legendary Su Majestad Mi Banda El Mexicano de Casimiro as this year’s headliner. 

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2026 Theme

La Copa Del Pueblo

For 2026, Carnaval San Francisco lifts high “La Copa del Pueblo”, the People’s Cup, a vibrant celebration of fútbol’s true heartbeat: the people who play it, love it, and live it. This theme honors the joy found in dusty fields, neighborhood parks, and busy city streets, where the game belongs to everyone and every goal feels like a shared victory. Just like Carnaval, fútbol is about connection, creativity, and the unshakable energy of community.

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Soccer Arena

Welcome to the Soccer Arena / La Plaza del Fútbol, where culture meets competition and the beautiful game becomes a celebration of community, pride, and passion.

For one unforgettable weekend, 20th & Harrison Street becomes the heart of the action as it transforms into a dynamic soccer arena filled with energy, rhythm, and flags from around the world. The spirit of fútbol will radiate from this central hub, bringing together the diverse communities that make the Bay Area so unique.

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2–DAY FESTIVAL

Our free, two–day Festival starts at 11 AM and runs to 6PM and covers 17 blocks in the Mission District, with five main stages, 50 local performing artists, and 400 vendors. The festival includes international food, dancing, sampling sites and entertainment for families, couples and friends of all ethnic, social and economic backgrounds.

2–DAY FESTIVAL

Our free, two–day Festival starts at 11 AM and runs to 6PM and covers 17 blocks in the Mission District, with five main stages, 50 local performing artists, and 400 vendors.

Grand Parade

Our Grand Parade boasts a 60–contingent (comparsa) lineup, with over 3,000 artists. The Grand Parade covers 20 blocks in San Francisco’s historic Latino Cultural District in the Mission.

Discover

The festival includes international food, dancing, sampling sites and entertainment for families, couples and friends of all ethnic, social and economic backgrounds.

Carnaval San Francisco, the largest multicultural festival in the West Coast, is a project that CANA organizes, with the goal of educating people on the Latino, Caribbean and African Diasporic traditions of the Mission District and the San Francisco Bay Area. We accomplish our mission through dance, music, the visual arts and by creating spaces for community learning, school–based education, and advocacy.

We envision a world where harmony and revelry unite all people and where Latin American, Caribbean, and African traditions and cultures are preserved and celebrated for generations to come.