2026 SF Carnaval

The energy in San Francisco's Mission District was pure magic this weekend as people of all ages came together for Carnaval 2026, a spectacular celebration of dance, culture, and community.

We are incredibly proud that participants from our On Lok 30th Street Senior Center joined the sensational Latin Dance Grooves contingent (led by Elizabeth Soberanes and Dudley Flores). The commitment, discipline, and perseverance our participants dedicate to this annual celebration is an inspiration to us all. Together, they brought an unforgettable energy to the parade and channeled a powerful message of unity and joy!

Everyone, spanning the range of generations, beautifully embodied this year’s theme: "From Many, We Are One." The gorgeous costumes, vibrant music, and radiant smiles reflect the healing power of creativity, community, and cultural pride.

Please join us in giving a shout-out to the team members and participants who made this possible:

• Our Steadfast Staff: Brian Bui and Esther Wu for their amazing support behind the scenes.

• Our Senior Section Lead: Betty Pazmino

• Our Fabulous Dancers: Sherry Hawkins, Genny Pinzon, Wendy Choure, Katya Zamora Hidalgo, and Tanya Rey for hitting the pavement and bringing the moves!

• Our Incredible Support Team: Lupe Duran and Sandra Rivas for keeping the group's energy high and ensuring everything ran smoothly.

We also want to recognize the many On Lok staff, former staff, retirees, community supporters, and participants from both the 30th Street Senior Center and 30th Street PACE Center who lined the route to support and cheer on our contingent. Seeing colleagues from across departments come together to celebrate our older adults was a powerful reminder of how events like Carnaval strengthen connections throughout our organization. The encouragement, enthusiasm, and community spirit shown along the route by familiar faces helped make this experience even more meaningful for our participants and staff.

Catch the Highlights!

• Watch the Broadcast: See our community's amazing spirit in action on the live broadcast from KPIX-TV Channel 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EoLctsfQzo

• Read Sandra's Recap: Be sure to check out Sandra Rivas’s sweet and heartwarming LinkedIn post about the intergenerational event HERE

A huge thank you to everyone who represented On Lok so beautifully this year! 👏