Carnaval draws around 400,000 people across both days, with samba schools, Afro-Brazilian dance troupes, folklórico groups, and Caribbean sound systems all competing for your attention at once. Food vendors run the length of the festival — expect pupusas, elotes, churros, and a rotating cast of trucks. The entertainment stages run simultaneous programming, so pick your anchor early or you'll spend the afternoon triangulating between them.

If you're riding a Lime scooter to or from the event, there's a $1-off discount active for the weekend — open the app and it should apply automatically at checkout. Small thing, but useful if you're hopping between the parade route and the festival village.

If you only have two hours: catch the tail end of the parade on Sunday, then walk south to the Harrison Street stages and find the closest food vendor. The parade is the thing — the festival gets crowded and slow by midafternoon.