SF’s 2023 Civic Center Carnival (August 24-27)

Mayor London N. Breed announced today the upcoming arrival of Civic Center Carnival, a vibrant four-day carnival that promises to infuse the heart of the Civic Center with summer delights and thrilling family entertainment.

Civic Center Carnival will kick off Thursday, Aug. 24 and run through Sunday, Aug. 27, on Fulton Street between Main Library and the Asian Art Museum. It will be open from 2:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 12:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

The lively event is expected to draw between 500-1,000 people each day and will feature carnival games and rides, including a Ferris wheel, 100-foot super slide, fun house, spinning teacups and more. Guests can indulge in classic fair treats including hand-dipped corn dogs, Hawaiian shave ice, funnel cakes, popcorn, cotton candy, caramel apples and French fries.

Civic Center Carnival
August 24-27, 2023
Fulton St. (btwn Larkin and Hyde), San Francisco
Admission requires a $10 minimum purchase toward games, rides or food for each person over 12

• $10 minimum entry fee for people 12 and older
  • $1 = 1 credit. Attractions are 4-5 credits to ride.
  • The $10 minimum can be used for rides, games or food
• $40 unlimited rides (food and games not included)
• Children under 12, no minimum entry fee (but they still need to purchase credits for rides/games/food)

Carnival Hours

• Thursday, August 24 – 2:30-930p
• Friday, August 25 – 2:30-930p
• Saturday, August 26 – 12:30-9:30p
• Sunday, August 27 – Noon-8p

Admission to Civic Center Carnival requires a $10 minimum purchase toward games, rides or food for each person over 12. The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department will distribute a limited number of complimentary passes to nonprofits serving youth in its Equity Zones, including the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods.

SF’s New Street Skating + Ping Pong Pop-Up at UN Plaza  – Coming October 2023
The event comes on the heels of Rec and Park’s announcement of a pilot program to transform neighboring UN Plaza. Drawing inspiration from activations in Paris, Madrid and Philadelphia, Rec and Park will install a street skating area, exercise equipment, and tables for chess, ping pong and teqball. The project is scheduled to break ground in September and open roughly six weeks later.

Adding to the excitement, the Carnival’s opening day coincides with the opening of the Asian Art Museum’s East West Terrace, a 7,500-square-foot outdoor venue that will be a destination for contemporary sculpture and events.

To support these activations and make the area safe and welcoming for residents, workers, and visitors, San Francisco is continuing to coordinate law enforcement and cleaning resources around the Tenderloin, Mid-Market and South of Market Area, including dedicated Park Rangers who are focused on Civic Center and UN Plaza. The Mayor’s recently adopted budget also includes an additional eight new park rangers, to help build on this support for UN Plaza.