Check out the full Carnaval 2026 festival lineup.
Perhaps the biggest addition to this year’s festival is the area entirely dedicated to soccer on Harrison between 19th and 20th streets, where local soccer teams will host scrimmages and giveaways throughout the weekend.
You can even sign up ahead of time to request a specific time for you and your team to play (3 vs. 3 and 5 vs. 5 options available). La Plaza del Fútbol — as organizers have named the space — is open to all genders and skill levels.
Throughout the weekend, there will also be four different block parties, each with live DJs hitting different musical styles.
One of those block parties — Colores de Amor on Harrison and 20th — will feature drag performances on Sunday by Per Sia and Dulce De Leche, along with DJ sets from Brown Angel.
Where are the entrances to the Carnaval 2026 festival?
You’ll find free entrances (and exits) on every street from 16th to 24th streets, located at:
- 16th and Harrison
- 17th and Alabama
- 18th and Folsom
- 19th and Alabama
- 20th and Folsom
- 20th and Alabama
- 21st and Folsom
- 23rd and Folsom
- 23rd and Alabama
- 24th and Harrison.
Visitors cannot bring outside alcoholic beverages into the festival space. Alcohol is available for purchase inside the festival, but only in specific enclosed areas requiring visitors to provide identification for access. Pets are also not permitted in the festival space — except if they’re service animals.
Remember: Security staff will be present at each entrance to check bags.
When does the Carnaval Grand Parade start, and what’s the parade route?
The Carnaval Grand Parade takes place on Sunday, May 29. Starting at 10 a.m., the parade features dozens of floats and hundreds of dancers moving through the entire neighborhood.
The Carnaval parade route begins at Bryant and 24th streets, then moves through 24th Street, takes a right on Mission Street, stays on that street all the way to 15th Street, and wraps up at Harrison and 15th streets.
The dancers and musicians in the parade perform nonstop the whole way, which is a particularly impressive feat when you consider that some of the most elaborate outfits can weigh up to 40 pounds.
On top of that, there’s a contest element — as contingents, or comparsas, compete against each other in multiple categories. Judges will rank each comparsa on originality, choreography and production design.
If you can’t make it exactly at the 10 a.m. parade start time, don’t worry: The parade goes on for hours before finally wrapping up at 2 p.m.
Can’t make it in person at all? KPIX will be streaming the parade online.
A few things to look for at the Carnaval San Francisco Grand Parade
What makes San Francisco’s Carnaval distinct from other Carnaval celebrations you may see in Rio de Janeiro or Barranquilla is that it embraces the multiple traditions and histories of California’s Latin American and Caribbean diasporas.
One tradition that San Francisco has carried on for decades: a few weeks before Carnaval weekend, community members choose a new King and Queen of Carnaval. This year, Chris Cornelious and Mizzy Ng will wear the crowns during the parade.
The 70 different comparsas that make up this year’s parade include long-standing groups like Flavaz of D’ Caribbean, who’ve won multiple Carnaval categories year after year with high-energy choreography representing the music of Trinidad and Tobago.
You can also spot the contingent from Tradición Peruana Cultural Center — one of the oldest community-led groups nationwide dedicated to Peruvian culture, which, despite losing its San Francisco home earlier this year, has continued to work with public schools to promote Peruvian dance and drumming.
And while you dance to the music, make sure to pay close attention to what the performers are wearing. Many comparsas start preparing their parade outfits months in advance.
For example, dancers with Carnaval Putleco, a comparsa which honors the culture of Putla, Oaxaca, by dancing with tiliches: incredibly colorful and elaborate full-body suits made by hand with hundreds of ribbons, shells and beads.
See the full list of participating comparsas at Carnaval San Francisco.
If the Carnaval San Francisco Grand Parade is free, can I just show up?
Yes: no tickets or registration are required for the Carnaval parade — or the festival itself. Just show up anywhere along the parade route and enjoy the show.
However, if you want a unique vantage point, you can purchase special Grand Stand seats for the Carnaval parade.
These elevated bleachers, located along Mission Street between 22nd and 23rd streets, are next to the judges’ tables, where each contingent will pause and perform for an extra amount of time. Keep in mind that Grand Stand tickets will only be available before the parade and will not be sold day of.
There are no truly bad spots from which to watch the parade, but if you post up at 24th Street, you’ll be much closer to the performers — albeit a bit more cramped with foot traffic. If you’re on Mission Street, you’ll definitely have a lot more room to move around.
Who’s headlining this year at Carnaval San Francisco?
Over 50 musicians, DJs and dance groups will perform throughout the weekend across the four stages and five block parties located throughout Harrison Street.
This year’s headliner is Mi Banda el Mexicano de Casimiro — and getting the band to Carnaval is a dream come true, Durán said. When organizers made the announcement last month on social media, hundreds of fans quickly posted how excited they were about the group coming to the festival.
Even if you don’t know the group’s music just yet, stick around and watch how fans dance. Many of Banda El Mexicano’s greatest hits helped the quebradita genre of Mexican regional music reach wider audiences on both sides of the border throughout the 90s. And since dancing quebradita is an acrobatic feat, expect high kicks, flips in the air and backbends from within the crowd — all in one song.
See the full list of performers at Carnaval San Francisco.
Is Carnaval San Francisco family-friendly?
Yes: For many Bay Area families, going to Carnaval with the kids, teens and grandparents is a decades-long tradition.
In the festival space, organizers have set up a Kids Zone at Harrison and 18th Street where families can paint, dance and play drums. Families are also welcome to join the different activities scheduled at La Plaza del Fútbol.
You’ll also find an area set up for skateboarding on 23rd and Harrison, next to a health and wellness pavilion offering testing for both COVID-19 and blood pressure.
Event staff will be present at several points throughout the festival, including an information booth on 19th and Harrison.
How do I get to Carnaval San Francisco? What about parking?
If you’re planning to drive into the Mission during Carnaval weekend, it’s not going to be easy.
The areas surrounding Harrison Street, from 16th to 24th streets, will be closed off to cars the whole weekend, which means a huge amount of the neighborhood’s parking spots will be off-limits. Even residents will have to move their cars to make way for the festival, so there’ll be a lot of competition for the few remaining spots left.
“Driving in is not the best idea,” said Durán, who recommends that attendees instead use public transit to get to the celebrations.
But if you do need to drive, he suggested looking for a spot to the west of Harrison Street (past Valencia Street) as the streets on the eastern half of the Mission District will see the most competition for parking.
On Sunday, all cars parked along the Grand Parade route will have to move, including Mission Street from 24th Street to 15th Street, chunks of 24th and 15th streets as well, and sections of Bryant Street.
If you live on any of the streets that’ll be taken over by Carnaval this weekend and need to move your car in or out of your garage, look for a Carnaval staff member so they can escort your vehicle through the emergency access lanes.
Taking public transit to Carnaval San Francisco
BART will continue operating with a weekday schedule at both 16th and 24th Mission stations.
On Saturday, you can ride the 22, 33, 55 and 48 Muni bus routes, which will pass near the festival entrances, and the 9, 12, 14, 14R and 49 bus lines can drop you off a few blocks away. Prepare for your trip on Muni using SFMTA’s online planning tool.
SFMTA officials confirmed with KQED that the complete list of Muni service affected by the festival and parade will be available a few days ahead of Carnaval.
If you want to avoid congestion caused by all the changes to Muni service, your best bet would be to take BART to either 16th or 24th Mission BART stations.
Prepare for your trip on BART using the agency’s online planning tool.
