Every year in Memorial Day weekend, the Mission district hosts a Carnaval San Francisco, so this past weekend was no different.

The two-day festival started on Saturday May 24 this year with an all-day street fair on Harrison street between 16th and 24th street.

Along this route there were 5 stages, where bands played the entire day.

Some early bands were of local highschools, so set your expectations accordingly if you arrive early, but as the day went on the music got more contagious. Lots of dancing!

The entire section of Harrison was closed off for the event, including the nearest side-streets, so there is lots of room for partying, family-friendly activities, and just to hang out and enjoy the (sizeable) crowd.

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The festival on Harrision continued on the Sunday, but the highlight of that day was the annual Grand Parade - kicked off by the low-riders at 10’ish (which I missed this year 🙊), followed by floats/trucks and lots of dancers.

The parade starts on the corner of Bryant and 17th, then goes south to 24th where it turns right. When it reaches Mission street it turns right again and goes north all the way til 15th street.

Along the way there are bleachers where you can sit (if you buy a ticket), but you can also just stand along the way and cheer them on.

In the peak areas of the route (the western part of 24th and southern part of mission street), expect to have spectators 3 to 5 rows deep though. If you dislike crowds, come early - but even if you’re at peak hours, you can easily move a block away and still catch the vibe. It’s fun!

For more information on upcoming events and how to participate, visit the official Carnaval San Francisco website.

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