When is Rio Carnival 2027
Rio Carnival 2027’s street celebration runs from the afternoon of Friday, 5 February to midday on Wednesday, 10 February (Ash Wednesday) — six days, following the fixed relationship to Easter that also sets Mardi Gras in the United States. Easter 2027 falls on 28 March, placing Ash Wednesday 46 days earlier.
The Sambadrome parade schedule, which is separately organized and doesn’t follow exactly the same window, typically runs:
- Access Group parades — 5-6 February 2027
- Special Group (top-tier samba schools) parades — 7-9 February 2027
- Champions’ Parade (winning schools perform again) — 13 February 2027
Because the exact Sambadrome schedule is set by carnival organizers each year rather than by a fixed calendar rule, it’s worth checking closer to the date for final confirmation if you’re planning Sambadrome tickets specifically.
History
Carnival in Brazil traces to Portuguese colonial-era “Entrudo” celebrations, a pre-Lenten tradition of throwing water, flour, and mud that Portuguese settlers brought to Brazil. Through the 19th and early 20th centuries, this evolved into organized carnival blocks (blocos) and eventually into the samba school (escola de samba) tradition that defines Rio’s Carnival today — the first samba schools paraded in Rio in 1929, and the Sambadrome, purpose-built for the parades, opened in 1984.
How it’s celebrated
The Sambadrome parades are the festival’s most organized and internationally televised element: top-tier samba schools, each representing a Rio neighborhood, spend the year preparing elaborate floats, costumes, and choreography around an annual theme, competing for the Carnival championship judged on music, dance, and design. Each school’s parade lasts around an hour and involves thousands of participants.
Away from the Sambadrome, the far larger share of Carnival happens in the streets: blocos, informal street parties organized around a theme or a specific music style, draw crowds ranging from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands of people across the city, and are free to join. Ipanema and Copacabana’s beachfront blocos are among the most attended.
Food and customs
Feijoada, Brazil’s black bean and pork stew, is closely associated with Carnival season gatherings, though it’s a year-round dish rather than Carnival-specific. Caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail made with cachaça, lime, and sugar, is the default Carnival drink nationwide.
Best places to experience it
- The Sambadrome (Marquês de Sapucaí) — for the organized, competitive parades; requires tickets
- Cordão da Bola Preta — one of Rio’s oldest and largest street blocos, held in the city center
- Ipanema and Copacabana — beachfront blocos with a more informal, party atmosphere
Frequently asked questions
Do I need tickets for Rio Carnival? Only for the Sambadrome parades — the street blocos that make up most of the citywide celebration are free and open to anyone.
Why does the date change every year? Because Carnival’s start is calculated from Ash Wednesday, which itself is fixed relative to Easter, and Easter’s date moves according to the ecclesiastical lunar calendar.
Is Rio the only place in Brazil with Carnival? No — Salvador and Recife/Olinda both run major Carnival celebrations with distinctly different musical traditions (axé and frevo/maracatu respectively) from Rio’s samba-centered event.