The 60th annual Festival of the Chariots brings a joyful, colorful procession to Golden Gate Park‘s JFK Promenade this Sunday, August 23rd.
The festival, also known as Ratha-yātrā, is a lively outdoor celebration of music, movement, food, and Indian spiritual culture. No matter your cultural or religious background, everyone is invited to join the crowd and help pull elaborately decorated chariots along the promenade.
After the procession, the festivities continue with more performances, exhibits, and a complimentary vegetarian feast.
A 60-year San Francisco tradition
SF’s Festival of the Chariots dates back to 1967, when A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada organized the first Jagannātha Ratha-yātrā festival in San Francisco.
“Jagannātha” translates to “Lord of the Universe,” and the celebration centers on a procession honoring Jagannātha, his brother Baladeva, and his sister Subhadra. The tradition has been celebrated for centuries in India.
Here in SF, Hindu temple ISKCON Berkeley hosts the festival, which begins with the arrival of Lord Jagannatha and Srila Prabhupada at 10:15 a.m. at 740 JFK Drive. The parade begins at 11 a.m., following the promenade and eventually cutting down to Bowling Green Drive to end at Robin Williams Meadow.
The meadow will host festival activities starting at 12 p.m., including kid-friendly exhibits about Vedic culture, performances, dances, and devotional music, not to mention a free vegetarian feast.
Even if you’re not familiar with the tradition of Ratha-yātrā, the festival is designed as a welcoming public celebration for anyone to come and experience in San Francisco.
Festival of the Chariots at a glance
📅 Date: Sunday, August 23, 2026
⏰ Time: Events begin at 10:15 a.m.
📍 Parade start: 740 John F. Kennedy Drive, San Francisco
🌳 Festival site: Robin Williams Meadow, 272 Bowling Green Drive, San Francisco
🎟️ Admission: Free
🌐 More information: ISKCON Berkeley’s Ratha-yātrā event page.