Carnaval San Francisco
- Dates
- May 29 to 30, 2027
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Harrison Street, Mission District (17th to 24th St)
- Price
- Free
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Aug 23, 2026
Carnaval San Francisco returns to San Francisco, CA, May 29 to 30, 2027. Froligo tracks free-entry details, attendee feedback and travel details.
The experience
What's special
Carnaval San Francisco is a free, two-day street festival and Grand Parade in the city's Mission District over Memorial Day weekend, celebrating Latin American, Caribbean, and Afro-Diasporic cultures across 17 blocks and five music stages. Established in 1979, it is one of the largest cultural celebrations on the West Coast
What people love
Attendees celebrate the vibrant costumes and floats, the energy and color of the Grand Parade, and the cultural diversity of both the performers and the crowd, describing a lively but generally mellow street atmosphere
Last time around (2026)
The most recent held edition was the 48th annual festival over Memorial Day weekend in May 2026, drawing large crowds to the Mission District for two days of parades, music, and street celebration
Listen
No official playlist linked yet. Find Carnaval San Francisco on Spotify.
Lineup
2027 lineup not yet announced. Here's who played in 2026:
Getting there
Nearest airport SFO.
How do I get to Carnaval San Francisco?
By car
Most people drive to Carnaval San Francisco. The nearest major airport is SFO, and from there it is a straightforward drive to the venue. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
By bus & public transit
BART runs direct from the SFO station (International Terminal) to the festival the official FAQ states '16th St Mission and 24th St Mission stations are both located directly on the parade route just a few blocks from the festival area', with entrances at 16th & Harrison and 24th & Harrison. Yellow Line toward Antioch, no transfer needed. This is the standard airport-to-festival route and the one the festival itself points attendees to
Book / info →Local connector rather than an airport leg: multiple Muni lines serve the Mission District around the festival footprint. Note the official FAQ warns that routes 12, 14, 12R, 22, 27, 33, 48, 49, 55, and 67 are rerouted during the event check SFMTA's reroute page on the day. Useful for getting to the festival from elsewhere in the city; from SFO itself, BART is the direct option
Book / info →Taxi & rideshare
Uber and Lyft both operate at SFO from designated pickup zones (domestic-side parking garage levels; follow airport signage from baggage claim rather than waiting curbside). Regulated taxis pick up curbside at marked zones. During festival hours the streets around Harrison (14th-24th between roughly Alabama and Treat) are closed, so expect drop-off a few blocks out on Mission, Valencia, or south of 24th
Book / info →Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🅿 Parking
Cost Garage rates per SFMTA's Mission-Bartlett page; street parking effectively unavailable (closure/tow zones).
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire at SFO
Free urban street festival with two BART stations directly on the parade route and driving officially discouraged car hire is not needed for the festival commute itself, but is a reasonable add-on for fly-in attendees pairing Carnaval with wider Northern California travel (wine country, coast, national parks)
Search car hire →Live price search coming soon.
Where
Venue
Harrison Street, Mission District (17th to 24th St)
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near Carnaval San Francisco?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Hotels nearby 4
Airbnb & private camping
The Mission is one of San Francisco's densest short-term-rental neighborhoods, so close-in supply is genuinely strong. The 2027 edition (May 29-30) falls on Memorial Day weekend (Memorial Day is May 31, 2027) expect holiday-weekend rates plus festival demand on top of SF's already-high baseline. That surge expectation is a seasonal-pattern inference, not a property-level cited fact
Search Airbnb →Hipcamp's San Francisco directory lists private-land camping and glamping clustered outside the city proper Pacifica/Half Moon Bay coastside and Marin, typically 30-60 minutes out. A plausible budget base for van/car travelers who'd rather camp cheap and BART/drive in for the festival days than pay SF holiday-weekend hotel rates; not a walk-to-festival option
Search Hipcamp →Pricing
Got fresher info? Tell us, a real person checks every tip, and we love fresh info.