San Francisco’s Carnaval festival season has kicked off this week, a string of events that ends with a parade on Memorial Day weekend.
The kickoff began Tuesday with Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, in the Mission District at 6 p.m. Carnaval’s dance troupe Esforco showcased an extravagant performance at Kimbara Ritmo y Sabor and then at Bissap Baobab at 6:30 p.m.
Live free bands, including King Cheo and the Jaguars of Fire, filled restaurants and other locations throughout the district, including Arcana and Cha Cha Cha and the 24th Street Mission BART station plaza.
More headliners coming
On March 30, King and Queen dance competition will be held at KQED headquarters, where 16 finalists will perform salsa and rumba to win the crowns and be ambassadors in the big parade in May.
The California Academy of Sciences will also host Carnaval on May 16 as one of their Thursday nightlife events ahead of the big event May 25-26. The festival covers 17 city blocks, hosts five performance stages and five block parties, with over 300 vendors and pavilions.
May 26 is the big day, when the Carnaval parade snakes through parts of the street festival. Over 2,000 different artists in 60 different floats and contingencies will shake and pulse along a 1.5-mile route to Latin American and Caribbean rhythms.
Carnaval San Francisco is supported by the city, state and donors, and it is celebrating its 46th year.