Thousands Celebrate Sights and Sounds of Carnaval San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Carnaval San Francisco returns with its 41st Annual Grand Parade and Festival on Memorial Day Weekend.
The annual, free, two-day Carnaval festival and grand parade draws thousands of attendees and features international music, dance, arts & crafts and cuisine – is slated to return to the Mission District's Calle 24 Latino Cultural District for its 41st annual celebration, themed "La Cultura Cura – Culture Heals," this Memorial Day weekend, May 25 and 26, 10am-6pm.
Throughout the weekend, hundreds of Carnaval San Francisco participants will come together to transform the district into an enormous celebration featuring music, dance, brilliant costumes, and delicious food from Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, Trinidad, Tobago, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Guatemala, Africa, Chile, Haiti and more.
Grammy and Latin Grammy-award winning band Los Tigres del Norte will headline the festival with a free performance on Saturday, May 25 at 4 p.m. Taking place on Harrison Street between 16th and 24th streets, the festival will feature a rich assortment of food, music, dance, arts, crafts and other fun activities and entertainment on several stages for people of all ages to enjoy.
The parade begins at 10am with a brilliant procession of contingents, most of which will feature beautifully adorned floats depicting rich multicultural themes and featuring performers who engage and entertain the crowds.
Brazilian-style escola samba schools with up to 300 members dance through the streets in fantastic feathered headdresses or sweeping Bahia skirts, while Caribbean contingents perform the music and dance of the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Other parade groups include Mexican Aztec performers, traditional African drummers, Polynesian dancers, Japanese drummers, giant puppets and folkloric groups representing Guatemala, Honduras and Bolivia.
The Grand Parade will start at the corner of 24th and Bryant streets, proceed west to Mission Street, head north on Mission to 15th Street, turn east on 15th and conclude at South Van Ness. Admission to the festival and parade is FREE.