Carnaval Comes to the Mission District

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on May 23, 2016

Carnavals are a nearly universal way of celebrating life, pleasure, and creativity. Every year, throughout the entire world, Carnavals are held in both major cities and small towns, and although they vary in the specific events held, they all possess one commonality: the key to a darn good time.

In San Francisco’s Mission District, Carnaval is held over Memorial Day weekend. This year, those dates are from May 28th to the 29th, and although it is only two days, they are packed full of events and delights. Held in the historic Mission District, the theme for this year’s Carnaval is “Viva La Madre Tierra,” or “Long Live Mother Earth!” The parade, one of the most anticipated spectacles in a weekend of spectacle, features an array of multicultural displays, hundreds of samba dancers, floats, and music from the Bahamas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Cuba. As though that weren’t enough, there will also be Polynesian dances, drummers from Japan, performers representing Mexican Aztec heritage, and enormous puppets in the traditions of Honduras, Bolivia, and Guatemala.

If parades aren’t exactly your thing, then come to Carnaval for everything else! Over the two-day event you can expect to see a massive outburst of creative expression all down Harrison Street, from the intersection at 16th Street to 24th Street. Delicious food, infectious dances, handmade crafts, and local artwork representing a multitude of cultures will all be there. Some specific highlights include:

• The Venezuelan vocalist Oscar D’ Leon
• The Chilean reggae band Gondwana
• Oakland’s own Los Rakas
• Over 50 other musical groups and dance troupes playing their hearts and souls out all weekend long.

This is an event that spans much more than a specific place or time. This is a celebration for many generations of heritage, for the stories that have been passed down through the centuries, for the art that has come with it to represent customs that, without events like Carnaval, might begin to be forgotten. If you find yourself in the Bay Area over the 28th and the 29th, Carnaval should be added to your “to do” list.

Carnaval starts on the 28th and is in full swing on both the 28th and the 29th from ten in the morning until six at night.

Avoid the headaches and hassles of having to find parking in the Mission District with a charter bus, party bus, or classic car rental from Nationwide Limousine Service! To speak with one of our reservation specialists, contact us today at 800-339-8936 for additional information!

Sources:

• The 38th Annual Carnaval San Francisco
• The 2016 Guide To San Francisco’s Carnaval