Carnaval San Francisco

Grand parade

Our Grand Parade boasts a 60–contingent (comparsa) lineup, with over 3,000 artists representing the cultural heritages of Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Cuba, Peru, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala, El Salvador, and more to participate, televised by CBS. The Grand Parade covers 20 blocks in San Francisco’s historic Latino Cultural District in the Mission.

Parade Lineup

Our 2024 Lineup will be announced in May, 2024.



CELEBRATING OUR 2023 GRAND PARADE WINNERS

GRAND CHAMPION
Fogo Na Roupa

First Place
Karibbean Vibrationz

Second Place
Loco Bloco

Third Place
Chavalos Danzas

Brazilian Category
First Place, Sambaxé
Second Place, Grupo Samba Rio
Third Place, Bloco Ginga Brasil

Caribbean Catergory
First Place, Flavaz of D’Caribbean
Second Place, Xplosion Mas
Third Place, Rueda con Ritmo

Contemporary/World Fusion Category
First Place, Esforço
Second Place, Latin Dance Grooves
Third Place, La ZUMBA Buena!

Traditional/Folkloric Category
First Place, Diablos de Santiago de Juxtlahuaca, Oaxaca
Second Place, La Cumbiamba Colombiana
Third Place, Renacer Folklorico Bolivia

Children & Youth Category
First Place, Beautiful Beginnings Art Collective
Second Place, Feline Finesse Dance Company
Third Place,Ballet Folklorico Pueblo Nuevo

WE’D LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING 2023 PARTICIPANTS IN APPRECIATION OF THEIR ARTISTIC SPIRIT:

ABADA Capoeira San Francisco Hot Pink Feathers
Alaska Airlines Jaguars of Fire
American Indian Cultural Center of San Francisco Kantuta Ballet Folklorico de Bolivia & Comunidad Anqari
Amor do Samba Los Bomberos de San Francisco
Aquarela Samba School & Dance Mexicans on a Mission
Asiya Shriners Mi Tierra Colombiana
Asociacion Mayab Miss Panama SF California
Bailando por la Vida Mixtiso
BART Morenada San Francisco-Bolivia para el Mundo
Nicaragua Danza Hijos del Maiz Parseros Salseros
Brazilian Center- Barakemi of Sacramento Raio de Luz Samba Performers
Buena Vista Horace Mann Recology
California Domestic Workers Coalition San Francisco Cable Cars
Caravana de la Bahia San Francisco Latino Task Force
Carnaval San Francisco / Viva Amor y la Lucha/Samba Ritmo San Francisco Lowrider Council
Cathedral City High School Ballet Folklorico San Francisco Mayor London Breed & Paixão Dance Ensemble
Club Puertorriqueño de San Francisco Telemundo 48 & Comcast Xfinity
Community Music Center & SFUSD Partners Thurgood Marshall High School
Compton High Band, Dancers and Tall Flags Tradicion Peruana Centro Cultural
Cruise United Rhythms #URSF
Cuba Caribe Carnaval World Flags- Ritmo del Corazon / Rhythm of the Heart
El Show de Pepe Xiuhcoatl Danza Azteca & Grand Marshal Miguel Martinez
Esplendor Azteca Xipe Totec
Grupo Maiz

Map

Grand Marshal

Our 2024 Grand Marshal will be announced in May, 2024.

 

Judges

Our 2024 judges will be announced in May, 2024.

 

Our Reigning Queen & King

King Ezra Bristow

Ezra Myles is a Multidisciplinary Artist, Arts Educator and Event Producer based in Oakland, CA. Much like his birthplace of Newark, NJ, Ezra creates and curates art experiences that bridge the gap between the shared cultural legacies of the African Diaspora. As the Executive Director of MylesBeyond Entertainment (@mylesbeyondmedia) an event and media production company, and Artistic Director of the Carnival Dance Fusion Collective, MasFX Dance (@masfxdance), Ezra weaves visual art, digital media, spoken word, and dance to engage and empower BIPOC communities through the lens of Carnival as a multiethnic celebration of liberation, resilience, joy, and heritage.

Queen Mayela Carrasco

Mayela Carrasco was born on Carnaval weekend in 1995, the daughter of Karla Castillo and Jose Carrasco, founders of Loco Bloco. Immersed in a lively and adventurous community of youth and adult artists of color, Mayela absorbed the language of dance, music and resistance. As a child and youth, she explored dance under the guidance of master artists Heather Watkins, Maya Willow, Joel Feal Molina, Marcia Treidler, Tania Santiago, and Metzi Henriquez. As a young adult Mayela set her eyes on studying in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, spending months at a time learning from masters and leaders of the great escolas of samba. More recently Mayela studied with the dance directors of GRES Paraiso do Tuiuti Alex Coutinho and Jorge Amarelloh. Mayela organized their teaching tour in the Bay Area in 2022 and then she traveled back to Rio to join Tuiuti in preparation for Carnaval 2023. Mayela was accepted into the Paraiso Tuitti Passista section and paraded in the Sambadrome. During this same period, Mayela led a study trip for 16 Bay Area dancers in Rio. Back in the Bay, Mayela has rejoined with Loco Bloco, her fellow leaders Akemi Smoot, Tiombe Wiley and the Guerreiras do Samba dancers to prepare for the Carnaval SF 2023. Photo by Pankaj Phargava