Lighting of final candle brings Kwanzaa celebration to end

Kwanzaa in San Francisco wraps up on New Year’s Day with the lighting of the final candle at a church, organizers said.

At 6 p.m. Wednesday, the last of seven candles of the kinara will be lit at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church at 2097 Turk Blvd.

The celebration of Kwanzaa, which was created by Maulana Karenga in 1966, provides critical tools for addressing challenges faced by the African American community through The Seven Principles.

Kwanzaa is celebrated by more than 30 million people around the globe. The 2019 celebration in San Francisco, the city’s 14th annual, started at noon on Dec. 26 at City Hall.