San Francisco:May

International Arts Festival - May 18 - June 11, 2006

Various locations San Francisco, CA

Schedule: Call or check Web site for details

Cost: $20–$50

Primary Phone: (415) 647-2822

Web site: www.sfiaf.org

Artists from Peru, Columbia, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, and beyond gather to present dance, art, and theater performances that bring to light inner-city poverty, the struggle for gay rights, and the globalization of culture.

Carnaval San Francisco - May 27 - 28, 2006

Mission District San Francisco, CA

Schedule: Festival both days 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun. parade starts at 9:30 a.m.

Cost: Free

Primary Phone: (415) 920-0125

Web site: www.carnavalsf.com

Samba the day away during California’s largest annual multicultural celebration. Showcasing Latin American and Caribbean cultures, the two-day event features food, music, dance, and arts, as well as a huge Sunday parade through the Mission District with elaborately (or sometimes minimally) costumed contingents swaying down the street to salsa, calypso, and everything in between.