Rio de Janeiro Nightlife Tonight: Free MIMO at Circo Voador, Samba US$6-7

Rio de Janeiro · Nightlife

Tonight, Saturday 19 September 2026, the arts week pulls much of the city’s best music into Lapa and the old centre. Most of it is free, and all times below are Rio time, four hours behind London.

What’s On Tonight in Lapa

The MIMO Festival takes over the Circo Voador tonight, with free entry and no tickets. DJ Machintal opens at 8 p.m., and Gabriele Leite follows at 8.30 p.m.

Fernanda Abreu takes the stage at 9.30 p.m., and the Ivorian reggae singer Tiken Jah Fakoly at 11.30 p.m. DJ Reborn, from the United States, closes the night from 1 a.m.

Entry is first come and subject to capacity, and the doors close once the arena is full. There is nothing to buy, so arriving before the headliner is the only way to secure a place.

MIMO also screens free music documentaries at the Cine Santa Teresa, Rua Paschoal Carlos Magno 136. Tonight’s last session, at 8 p.m., is As Travessias de Letieres Leite.

The Amir Haddad theatre festival runs its free street programme at Praça Cardeal Câmara, under the Arcos da Lapa, until Sunday. Check the festival’s own channels for Saturday’s running order.

Mangueira’s Drummers at Rio Scenarium

The bateria of Estação Primeira de Mangueira plays Rio Scenarium tonight, as part of the arts week. A bateria is the percussion section of a samba school, and Mangueira’s is among the best known in Rio.

The night starts at 8 p.m. with DJ Gustavo Jr, and the singer Enzo Belmonte follows at 8.30 p.m. Belmonte recorded Trovador Urbano with Beth Carvalho, which became her last recording.

Tickets cost R$30 (about US$6) half price, R$45 (about US$9) in advance and R$60 (about US$12) full. Sales run through the house’s Sympla page, and the venue sits at Rua do Lavradio 20.

Samba at Carioca da Gema

Carioca da Gema on Avenida Mem de Sá has Andrezão do Cacique tonight. The house names the act but has published no description of the show.

Doors open at 8.30 p.m. and the main show starts at 10 p.m. The Zig page header gives 7.30 p.m., but its own notes repeat the later times.

Reserved tables are held only until 9 p.m., then released to walk-ins. That leaves half an hour after doors, so anyone with a booking should arrive early.

The house lists entry at R$35 (about US$7) on Saturdays and R$30 (about US$6) Tuesday to Thursday. On Zig, tonight’s standing tickets without a table cost R$30 (about US$6), and table seats R$35 (about US$7).

Tickets go through Zig, linked from the venue’s own listing, and the night is for over-18s. Minors may enter with a parent or legal guardian.

Free Music Before Dark

Projeto Aquarius brings the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, Emicida and Leci Brandão to Praça Mauá from 2 p.m. Carlos Prazeres conducts, and Ensemble FTM and DJ Nyack complete the bill.

Entry is free with no advance ticket, and organisers recommend the VLT tram. Check the organisers’ channels for set times, and arrive early for a good spot.

At Praça XV, the Bourbon Street in Rio jazz festival runs free from 3 p.m. Favela Brass, Electric Miles and Marcos Ottaviano play the afternoon, and The Main Squeeze close the day from 7.10 p.m.

The Centro Cultural Lavradio, an 1874 townhouse at Rua do Lavradio 15, is open free until 6 p.m. It was the Galeria Scenarium for ten years and relaunched during the arts week.

The first Semana de Arte do Rio opened on 16 September and runs until the 27th. Much of tonight’s free programme sits inside it.

What the Weather Will Do to Your Evening

Climatempo forecasts 16 to 26 degrees Celsius today, with sun, plenty of cloud and no rain. The night should bring only a few clouds.

Temperatures fall to about 20 degrees by 8 p.m. and 18 degrees by 10 p.m. Humidity passes 85 per cent by late evening, so a light layer helps at the outdoor stages.

Sunset falls at 5.48 p.m. Gusts from the east-northeast could reach 42 kilometres an hour, which matters most on the open squares.

The Rest of the Weekend

MIMO returns to the Circo Voador tomorrow, again free. The Portuguese rapper Capicua plays at 8 p.m. with Emicida as guest, and Tinariwen follow at 10 p.m.

Carioca da Gema closes on Sunday and Monday. It reopens on Tuesday 22 September with Três a Varejo, doors 7.30 p.m. and show 8.30 p.m., at R$30 (about US$6).

The Amir Haddad festival moves indoors to the Casa do Tá Na Rua, Avenida Mem de Sá 35, from Monday. Plays there cost from R$25 (about US$5) half price and R$50 (about US$10) full.

Where to Go

Money and How Paying Works

We convert at 5.1575 reais to one US dollar. That is the PTAX sell rate the Banco Central published for Friday 18 September, the last business day before today.

Door prices at the samba houses cover entry only. Food and drink are billed separately, at the table.

Bars usually add a service charge of about 10 per cent, called serviço. It is optional under Brazilian consumer rules, and staff remove it if you ask.

The free concerts tonight need no ticket and no registration. They fill on a first-come basis, so arriving early is the only thing that helps.

Getting Home Safe

Tiken Jah Fakoly starts at 11.30 p.m. and DJ Reborn at 1 a.m. Check the last train for your own line on the MetrôRio site before you set out.

Rideshare is the reliable way out of Lapa after midnight. Book from inside the venue and wait in a lit, busy spot.

Keep your phone in a pocket on the quieter streets around Mem de Sá. The avenue stays busy, and the side streets do not.

For MIMO, a taxi or rideshare saves hunting for parking around the Arcos. For Praça Mauá, the Aquarius organisers recommend public transport and the VLT tram.

More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is free in Rio tonight?

MIMO is free at the Circo Voador, with Fernanda Abreu at 9.30 p.m. and Tiken Jah Fakoly at 11.30 p.m. Earlier, Projeto Aquarius plays Praça Mauá from 2 p.m. and Bourbon Street in Rio fills Praça XV from 3 p.m.

How do I get into the MIMO Festival?

Just turn up, because entry is free and there are no tickets. Places go in order of arrival, and the doors close once the arena is full.

What time does the show at Carioca da Gema start?

Doors open at 8.30 p.m. and the main show starts at 10 p.m. Reserved tables are held only until 9 p.m.

How much is Carioca da Gema?

The house lists R$35 (about US$7) on Fridays, Saturdays and holiday eves. On Zig, tonight’s standing tickets without a table cost R$30 (about US$6).

How much is Rio Scenarium tonight?

Tickets cost R$30 (about US$6) half price, R$45 (about US$9) in advance and R$60 (about US$12) full. The Mangueira night starts at 8 p.m.

Will it rain tonight?

Climatempo forecasts no rain, with 16 to 26 degrees and only a few clouds at night. Expect about 20 degrees at 8 p.m. and 18 degrees at 10 p.m.

What is on tomorrow?

MIMO returns free to the Circo Voador, with Capicua and Emicida at 8 p.m. and Tinariwen at 10 p.m. Carioca da Gema is closed on Sunday and Monday.

Sources: Carioca da Gema, events and house information; Andrezão do Cacique on Zig; Três a Varejo on Zig; MIMO Festival programme; Rota Cult on MIMO times; Aurora Cultural on Rio Scenarium; Rap Dab on Projeto Aquarius; Bafafá on Bourbon Street in Rio; Conexão Magazine on the Amir Haddad festival; Rota Cult on the Centro Cultural Lavradio; Prefeitura do Rio on the Semana de Arte; Climatempo forecast for Rio de Janeiro; Banco Central PTAX close, 18 September 2026.

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