San Francisco Carnival, USA

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What is the San Francisco Carnival?

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San Francisco Carnival is an annual celebration held in San Francisco, California, United States. Carnivals are a free two-day family celebration held over Memorial Day weekend. The San Francisco Carnival celebrates and promotes San Francisco’s diverse Latin American, Caribbean and African roots through dance, music and visual arts. In addition, it promotes the creation of spaces for community learning and education thanks to different organizations and institutions.

Participants of the San Francisco Carnival can experience the different cultural elements that are manifested through cooking, music, the dance, the crafts and various activities in every corner of the grounds where the carnivals take place. In addition, the festivities are held in a family atmosphere and for the entire public, transforming it into one of the largest multicultural celebration events of the West Coast of the United States.

 

 

With several decades of celebration, carnival has been an opportunity for many cultures to come together to share their traditions in a creative way. Likewise, the carnival seeks to create an atmosphere of harmony to unite all people so that they can make their traditions known so that in this way, they can be preserved and celebrated for generations to come.

For the past few years, the San Francisco Carnival has been undergoing a planning process to restructure itself into an effective and sustainable organization. In addition, it seeks to support area artists and strengthen local businesses, the education of children, the community and the well-being of society.

The main objectives of the carnival is to create theconnection of the population through art and family, strengthen the community economy and promote cross-cultural, collaborative relationships and volunteerism. San Francisco Carnival.

The San Francisco Carnival has counted on the collaboration of several companies that have allowed the development and extension of the festivities in recent years. Some of the sponsors of the carnivals are AARP, Airbnb, Goya, Capital One, SFMTA, Genentech, Honey Bucket, Stone Brewing CO., Telemundo, Facebook, Recology, CBS, Uber, Path Water and P.A.N. Enterprises.

 

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When is the Carnival of San Francisco?

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Carnaval San Francisco takes place on days near Memorial Day in May, a memorial day for the United States to remember American combatants who died in combat. Ethe San Francisco Carnival will take place from approximately May 22 through May 23.

 

 

History of the San Francisco Carnivals

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The San Francisco Carnival arose through some social and political movements in San Francisco by the Black Panther Party, the Gay Rights Movement, the Hippie Era, the Native American Resistance and the Chicano Movement during the 1960s and 1970s. In this way, the San Francisco carnival has a deep spirit ofcommunal love, social justice and cultural resistance.

All local races and ethnicities, including Latino; Caribbean; African American; Asian; Asian; Caucasian and Native American, congregated at Precita Park in February 1979 to celebrate the first Carnaval in San Francisco. The carnival was attended by 500 people and later became a celebration of 5,000 participants, including dancers, drummers and spectators in 1980.

Word of the Carnival quickly spread to the adjacent Bay Area, growing larger and larger and integrating many more participants. In 1985 the carnival was established on Harrison Street in theMission District during Memorial Day weekend. Since that time, the carnivals had finally found a fixed location that they could consider the epicenter of carnivals.

San Francisco Carnivals has always been a project of several Latino organizations that features the presentations of the different comparas. Each year the organization works hard to carry out the rehearsals, meetings, costume making and construction of floats, despite not having a physical headquarters.

Today, the carnival is working hard to restructure the work program and logistics of the carnivals to attract more volunteers, encourage new sponsors and develop spaces to promote economic activity in the region to continue the legacy of the festivities.

 

Where is the San Francisco Carnival

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The San Francisco Carnivals are held on Harrinson Street between 16th and 24th Streets, Mission District, San San Francisco, California, United States. The Mission District has a total population of 45,000 people and an area of 3.84 square kilometers.

 

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How the San Francisco Carnival is celebrated

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The carnival has some events that take place before the official celebration of the carnivals. These events function as a sort of warm-up or initiation ceremonies that make way for the two days of official celebration in which the parade and festival take place.

 

Start of the Season

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During the month of February, theorganizers of the San Francisco Carnival congregate people to participate in a celebration that takes place during Mardi Gras. This ceremony takes place in 3 areas of the district and features different musical performances and dances that serve as a warm-up for the official carnivals. The organization encourages the wearing of costumes and masks during the ceremony.

 

Carnival Royal Court Competition

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During the month of April, the San Francisco Carnival holds an event to select the King and Queen of Carnival. The selection process works through a competition held by the contestants, in which they must perform in carnival costumes accompanied by dance and music.

The winners of the competition will be crowned asKing and Queen of the Annual San Francisco Carnival Parade and Festival at the end of May. This Royal Court of the carnivals also performs other duties as official ambassadors in the Grand Parade of the San Francisco Carnival. In addition, winners win aUS $500 cash prize.

The Royal Court is divided into two: the Children’s Court and the Adult Court.
Admission to this event is free of charge. However, a percentage of the sales of the places held during this day are destined to the organization. In addition, they also accept donations.

Once the official carnival begins, the two main events consisting of the festival and the parade take place. Each of them is held on different days.

 

Parade

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The parade involves around 50 music and dance groups, who wear colorful and magical costumes. The groups pass through the streets accompanied by imposing carriages with diverse multicultural themes, including the participation of artists to entertain the function.

In addition, the parade features the participation of 300 members of the samba schools who dance through the streets in fantastic costumes, while Caribbean performers carry out a repertoire of music and the typical dance of the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago.

The parade also features the participation of various Latin American groups, including Mexican Aztec artists, African percussionists, Polynesian dancers, Japanese drummers and folklore groups from Guatemala, Honduras and Bolivia.

Each year a competition and selection of the best bands is carried out taking into account 5 categories: Brazilian Category, Caribbean Category, Youth Category, Traditional/Folklore Category and Fusion Category.

 

Festival

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The festival comprises a free event of family character 2 days in the Mission district. During the event different gastronomic, artistic cultural activities and sale of handicrafts take place. It is definitely a day whose purpose is to strengthen social ties with the community, family and friends.

 

Tips to go to the Carnivals of San Francisco

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If you want to attend the San Francisco Carnivals, we recommend you plan your trip in advance, make an itinerary of activities and book your preferred lodging in advance.

Also, remember to pack comfortable clothes and shoes so that you can enjoy the carnival celebrations as comfortably as possible.

If possible, leave your valuables at the hotel or at home, as the San Francisco Carnival is a very famous celebration, so it would be easy to lose or misplace valuables amidst all the commotion. If you don’t have that facility, try to carry your belongings in a bag or backpack or secure them in your pockets.

Heat, physical activity and the consumption of alcoholic beverages can cause your body to dehydrate quickly, so we recommend staying hydrated at all times. Also, be sure to apply sunscreen whenever your skin needs it to avoid sunstroke.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country, I recommend this guide:

 

Events at the San Francisco Carnival

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The events that take place at theSan Francisco Carnival occur in a specific order, including the pre-carnival celebrations.

TheStart of Season celebration takes place at the end of February, specifically on Tuesday Carnival or Mardi Gras. The event is held at 20 different locations within theMission district between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm.

 

Royal Carnival Court Competition

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This ceremony takes place during the month of April, when several competitors date their all to be crowned as the Royal Court of the San Francisco Carnivals. The event takes place at the Gray Area Theatre and the Dance Mission Threatre between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm.

 

 

Parade

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The Carnival Parade takes place on the first day of the festivities, it is the opening ceremony of the official carnivals of San Francisco. The event features more than 50 carnival groups from all over the world and of different genres to showcase the differentcultural manifestations of the world. The event begins at 9:30 am in the streets of the Mission district.

 

Festival

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The festival is presented as the closing of the festivities. During the celebration, a variety of cultural manifestations, musical performances and dances by different ensembles and cultural and ethnic groups take place. In addition, the organization sets up differentfood points and carries out different family and recreational events.

 

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San Francisco Carnival Parades

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The parade is one of the most awaited events of theSan Francisco Carnivals, in whichdozens of groups perform a great repertoire dance and music to amaze all visitors. The celebration of the parade is carried out through the presentation of 50 folkloric groups of which Caribbean groups, schools of samba, African percussionists, Polynesian dancers, Mexican artists, Japanese drummers and different Latin American groups that present a repertoire of traditional dances.

Each of the groups is judged under strict criteria in which the different elements of performance are evaluated. At the end of the event, the 3 winners of each category are selected.

 

Parade route

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The parade begins at 9:30 am at the interception of 24th and Bryant making its way down West Mission Street. Once there, the parade heads to the street note until it reaches 17th Street, where it will turn and enter the fairgrounds set up for the carnivals.

 

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What to eat at the San Francisco Carnival

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The San Francisco Carnival grounds offer a wide range of food stalls where you can basically find dishes from all over the world, from traditional street food like hamburgers, hot dogs and pizzas, to fair food like donuts, cotton candy and ice cream and ending in international food like Mexican, Japanese or even Brazilian food.

Since inside the festival you can find everything, we offer you two snacks that you will find for sure from the food fair. One of them are the rosquillas, these are leavened flour doughs that are usually fried and then glazed with powdered sugar. However, they can also be filled with cream or jam and sprinkled with sugar.

One of the classics of street food in the United States is particularly Mexican food and within this, we can find dishes such as the burrito, a rolled tortilla that can integrate various ingredients such as meat, chicken, rice, vegetables and sauces. It is one of the most popular foods in the United States, especially in urban areas.

Some of the locals you can find in the city of San Francisco are: Hog Island Oyster Co, Eight Am, Tadich Grill, Hollywood Café and Sotto Mare Oysteria & Seafood. In these establishments you can find a wide range of dishes and American food, vegetarian, Mediterranean, sandwiches, burgers, pizza and many more dishes.

 

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Travel Insurance

 

From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurance. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the San Francisco Carnival

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Within the San Francisco Carnival you can participate and attend some of the events that take place before the official start of the carnival. The first event that takes place is theMardi Gras kick-off party in February, which is held in multiple areas of the Mission district. In addition, you can also attend the selection of the Royal Carnival Court during the month of April and watch the entire competition to choose the King and Queen of Carnival.

Once the official carnivals arrive, the first event you shouldattend is the parade that takes place on the first day. This event is one of the most anticipated and features the participation of dozens of groups from various cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds. In addition, there are musical performances, dances and the competition in the various categories.

Finally, you have the option of the carnival festival that takes place on the last day of the festivities. Here you canenjoy a wide cultural repertoire by the various groups. In addition, you can attend the food fair and take part in the different activities and events that take place on the premises.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

 

What to see and do outside of San Francisco Carnivals

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Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

It is a historical monument considered one of the most important historical works in the country. The monument was built in the year 1915 and underwent some restorations between the year 1964 and 1974. The section that stands out the most is a rotunda in the center of the building that is 49 meters long and is located near a lagoon. The moment has been part of several movies since 1958.

 

Golden Gate Park

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It is a large urban garden whose area covers 412 hectares in total. The park first opened in 1870 and is 4.8 kilometers long and 0.8 kilometers wide. Within its grounds are several statues, lakes, wildlife, flora and windmills. The park receives about 24 million people a year.

 

Exploratorium

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This is a highly interactive science, technology and arts museum with large exhibits. The museum was established in 1969, but relocated in 2013. Within its facilities are exhibits on the human body, psychology, art pieces, educational exhibits and many other areas.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

 

Safety at the San Francisco Carnival

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The Mission District is relatively safe, although we recommend you avoid 16th Street and South Van Ness, as some criminal activity usually occurs in those locations. In general, you have nothing to worry about, just practice basic safety measures and use common sense.

It is always a good idea to keep your personal items in a safe place to avoid theft and misplacement. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your items safe:

 

 

Weather at San Francisco Carnival

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San Francisco’s weather during Carnival celebrations can be somewhat chilly, with temperatures ranging from 11 to 18 degrees Celsius. If you are a chilly person, we recommend packing something warm for the carnival festivities.

 

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How to get to the San Francisco Carnivals

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How to get there by plane

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The closest airport to the Mission district is theSan Francisco International Airport. From here, you can use the various modes of transportation to reach the district.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by train

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The city of San Francisco receives daily trains from the Amtrak station from different cities such asLos Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Denver, Bakersfield and Fresno.

 

BART

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The BART (San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit System) is a public electric system that people frequently use to travel to different areas of the Bay Area.

From the airport you can take the BART to Mission. The ride is 22 minutes.

 

How to get there by bus

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From the airport you can take a SamTrans bus to the Mission district. The ride is 50 minutes and the price ranges between 2 and 4 US dollars.

From Sacramento you can take a bus on lines 8309, 8321, 8323, 8311, 8303 and 8315 to San Francisco. Once there, walk to the bus station and take a train again to Mission.

 

How to get there by car

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From the airport you can take US-101 N to theMission district. The ride is 20 minutes. If you take a cab, the cost of the taxi is 75 to 95 US dollars.

In Sacramento you can take a car via I-80 W. The drive is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

 

Where to stay at San Francisco Carnival

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Booking.com

 

Infinity Hotel SF, Ascend Hotel Collection

3-star hotel 3.1 km from San Francisco city center. Rooms feature refrigerator, desk, private bathroom with hairdryer and alarm clock. The facility offers free wifi and family rooms.

 

Holiday Inn San Francisco – Golden Gateway

3 star hotel 1.4 km from San Francisco city center. Rooms feature television and refrigerator. Hotel features restaurant, breakfast, private parking and wifi.

 

InterContinental San Francisco

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4-star hotel 700 meters from San Francisco city center. Rooms feature TV, minibar and coffee set. Facilities include pool, fitness center, restaurant, bar, room service and breakfast.

We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.

 

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