Brazil Carnival 2027: Dates, Parades and Tickets

Carnival 2027 in Brazil runs from Saturday 6 February to Tuesday 9 February 2027, with Ash Wednesday on 10 February and Easter on 28 March. The headline parades are Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome nights on 7, 8 and 9 February, São Paulo’s Special Group on 5 and 6 February, Salvador’s street Carnival from 4 to 9 February and Recife’s Galo da Madrugada on 6 February.

Carnival is Brazil’s biggest annual festival, and the dates move each year because they follow Easter. Carnival Tuesday falls 47 days before Easter, which in 2027 is Sunday 28 March.

Carnival is not a national holiday, and time off depends on state and city laws and labour agreements. See our Brazil public holidays 2027 guide for the full calendar.

Rio de Janeiro Carnival 2027: Sambadrome Parades and Tickets

Rio’s Special Group parades take place on Sunday 7, Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 February 2027, with four schools a night. The second-tier Série Ouro parades on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 February, and the top six schools return for the Champions’ Parade on Saturday 13 February.

The league that runs the parades, Liesa, sells grandstand seats and individual chairs for R$250 (about US$49) a night, or R$125 (about US$25) at half price, in sectors 2 to 11 except sector 9, plus sector 12. Frisas, open boxes for up to six people beside the runway, cost R$1,835 (about US$362) to R$10,200 (about US$2,012) a night.

Tickets for the three Special Group nights and the Champions’ Saturday are sold on Ticketmaster. Liesa opened general sales on 10 August 2026.

Our Rio Carnival 2027 guide lists the running order and the free January rehearsals. The samba school rehearsals report shows how the schools are preparing.

São Paulo Carnival 2027: Anhembi Sambadrome and Blocos

São Paulo’s parades take place at the Sambódromo do Anhembi in the north of the city, with Acesso II on Saturday 30 January, the Special Group on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 February, and Acesso I on Sunday 7 February. The Champions’ Parade follows on Saturday 13 February 2027.

Seven Special Group schools parade each night, starting on Friday with Pérola Negra and ending with Camisa Verde e Branco, and on Saturday opening with Império de Casa Verde and closing with Acadêmicos do Tucuruvi. Gates open at 7 p.m. local time, which is 5 p.m. in New York.

Tickets are sold online through Clube do Ingresso, and prices run from R$27.50 (about US$5) for a half-price Acesso I grandstand seat to R$483 (about US$95) for a full-price Special Group lounge box. On the second sales batch, a Friday Special Group grandstand seat cost between R$109 (about US$22) and R$189 (about US$37), plus fees.

Street blocos in São Paulo need city authorisation, and the 2027 list had not been published in mid-October. Our report on São Paulo’s street Carnival explains how the crowds have grown.

Salvador Carnival 2027: Trio Elétrico Circuits and Camarotes

Salvador’s official Carnival runs from Thursday 4 to Tuesday 9 February 2027, announced by Mayor Bruno Reis in February 2026. The pre-Carnival opener, the Pipoco with singer Léo Santana, moves to Friday 29 January 2027.

The parade is built around the trio elétrico, a sound truck that leads crowds along fixed routes. The city’s circuits include Dodô along the seafront from Barra to Ondina, Osmar in the Campo Grande area and Batatinha.

Camarote Salvador, a private party on the seafront circuit, sells day passes through Funplace, and its 2027 prices were not confirmed in mid-October. Standing in the street outside the ropes needs no ticket, while blocos charge for abadás, the shirts that serve as entry to a roped-off area.

Our Salvador Carnival 2027 guide has the full line-up and the 13-day calendar. The Camarote Salvador line-up changes by day, so check the organiser’s page before booking flights.

Recife and Olinda Carnival 2027: Frevo and the Galo da Madrugada

Recife’s Galo da Madrugada, a huge morning parade, sets off at 9 a.m. on Saturday 6 February 2027, which is 7 a.m. in New York. It leaves from the Forte das Cinco Pontas in central Recife with 30 trios elétricos and six floats over about 6.5 kilometres.

The 2027 theme, “Ao Canto do Galo, a Espora é a Lança”, honours the caboclo de lança, a spear-carrying figure of Pernambuco’s rural maracatu. The Galo’s “Quinta no Galo” preview nights start on Thursday 22 October 2026.

Frevo, the fast Pernambuco dance and music that defines Recife and Olinda, is on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. The Olinda programme for 2027 had not been published in mid-October.

How to Book Carnival 2027 From the United States

1. Apply for the Brazilian e-visa on the official portal; US citizens have needed one since 10 April 2025, and the portal recommends applying at least two months before travel.
2. Buy parade tickets only from the official sellers: Ticketmaster for Rio, Clube do Ingresso for São Paulo and Funplace for Camarote Salvador.
3. Book flights and hotels early, because no airline or hotel association has published 2027 availability and reseller claims of “sold out” are unverified.
4. Pay with a card the seller accepts: some Brazilian sellers take only the PIX instant-payment system or require a Brazilian tax number.

Safety and Tips for Visitors From the United States

The US State Department rates Brazil Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, in its advisory of 31 August 2026. It warns of violent crime in cities by day and night, and of assaults with sedatives placed in drinks, especially in Rio de Janeiro.

It advises travellers to watch their drinks, take care when walking or driving at night and avoid walking on beaches after dark. Our ranking of the safest cities in Brazil puts Rio at 21.1 estimated homicides per 100,000 residents, São Paulo at 15.3 and Salvador at 52.7.

Where Carnival Fits in the Brazil Calendar

Carnival opens Brazil’s busiest travel season after New Year’s Eve. See the Brazil events calendar for the dates of the next 12 months, including the Réveillon Copacabana 2027 fireworks.

For last season, read how Viradouro won Rio Carnival 2026 and our Rio Carnival 2026 guide. Our report on Carnival’s economic impact covers the money.

What Is Not Confirmed

The list of Rio street blocos and the 2027 programmes of São Paulo’s blocos, Salvador’s circuits and Olinda had not been published in mid-October 2026. Camarote and frisa prices can change between sales batches, so check the seller before paying.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Carnival in Brazil in 2027?

Carnival 2027 runs from Saturday 6 February to Tuesday 9 February 2027, and Ash Wednesday is 10 February. Rio’s Special Group parades on 7, 8 and 9 February, and Salvador’s official Carnival starts on 4 February.

How much do Rio Carnival tickets cost?

Grandstand seats in sectors 2 to 11 (except sector 9) cost R$250 (about US$49) a night, or R$125 (about US$25) at half price. Frisas for up to six people cost R$1,835 to R$10,200 (about US$362 to US$2,012) a night.

Do US citizens need a visa for Carnival in Brazil?

Yes, US citizens have needed a Brazilian e-visa approved before travel since 10 April 2025. The official portal recommends applying at least two months before departure.

Where can I watch Carnival 2027 parades?

Rio and São Paulo hold ticketed Special Group samba-school parades at their Sambadromes on 5 to 9 February 2027, with Rio’s on 7 to 9 February. Salvador and Recife hold street Carnival, with the Galo da Madrugada in Recife on 6 February at 9 a.m. local time.

Sources

Liesa, Rio Carnival 2027 · Clube do Ingresso, Carnaval de São Paulo 2027 · Prefeitura de Salvador, Carnaval · Galo da Madrugada · US Embassy Brazil, travel advisory of August 2026 · Brazil e-Visa portal

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error