Carnaval San Francisco 2023

Carnaval San Francisco is a brilliant kaleidoscope of color, costumes and community spirit, but in its heart and soul stir the captivating rhythms of music and dance.

Artists in our beloved Mission District gave birth to Carnaval in 1978 with the belief that their passion for Latin, Caribbean and Afro-Diasporic music would unite people across ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientation, gender identification or religious beliefs.

From the beginning, the sounds of salsa, samba, soca, mariachi, merengue, cumbia, and reggae music paved the way for Carnaval to thrive. Now modern sounds such as funk, bachata, dancehall, hip-hop, Afro-beats and reggaeton have joined the mix, resonating with the younger generation of revelers.

For 45 years Carnaval has featured world-class artists such as Santana, Tower of Power, Celia Cruz, Oscar de Leon, Los Lonely Boys, Tito Puente, John Santos, Olodum, and Los Tigres del Norte. We are proud that these high caliber performances are…