Welcome to your São Paulo daily brief for Saturday, February 28, 2026 — the last day of February, a mild 23°C with just 20% rain, and the day the Paulistão semifinal race begins. Tonight at 20h30, Corinthians travel to Novo Horizonte to face the league leaders Novorizontino in a single-leg semifinal that could end their title defence. Tomorrow brings the match the city has been waiting for: Palmeiras versus São Paulo at Arena Barueri (20h30) — the Choque-Rei in a winner-takes-all semifinal. Culturally, the CCBB’s landmark Joaquín Torres García retrospective (500 items, free) enters its final ten days, while the Pinacoteca Contemporânea continues the acclaimed Trabalho de Carnaval exhibition. The MASP is between major shows but remains open with its permanent collection. On the markets, the Ibovespa closed Friday at 188,787 (-1.16%) after a hotter-than-expected IPCA-15 reading (0.84% vs 0.57% consensus), while the dollar edged to R$5.133. February ends with the Ibovespa up 4.09% and 17.17% YTD. This São Paulo daily brief covers weather, events, transport, food, and practical tips for your Saturday.
01Weather & What to WearWhat to wear
Temperature
16°–23°C
Partly cloudy
Rain Chance
20%
Mostly dry
UV Index
Moderate
Some sun expected
Sat 28
23°C
20% rain — Mild
Sun 01
22°C
20% rain — Choque-Rei
Mon 02
24°C
10% rain — Drier
Tue 03
26°C
10% rain — Warming
Weather tip: Saturday is mild and manageable — 23°C with only 20% rain chance. February ends cooler than recent weeks, so a light jacket is sensible for morning and evening, especially if heading to the Paulista corridor or Ibirapuera. The week ahead warms steadily: Monday drops to just 10% rain at 24°C, and Tuesday climbs to 26°C — the clearest and warmest day in the forecast. Sunday is similar to today at 22°C and 20% rain, perfectly fine for the Choque-Rei at Arena Barueri. After a week of intermittent showers, outdoor plans are viable again.
02Day at a GlanceQuick scan
—TORRES GARCIA FINAL DAYS — CCBB landmark retrospective (500 items, free) closes March 9. Last two weekends to visit
—TRABALHO DE CARNAVAL — Pinacoteca Contemporanea: 200+ works on the workers behind Carnaval. Free Saturdays
—MASP BETWEEN SHOWS — Permanent collection open. New exhibitions (Alarcon, Gamarra, La Chola Poblete) open March 6
—WEATHER CLEARING — 23C with 20% rain. Mild and manageable. Light jacket for evening
—CCBB TEATRO — Ocupacao Maranhense: Pequena Companhia de Teatro celebrates 20 years. Free, through April 20
—LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY — Weekend rhythm: banks and offices closed, malls and museums open. Ibirapuera car-free for runners
Saturday in São Paulo belongs to culture and anticipation. The CCBB’s Joaquín Torres García retrospective — the most comprehensive show of the Uruguayan modernist ever staged in Brazil, with 500 items including the iconic América Invertida — enters its final ten days before closing March 9. This is the weekend to see it. The Pinacoteca Contemporânea continues its Trabalho de Carnaval exhibition with free Saturday admission, celebrating the invisible workforce behind Brazil’s greatest festival. Over at the CCBB’s theatre, the newly opened Ocupação Maranhense brings 20 years of the Pequena Companhia de Teatro to São Paulo with four free productions through April. The MASP is between major cycles — Histórias da Ecologia has closed and the Latin American programme (Claudia Alarcón, Sandra Gamarra, La Chola Poblete) opens March 6 — but the permanent collection and café remain open. Tonight, the city’s attention shifts decisively to the Paulistão: Corinthians travel to Novo Horizonte for a semifinal against the league leaders, and tomorrow the Choque-Rei pits Palmeiras against São Paulo at Arena Barueri.
03Culture & EventsWhat to see & do
Museums & Exhibitions
CCBB SP — Joaquin Torres Garcia: 150 Anos
Rua Alvares Penteado 112, Centro Historico — Wed-Mon 9h-20h — Free
The most comprehensive retrospective of the Uruguayan modernist ever mounted in Brazil. Nearly 500 items — paintings, manuscripts, maquettes, drawings and the famous wooden toys created by the Torres Garcia family — chart the arc from Barcelona to Montevideo. The centrepiece is América Invertida (1943), the continent flipped to declare “nuestro norte es el sur.” Curated by Saulo di Tarso in collaboration with the Museo Torres Garcia. Closing March 9 — this is one of your last two weekends. Five minutes from Sao Bento metro.
Pinacoteca Contemporanea — Trabalho de Carnaval
Av. Tiradentes 273, Luz — Wed-Mon 10h-18h — Free on Saturdays (R$40/R$20 meia other days)
The largest exhibition ever dedicated to the workforce behind Carnaval. Over 200 works — fantasias pulled directly from escola de samba desfiles, sambódromo floor plans, archival video — celebrate the invisible labour that builds Brazil’s greatest festival. Artists include Heitor dos Prazeres, Rosa Magalhaes, Rafa Bqueer and Ilu Oba de Min. Saturday admission is free. Curated by Ana Maria Maia and Renato Menezes. A timely visit as the post-Carnaval hangover lifts.
MASP — Open Today (Permanent Collection)
Av. Paulista 1578, Bela Vista — Sat 10h-20h — R$60 (Free Tuesdays)
The MASP is between major exhibition cycles. Histórias da Ecologia closed February 1 and the new Latin American programme — featuring Claudia Alarcon and Silat (Wichi textile art), Sandra Gamarra Heshiki (colonial critique through replica), and La Chola Poblete (Pop andino) — opens March 6. In the meantime, the permanent collection remains compelling, and the cafe and bookshop are fully operational. Saturday hours run 10h-20h.
Itau Cultural — Game+ Arte, Cultura e Comunidade
Av. Paulista 149, Bela Vista — Tue-Sat 11h-20h, Sun 11h-19h — Free
A panoramic survey of video game culture: 51 games across 25 consoles exploring how gaming shapes creative economies and communities. Interactive and accessible, with stations for all ages. Free entry. A strong pairing with the MASP if walking the Paulista corridor today.
Also Open Today
Museu do Futebol — Cancha Brava!
Praca Charles Miller, Pacaembu — Tue-Sat 9h-18h — R$24
Cancha Brava! Futebol Sudamericano en Disputa explores rivalries, passion and the narratives that shape South American football. Installations, interactive experiences and photography. Particularly resonant on a Paulistão semifinal weekend. Through April 12.
Japan House — Mestres da Carpintaria
Av. Paulista 52, Bela Vista — Tue-Sun 10h-18h — Free
Imbuidos das Forcas das Florestas do Japao highlights the millennial tradition of Japanese carpentry — tools, techniques, a replica tea house and an immersive forest installation. Free entry on the Paulista corridor.
Theatre & Music
CCBB Teatro — Ocupacao Maranhense
Rua Alvares Penteado 112, Centro Historico — Through April 20 — Free
The Pequena Companhia de Teatro celebrates 20 years with four productions at the CCBB theatre: Velhos caem do ceu como canivetes, Pai and Filho, Ensaio sobre a memoria and Desassossego. Text and direction by Marcelo Flecha, in dialogue with Garcia Marquez, Kafka, Borges and Pessoa. Plus an exhibition of costumes, set designs and creative process materials. All free. Opened February 26.
04Getting AroundHow to move
Saturday Transport
→ Metro running weekend hours. Sao Bento for CCBB, Trianon-MASP for Paulista corridor, Luz for Pinacoteca
→ No rodizio on weekends — all vehicles circulate freely throughout the centro expandido
→ CPTM and bus services on Saturday schedule. Ciclofaixa de lazer open on major routes including Paulista and Faria Lima
Planning for Tomorrow
→ Sunday’s Palmeiras v Sao Paulo Choque-Rei (20h30, Arena Barueri) will cause traffic on the Castello Branco, Raposo Tavares and around Alphaville/Barueri from 17h. Plan alternate routes if driving west
→ Tonight’s Novorizontino v Corinthians is in Novo Horizonte (400km from SP) — no local traffic impact, but expect bars and restaurants with screens to be busy from 20h
→ Paulista Avenue car-free on Sundays as usual — combine the Choque-Rei viewing with a daytime walk along the corridor
05Food & DrinkWhere to eat
Saturday Lunch
→ Saturday is feijoada day. Bar da Dona Onca (Edificio Italia, Centro) and Casa de Feijoada (Rua Prudente de Morais, Ipiranga) both serve classic versions with all the trimmings
→ After the CCBB, walk to the Mercado Municipal (Mercadao) for the famous mortadela sandwich or pasteis de bacalhau. Open Saturdays 6h-16h
Saturday Night
→ With the Corinthians semifinal on TV at 20h30, expect botecos and sports bars across the city to be packed. Vila Madalena, Pinheiros and Itaim Bibi are the best neighbourhoods for watching with atmosphere
→ For a quieter dinner, book early in Jardins or the Rua Joaquim Antunes corridor — restaurants with screens will draw crowds, so choose accordingly based on your tolerance for Paulistao drama
06Practical InfoNeed to know
Saturday Operations
→ Government offices closed (weekend). Banks closed. B3 closed — markets reopen Monday
→ Shopping malls open normal Saturday hours (10h-22h). Supermarkets operating as usual
→ Last day of February — any month-end paperwork or financial deadlines should be handled today
Expat Essentials
→ February wrap: USD/BRL closed the month at R$5.133, down 2.16% in February. The dollar is at its lowest since May 2024. YTD drop: approximately -6.3%. The real’s strength is driven by record foreign inflows into Brazilian equities
→ IPCA-15 shock: Friday’s preview inflation reading came in at 0.84% for February, well above the 0.57% market consensus. The reading rekindles debate about the pace of monetary easing — the March Copom decision (Mar 17-18) just became more uncertain
→ Dengue season: recent rains increased standing water. Use repellent especially at dusk. UPAs and hospitals operating normally across the city
07Community & LifestyleLocal life
City Mood
→ The Paulistao semifinals dominate conversation. Tonight’s Novorizontino v Corinthians is compelling: the league leaders with 100% home record against the defending champions with Memphis Depay and Hugo Souza. Bars will be electric from 20h
→ Tomorrow’s Choque-Rei is the bigger talking point. Palmeiras v Sao Paulo at Arena Barueri carries the weight of the state’s most consequential rivalry — and with both teams in strong Brasileirao form, neither can afford an early exit
Weekend & Parks
→ Ibirapuera Park open 5h-midnight. Ideal for running, cycling and families in today’s mild weather. The park’s cultural circuit — MAM SP (still closed for renovation), Pavilhao Japones, OCA — offers alternatives if museum-hopping
→ Vila Madalena feiras and brunch spots are busy on Saturdays. Beco do Batman for street art, followed by coffee on Rua Aspicuelta
→ Pharmacies: all major chains (Drogasil, Raia, Droga Raia) open normal weekend hours across the city
08SportsGame day
Paulistao — Semifinals This Weekend
Tonight — Novorizontino v Corinthians (Sat Feb 28, 20h30, Estadio Jorge Ismael de Biasi, Novo Horizonte)
Single-leg semifinal. The Tigre, who finished top of the overall standings, host defending champions Corinthians 400km from Sao Paulo. Novorizontino eliminated Santos in the quartas (2-1, goal in the final minutes) and carry 100% home record this season. Corinthians scraped through against Portuguesa on penalties (8-7 after 1-1 draw), with Hugo Souza the hero. Dorival Junior is expected to field his strongest XI including Memphis Depay and Garro, but lesions to Yuri Alberto, Hugo Farias and Matheus Pereira limit rotation. If tied at full time, straight to penalties — no extra time. Transmissao: Record, TNT, HBO Max, CazeTV.
Tomorrow — Palmeiras v Sao Paulo (Sun Mar 1, 20h30, Arena Barueri)
The Choque-Rei — the most anticipated match of the Paulistao. Palmeiras have home advantage after finishing second in the combined standings (they golearam Capivariano 4-0 in the quartas, with Vitor Roque scoring twice). Sao Paulo beat Bragantino 2-1 away (Bobadilla and Lucas) and arrive in strong form after leading the Brasileirao on 10 points. Abel Ferreira v Luis Zubeldia in a winner-takes-all semifinal. The loser’s season continues in the Brasileirao but the state title race is over. Arena Barueri is Palmeiras’ temporary home — expect heavy traffic on Castello Branco and Raposo Tavares from 17h. Transmissao: Record, TNT, HBO Max, CazeTV.
Brasileirao Serie A — Round 4 Recap
Round 4 was completed this week. Neymar scored twice at Vila Belmiro — including a sublime chip — to give Santos a 2-1 win over Vasco, his first goals of 2026. Palmeiras lead the table on 10 points after beating Fluminense 2-1, with Sao Paulo also on 10 after a 1-0 win at Coritiba. Corinthians sit third with 7 points after drawing 1-1 with Cruzeiro at the Mineirao, equalising in the closing minutes. Three matches remain postponed: Flamengo v Mirassol, Botafogo v Vitoria, and Bahia v Chapecoense. No Brasileirao this weekend — Round 5 resumes midweek.
09Business & MarketsMarket watch
→ Ibovespa: closed Friday at 188,786.98 (-1.16%), the worst session in weeks. The selloff was triggered by the IPCA-15 reading of 0.84% for February — well above the 0.57% consensus. The index lost the 189k level and posted its worst week of 2026 (-0.92%)
→ February performance: Ibovespa +4.09%, the seventh consecutive monthly gain. YTD: +17.17%. Despite Friday’s correction, the broader trend remains strongly positive
→ USD/BRL: R$5.133 (-0.10%) — essentially flat on Friday after volatility around the Ptax formation. February drop: -2.16%. The dollar remains near its lowest level since May 2024
→ IPCA-15 detail: the 0.84% February reading (vs 0.20% in January) accumulated 4.10% over 12 months. The surprise reignited debate over the pace of Selic cuts. The March Copom meeting (17-18) now carries additional uncertainty
→ Selic: 15.00%. Copom next meets March 17-18. The BCB had signalled that rate cuts were approaching, but the hot IPCA-15 complicates the narrative
Month-end context: February 2026 ends with the Ibovespa up 4.09% — a strong month building on January’s extraordinary 12.56% surge. The 13 record closes in 2026 and the 17%+ YTD gain reflect a fundamental repricing of Brazilian equities driven by record foreign inflows (R$35.6 billion through Feb 20). Friday’s IPCA-15 shock was a reality check but not a trend reversal: the selloff was orderly, volume was normal, and the broader rotation into EM equities remains intact. The key question entering March is whether the BCB will begin cutting rates at the March 17-18 meeting or whether the inflation surprise forces a delay. For Faria Lima, the conversation this weekend will be split between spreadsheets and the Choque-Rei.
10Plan AheadPlan ahead
The Week Ahead
→ Sat Feb 28 — Paulistao semifinal: Novorizontino v Corinthians (20h30, Novo Horizonte). Watch on Record, TNT, HBO Max, CazeTV
→ Sun Mar 1 — Paulistao semifinal: Palmeiras v Sao Paulo (20h30, Arena Barueri). The Choque-Rei. Heavy traffic from 17h
→ Tue Mar 3 — MASP free admission (Tuesdays). Last chance to see permanent collection before new shows open. CCBB closed (Tuesday closure)
→ Wed-Thu Mar 4-5 — Paulistao final, game 1 (Mar 4) and game 2 (Mar 8). Brasileirao Round 5 resumes midweek
→ Looking further — MASP new exhibitions open March 6: Claudia Alarcon and Silat, Sandra Gamarra Heshiki, La Chola Poblete. Torres Garcia at CCBB closes March 9 — last weekend next week. Copom meets March 17-18 (Selic decision). Pinacoteca Nocaute (Pascale Marthine Tayou) opens in March
Looking ahead: Saturday ends February with a paradox: the cultural calendar is in transition — the MASP between cycles, the Pinacoteca preparing Pascale Marthine Tayou’s Nocaute — but the sport is as intense as it gets. Tonight’s Novorizontino v Corinthians is the appetiser for tomorrow’s main course: the Choque-Rei at Arena Barueri, Palmeiras v São Paulo in a single-leg semifinal with a state title berth at stake. Both clubs lead the Brasileirão on 10 points, making this the most evenly matched Choque-Rei in years. The Torres García exhibition at the CCBB quietly counts down its final days — 500 items of Latin American modernism in a free show that deserves a final visit before it moves to Brasilia. On the markets, the IPCA-15 shock sent the Ibovespa to its worst week of 2026, but the 17%+ YTD gain and the real’s strength tell a larger story. March opens with the Paulistão final (Mar 4 and 8), the MASP’s Latin American programme (Mar 6), and the Copom decision (Mar 17-18) that will shape the second quarter. The 200k target is still in sight.
São Paulo Daily Brief — Saturday, February 28, 2026
A culture-first daily guide for locals and expats in the capital paulista.
