Dancers in colorful costumes move past El Capitan theater, with spectators watching from behind barriers on a sunny day.

More than 400,000 visitors packed 17 blocks of San Francisco’s Mission District on Sunday for the Grand Parade of Carnaval San Francisco 2025. Under the full glare of the sun, the city exploded with sequins, feathers, bass lines, and the spirit of this year’s theme: Afro Mundo, a celebration of the African diaspora’s resilience across the Americas.

A mostly empty street lined with trees and barricades, decorated with hanging colorful flags, with a few people walking in the distance.
Before the Carnaval parade. Photo by George Lipp.
A person in a bright green costume and headdress carries a colorful flag while walking in a street parade, with spectators behind metal barricades.
Photo by George Lipp.
A group of people wearing fish-themed costumes parade down a street, surrounded by onlookers behind barricades.
Photo by George Lipp.
People in colorful, traditional costumes and feathered headdresses participate in a festive parade, with Mexican flags and onlookers in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
A group of people and children stand on a wooden staircase and porch outside a house; small international flags and bubbles are visible overhead.
Photo by George Lipp.
A group of children in colorful costumes and blue shirts parade down a street, wearing festive hats and tutus, participating in an organized outdoor event.
Photo by George Lipp.
Three people in colorful traditional Native American regalia participate in a street parade, with onlookers and fences in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
A group of dancers in colorful feathered costumes perform in a street parade, with one person holding a multi-colored flag in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
People in elaborate feathered headdresses and colorful traditional attire perform a cultural dance on a city street, with smoke in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
A parade features people holding a "Kantuta Ballet Folklórico de Bolivia" banner, colorful costumes, balloons, and Bolivian flags, with spectators and festive decorations overhead.
Photo by George Lipp.
A group of people in colorful costumes and masks parade down a city street, carrying vibrant flags and banners; onlookers stand along the sidewalk.
Photo by George Lipp.
A woman in traditional embroidered clothing smiles at a young child dressed in a white outfit and hat while holding him on her lap outdoors.
Photo by George Lipp.
A group of people march in a parade holding a colorful banner and wearing matching white shirts and straw hats, with onlookers and a flag in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
Two children inside a parade float decorated with colorful leis spray water guns out the window; bubbles float nearby as spectators watch from the street.
Photo by George Lipp.
Two women in bright green and blue carnival costumes dance in a parade while spectators stand behind metal barriers, watching and taking photos.
Photo by George Lipp.
A woman in traditional Mexican attire and floral headdress participates in a parade, balancing a decorated tray on her head; others in festive dress are visible in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
A large white inflatable float resembling a fish moves down a city street during a parade, with people inside and onlookers watching from the sidewalks.
Photo by George Lipp.
A group of people in colorful costumes dance in a parade on a city street, while spectators watch from behind metal barricades.
Photo by George Lipp.
Two people in elaborate costumes participate in a street parade; one wears a feathered headdress and beaded outfit, the other a jeweled jacket and crown, with murals visible in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
A person wearing a red hat and red clothing with gold patterns walks outdoors, with metal barricades and shadows in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
People in ornate, colorful costumes dance in a street parade, with onlookers standing behind metal barriers on a sunny day.
Photo by George Lipp.
A young girl in a traditional Bolivian costume holds a small flag while standing in the street during a parade, with other participants and onlookers in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
A group of people stand and perform on a decorated parade float labeled "Community Music Center" during a street event.
Photo by George Lipp.
Person wearing a colorful, ornate traditional mask and headdress with intricate patterns and beads, and a vibrant fur garment.
Photo by George Lipp.
A person in a gold costume and headdress stands on a colorful parade float, while another person in a white suit walks in front. Urban street and row houses are in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
Three people in colorful traditional Native American regalia participate in a street parade, with onlookers and fences in the background.
Photo by George Lipp.
Five people dressed in traditional clothing pose together on a city street decorated with colorful banners, with metal barricades and buildings in the background.
Family ready. Photo by George Lipp.
People in elaborate blue and purple dresses participate in a street parade on a sunny day, with a modern apartment building and electrical wires in the background.
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
People in colorful, sequined costumes with circular decorations participate in a parade, walking down a city street lined with trees and buildings.
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
A person in a traditional costume with fur leggings, a painted face, and a decorative bag walks in a street parade beside another similarly dressed individual.
Photo by George Lipp.
Three people are sitting inside a vintage red and silver pickup truck during a daytime event, with spectators and other vehicles visible in the background.
A family ride. Photo by George Lipp.
A family rides in a green convertible during a parade; two children stand and wave while an adult passenger films with a phone on a selfie stick.
Photo by George Lipp.
A woman smiles as a young child leans out of a car window, reaching toward a colorful ribbon outside the vehicle.
Photo by George Lipp.
A woman wearing sunglasses waves while holding a phone and colorful beads on a San Francisco cable car, surrounded by other people.
A woman waves from a historic cable car, tossing beads out to people 5/25/2025. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
Two women ride customized lowrider bicycles along a street during an event, while spectators stand behind metal barricades watching them.
Bikers. Photo by George Lipp.
A man in traditional embroidered clothing balances a bottle on his head during a street parade, with other participants and colorful decorations in the background.
A performer balances a beer bottle on his head, steady and proud 5/25/2025. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
A young man sits in a black convertible with a "MISSION" sign and a Mexican flag in the back, during a street event with people watching behind a barricade.
Made in the Mission. Photo by George Lipp.
A woman in a colorful, traditional costume sits barefoot on the ground, smiling, with her shoes placed beside her and a decorative hat reading "San Simon" in her lap.
Stephanie Flores unwinds at the end of the parade against a wall, her shoes off and smile still on 5/25/2025. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
A crowd gathers at a busy street intersection during a parade; a boy stands on a pole for a better view, and feathered costumes are visible among the people.
A young man finds the perfect view above the crowd on 19th and Mission 5/25/2025. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
A person in a colorful, feathered headdress and patterned outfit poses with another person on a city street with people and cars in the background.
A pair poses mid-conversation, framed by feathers and afternoon sun 5/25/2025. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
A group of people gather and dance on a city sidewalk near a barber shop during the daytime.
Locals dance and sing outside a barbershop, turning the sidewalk into a stage 5/25/2025. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
A person wearing a sequined costume bends down next to a chain-link fence in a parking lot, with a matching jacket hanging on the fence and bags on the ground.
A performer removes the traditional outfits in a parking lot, his sequined jacket on the fence 5/25/2025. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
A woman in a colorful, beaded outfit and hat stands against a wall; her face is partially obscured by the hat’s beaded fringe.
A woman in a beaded red dress poses with her brim low and smile soft 5/25/2025.. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
A person in a colorful demon mask, suit jacket, and long furry pants stands on a city street during a festival or parade.
A Diablo figure with a red mask and towering pants walks near the end of the parade 5/25/2025. Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.

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Gustavo Hernandez is a freelance photojournalist and videographer currently living in Excelsior District. He graduated in Fall 2024 with a double major in Journalism (Photojournalism) and BECA (Broadcasting and Electronic Communications Arts) from San Francisco State University. You can periodically catch him dodging potholes on his scooter and actively eating pho.

George Lipp has long lived in the Mission. He’s our volunteer extraordinaire – always out taking photos or running across crimes in progress.

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