What to Do in Rio in October 2026

Fridays and Saturdays 8pm, Sundays 7pm

Bossa Nova Sessions at the Teatro Café Pequeno

Teatro Café Pequeno, Av. Ataulfo de Paiva 269, Leblon · From R$50 (about US$10)

Eighteen concerts over five weekends in the neighbourhood where the genre was born. The line-up runs from harmonica player Maurício Einhorn and singer Ithamara Koorax to guitarist Victor Biglione, who marks fifty years on stage this year — his 1995 Montreux live album, co-produced by Quincy Jones, has just been reissued. Small room, reserved tables, the most accessible October programme in the city for a listener without Portuguese.

Until Sunday 1 November

Cine Uruguai: Novos Horizontes at CAIXA Cultural

CAIXA Cultural Rio de Janeiro · Free

Twenty-one Uruguayan films, sixteen features and five shorts from the last ten years, with talks and a masterclass. It opened with “Agarra-me Forte”, a Goya nominee for best Ibero-American film, and a tribute day to the former president José “Pepe” Mujica was held on 23 October.

Saturday 31 October, 1pm to 11pm, then 1, 7 and 8 November

Festival Gastronomia Sem Fronteiras on the Fashion Mall rooftop

Rooftop of the Fashion Mall, Estrada da Gávea 899, São Conrado · R$40 (about US$8) for the first batch of tickets, half-price R$20 (about US$4); children up to 10 go in free. Food and drink are not included.

The fifth edition of this food festival, curated by chef Elia Schramm, puts kitchens from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Japan, France, the United States and Brazil side by side — Herr Pfeffer, Babbo, Barsa, Jappa da Quitanda and the beachside QuiQui among them — with a market of producers from across Rio de Janeiro state. Food needs no translation, and on the opening Saturday Davi Moraes and his guest Emanuelle Araújo play the Sesc stage.

Saturday 31 October, Nova Iguaçu

“Um Rio Dentro de Mim” — the award-nominated musical ends its greater Rio tour

Nova Iguaçu · Price from the venue

Carol Botelho and Deborah Marins sing Vinicius de Moraes and Aldir Blanc in a musical that reads as a mother’s love letter to Rio — twice nominated for the Prêmio Musical Rio. Nova Iguaçu is the last stop of its October run through the Sesc network.

Saturday 31 October, 6pm and 8pm, and Sunday 1 November, 7pm

“Sons Pelas Mulheres”: free orchestral concerts of Brazilian women’s music

Teatro da Ilha, Estrada do Galeão, Ilha do Governador · Free

The Orquestra Filarmônica Metropolitana, a Rio-based orchestra, under conductor Waleska Araújo, plays Brazilian music by women composers and singers across several generations. The theatre is on Governador Island, in Rio’s north zone, so allow extra travel time from the beach neighbourhoods.

Until 16 November

Amazônicas — Poéticas Femininas

Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Rua Primeiro de Março 66, Centro · Free

Women artists from the North of Brazil, curated by Sissa Aneleh, with Afro-indigenous ancestry at the centre and virtual- and augmented-reality elements; open Wednesday to Monday, 9am to 8pm, closed Tuesdays. On Saturday 31 October at 4.30pm the Pará artist Cristiane Martins stages the free performance “Cirandas Matriarcais” in the rotunda, open to all ages — details on the CCBB’s exhibition page.

Until Sunday 1 November, Fridays 8pm, Saturdays and Sundays 7pm

“Heathers – O Musical” in a new Rio staging

Teatro Nathalia Timberg, Barra da Tijuca · Price from the venue

A new Brazilian staging of the Broadway musical, directed by Rafaela Amado with musical direction by Anna Hannickel. It runs on weekends from 9 October, in Portuguese.

Thursdays through November, 8pm

“Jazz dos Muertos” on Thursdays at La Esquina in Lapa

La Esquina, Lapa · Price from the venue

A new weekly jazz night in the heart of Rio’s bohemian district, built around jazz, Latin jazz, bossa nova, samba jazz and soul. It opened on 15 October with “Aura Jazz” by the Giovana Adoracion Quinteto, and the name is a playful nod to the idea that the old masters are gone but their music is still on stage. Simple to enjoy without Portuguese.

Every Saturday, from midnight

Rock-blues at the Bukowski, the oldest rock bar in the city

Bar Bukowski, Rua Álvaro Ramos 270, Botafogo · R$39.90 (about US$8) at the door, free from 1am on the guest list

The Saturday-night residency continues through October: the Charles Zanol Trio from midnight, with Pedro Leão on guitar and Dawton Mendes on drums and cajón. R$39.90 (about US$8) at the door includes a drink if you arrive before 10pm; R$99.90 (about US$19) gives you R$80 (about US$15) back in food and drink. Names on the guest list through @barbukowski enter free from 1am. The bar runs from 7pm to 5am.

Until 4 December

The Jazz Room: a Sinatra and Armstrong tribute

Teatro Rival Petrobras, Rua Álvaro Alvim 33, Cinelândia · From R$100 (about US$19)

The Rival’s long-running tribute evening — the American songbook with a live band in the Art Deco theatre off Cinelândia. The reliable option when nothing else on this list fits the night.

Through October

October season at the CCJF: four new exhibitions, film festivals and concerts

Centro Cultural Justiça Federal, Av. Rio Branco 241, Centro · Price from the venue

The federal-justice cultural center opens four exhibitions this month (word-and-image rooms, an eleven-artist audiovisual collective, a show on native bees and an artist working with state-school children), alongside theater, two film festivals with retrospectives, open-air cinema and concerts ranging from a flute orchestra to MPB choirs, opera and jazz. The full day-by-day program is on the CCJF site.