Mission Block Party Celebrates Latino Culture and Resistance

Artists and vendors showcase their heritage and protest immigration policies at annual Valentine's Day event in San Francisco's Mission District.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The annual Lover's Lane block party in San Francisco's Mission District expanded this year, with hundreds of people celebrating Latino culture, art, and community. While the event was a joyful celebration of love and unity, many vendors and artists also used the platform to protest the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown, framing the day as 'love as an act of resistance'.

Why it matters

The Mission District has long been a hub of Latino culture and activism in San Francisco. This block party highlights how the community is using art, music, and community gatherings to celebrate their heritage and resist policies that threaten immigrant rights and representation.

The details

The Lover's Lane block party featured Bay Area hip-hop, traditional Aztec dances, a children's area with the Bookmobile, and numerous vendors selling jewelry, clothing, and artwork inspired by Latino culture. Many of the vendors and artists directly addressed the political climate, with t-shirts, posters, and jewelry featuring anti-immigration enforcement slogans and celebrating the beauty of immigrant communities.

  • The annual Lover's Lane block party has been held for the past 5 years.
  • This year's event took place on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

The players

Claudia Garcia

The owner of jewelry company ChulaSF, who was selling handmade earrings and other jewelry painted with natural materials from her hometown in Michoacán, Mexico.

Francisco Aquino

An artist who was working on a mural-style painting featuring a red heart with monarch wings and the city skyline, representing the migration of immigrants.

Liliana Herrera Gutierrez

An artist and art teacher in Oakland who was painting a recurring character in her art, Valentina, inspired by her niece and representing the power of the younger generation to change the world with love.

Holly Ayala

The owner of Luna's Press Books in the Mission, who was selling children's books focused on Central American culture.

Susana Sanchez-Young

A journalist who was selling coloring books featuring artwork representing her Guatemalan and Nicaraguan roots, which she created when she couldn't find the kind of culturally-inspired artwork she wanted during her pregnancy.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's how our ancestors used to do it.”

— Claudia Garcia, Jewelry company owner

“The monarch, it represents migration.”

— Francisco Aquino, Artist

“This generation is changing the world, and they're doing it with love.”

— Liliana Herrera Gutierrez, Artist and art teacher

“Can I talk to you about our lord and savior, Bad Bunny?”

— Susana Sanchez-Young, Journalist

“I just didn't see myself represented, so I created it.”

— Susana Sanchez-Young, Journalist

What’s next

The organizers of the Lover's Lane block party plan to continue the annual event, using it as a platform to celebrate Latino culture and resist policies that threaten immigrant communities.

The takeaway

The Lover's Lane block party demonstrates how the Mission District community is using art, music, and community gatherings to affirm their Latino identity and heritage, while also using these spaces as acts of resistance against policies that target immigrant rights and representation.