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Hayes Valley Carnival

  • 432 Octavia Street San Francisco, CA, 94102 United States (map)

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The 112th annual* Hayes Valley Carnival will be back again this year on July 15th!

Featuring Circus Bella at PROXY.

*Except 1912-2021

On Saturday, July 15th, PROXY, the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association, and the Hayes Valley Merchants Association are bringing back the infamous Hayes Valley Carnival on its 112-year anniversary.

The original Hayes Valley carnival was a celebration and reminder of the vibrancy and tenacity of the city after the destruction of the 1906 earthquake and fires. The carnival reinvigorated residents, businesses and the city at large with a joyful community celebration.

The return of this historic event will be held at PROXY, in the heart of Hayes Valley at the corner of Hayes and Octavia. A remnant of the removal of the central freeway, PROXY is a temporary experiment in the reinstatement of public space in urban life. Offering free public programming, innovative art installations, and an incubator for small local businesses, the site has acted as a container where people can share experiences and create bonds that foster community cohesiveness. This year’s collaboration with the Hayes Valley Merchants Association and the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association continues a long standing partnership, solidifying that the Hayes Valley Carnival has become a beloved annual event with an ever evolving present and future.

We have been awarded an Avenue Greenlight Grant to support The 112th Anniversary Hayes Valley Carnival with additional fiscal & in-kind donations from:

Absinthe Group, a Mano, Hazie's, Rad Radish, Afterwork Bar, The Bird, Optical Underground, Papito's, Souvla, Miette, Fiddlesticks, Outdoor Voices, Suppenküche and Maven Realty.

Attendees will enjoy a myriad of carnival games and activities, thrill to the sounds of the Circus Bella All- Star Band, and partake in food and beverages from local vendors starting at 12pm. The Circus performance will begin at 1pm with Circus Bella, an open-air contemporary circus that uplifts diverse audiences and engages community. They will present their most recent production, Bananas!. This show marks the triumphant return of Circus Bella to the Bay Area Parks for their 14th Annual series of free performances, featuring some of the dazzling Circus Talent from the Bay Area and beyond. Guaranteed to delight and amaze audiences of all ages in a treasured family event for Children of All Ages. *Bananas! is directed by Abigail Munn (Circus Bella co-founder and director).

Space is first come first serve. Minimal audience seating on site will be provided, with turf up front for young children to be part of the action. Feel free to bring picnic blankets and small folding chairs. Standing room will be available in Patricia’s Green and along Hayes Street and Octavia Boulevard.

Essays and photographs of the historic Hayes Valley Carnival can be found at FoundSF.

Contact:

Lara Aburamadan
Communications Lead_ENVELOPE Architecture and Design + PROXY
lara@envelopeAD.com

Autumn Adamme
Hayes Valley Merchants Association
Vice President and Circus Bella Costume Designer
Explorehayesvalley@gmail.com

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December 2

Hayes Valley Holiday Stroll 2022

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October 21

Hayes Valley Wine Walk