Rio Carnival Calendar · 2027–2035
Rio Carnival Dates: When Is Carnival in Rio?
Rio Carnival takes place on different dates every year. In 2027, the main Carnival period falls from 5 to 10 February, with Carnival Tuesday on 9 February. The city’s celebrations extend beyond these dates, so choosing the right travel period depends on which Carnival events you want to attend.
The immediate Carnival calendar
When Is Rio Carnival in 2027?
Rio Carnival 2027’s principal celebration period is Friday 5 February through Wednesday 10 February. The city’s main competitive samba parades take place within that period, while additional events extend into the following weekend.
Visitors frequently encounter different start and end dates when searching for Carnival. This happens because the traditional Carnival calendar, samba-school competitions and street celebrations do not share one identical opening or closing date.
For 2027, the following dates establish the main timeline. The detailed school-by-school programme is available separately in the Rio Carnival 2027 guide.
Beginning of the main Carnival period
This is the opening Friday of the widely used Friday-to-Ash-Wednesday Carnival calendar. Rio’s Série Ouro samba-school competition also begins at the Sambadrome.
Carnival Saturday
The principal Carnival weekend is underway. The second Série Ouro parade night takes place at the Sambadrome. Visitors choosing a weekend-only stay should remember that the Special Group’s competition has not yet finished.
Special Group competition nights
Rio’s leading samba-school competition is scheduled across three consecutive nights. These dates are particularly important for travelers who want to see the principal competitive spectacle at the Sambadrome.
The event crosses midnight, so the calendar date printed on a parade ticket should not be confused with the date on which the evening’s programme ends.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday follows Carnival Tuesday and marks the beginning of Lent in the Christian calendar. It is also an important transition day for Rio, as the principal competition nights have concluded and Carnival-related operations begin changing.
Champions’ Parade
The Champions’ Parade brings back the highest-placed schools from the Special Group competition. It takes place after the principal Carnival calendar and requires visitors interested in attending to extend their stay or plan a separate weekend visit.
Multi-year travel calendar
Rio Carnival Dates: 2027 to 2035
The dates of Carnival Tuesday and Ash Wednesday can be calculated years in advance because they follow the date of Easter. The table below also shows the conventional Friday-to-Ash-Wednesday Carnival period for each year.
| Year | Carnival period | Carnival Tuesday | Ash Wednesday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 5–10 February | 9 February | 10 February |
| 2028 | 25 February–1 March | 29 February | 1 March |
| 2029 | 9–14 February | 13 February | 14 February |
| 2030 | 1–6 March | 5 March | 6 March |
| 2031 | 21–26 February | 25 February | 26 February |
| 2032 | 6–11 February | 10 February | 11 February |
| 2033 | 25 February–2 March | 1 March | 2 March |
| 2034 | 17–22 February | 21 February | 22 February |
| 2035 | 2–7 February | 6 February | 7 February |
2028
Carnival on leap day
Carnival Tuesday falls on 29 February 2028. The main Carnival period crosses from February into March, with Ash Wednesday on 1 March.
2030
A March Carnival
In 2030, the entire conventional Carnival period falls in March, from the 1st to the 6th. Travelers booking February accommodation would miss the main calendar window.
2035
An early February Carnival
Carnival Tuesday is 6 February 2035. This makes it particularly important to distinguish the principal Carnival week from street celebrations held beforehand.
Understanding the calendar
Why Do Rio Carnival Dates Change Every Year?
Rio Carnival’s annual dates are connected to Easter, rather than to a fixed date in February. Because Easter changes each year, Carnival moves with it.
In the Western Christian calendar, Carnival Tuesday occurs exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday takes place the following day, 46 days before Easter.
In 2027, Easter Sunday falls on 28 March. Counting backward 47 days gives Tuesday 9 February, establishing the date of Carnival Tuesday. The preceding Friday is 5 February, and Ash Wednesday is 10 February.
The underlying Easter calculation uses an ecclesiastical calendar that combines solar and lunar rules. As a result, Carnival Tuesday can occur as early as 3 February or as late as 9 March.
The exact future dates are therefore predictable. What cannot automatically be predicted is the programme chosen by each Carnival organizer, including the number of parade nights, event start times and individual street-procession dates.
What never changes
Carnival Tuesday always falls on a Tuesday, immediately before Ash Wednesday. Its position relative to Western Easter Sunday remains fixed even though its calendar date changes.
What changes every year
The February or March dates, the authorized street procession calendar, technical rehearsals and detailed parade programmes change between editions. These require year-specific event information.
Avoid confusing the event calendars
Why Rio Carnival Has More Than One Start Date
A calendar listing Carnival as 5–10 February 2027 can be correct even though some street events take place in January and the Champions’ Parade takes place after Ash Wednesday.
01 · Traditional calendar
Carnival Tuesday and Ash Wednesday
These dates come from the Christian calendar and are the basis for calculating the annual Carnival period. They are known years ahead.
They should not be interpreted as a complete entertainment programme or as a guarantee that every Carnival activity ends on Ash Wednesday.
02 · Competitive parades
Sambadrome competition dates
The parade organizers determine when the competing samba-school groups perform. Those dates are announced for each edition.
The main competition nights can continue well beyond midnight. Travelers should work from the event date shown on their booking, not assume the entire programme ends that evening.
03 · Street celebrations
Pre-Carnival and Carnival blocos
Street Carnival frequently extends across weekends before the main Carnival week. These processions are organized individually and require planning for routes, meeting points and authorized times.
A proposed start date for the season does not establish the timetable for a particular bloco.
04 · Post-competition events
The Champions’ Parade
The Champions’ Parade is scheduled separately from the main competitive nights and follows the announcement of the results.
Visitors arriving only for this event will experience a different phase of Carnival from those attending the principal competition.
Choose dates around the experience
Which Dates Should You Visit Rio for Carnival?
The best arrival and departure dates depend on whether your priority is the full Carnival period, the principal samba-school competition, a shorter weekend stay or the Champions’ Parade.
The following examples use the actual 2027 calendar. They are suggested travel windows, not advertised event packages or guaranteed accommodation arrangements.
Option 01 · Broad Carnival visit
4–11 February 2027
Arriving on Thursday 4 February and departing Thursday 11 February gives seven nights in Rio. This covers the opening Friday, the Carnival weekend and all three Special Group competition dates.
It also provides a departure day after Carnival Tuesday instead of requiring an airport transfer immediately after a late-night event.
Option 02 · Shorter Carnival weekend
5–8 February 2027
This Friday-to-Monday window includes the first Carnival weekend and the opening Special Group competition night on Sunday.
Visitors attending Sunday’s parade should avoid booking an early Monday flight, since the evening’s event can continue into the following morning.
Option 03 · Special Group priority
6–11 February 2027
Arriving Saturday 6 February and leaving Thursday 11 February covers the three Special Group competition dates of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
This is a focused option for travelers whose central purpose is attending the main samba-school competition.
Option 04 · Champions’ Parade
12–14 February 2027
This Friday-to-Sunday visit centers on the Champions’ Parade on Saturday 13 February.
It does not cover the preceding Special Group competition nights, so choose it deliberately rather than assuming the two experiences are interchangeable.
How early should visitors arrive?
For a Sambadrome visit, arriving at least one day before the event is a sensible way to avoid combining a flight arrival, hotel check-in and a late-night parade in one tightly scheduled day.
Flight delays, traffic changes and the location of your accommodation can affect how much time remains before an evening event. During Carnival, adding a little schedule flexibility can be more valuable than fitting another activity into a crowded arrival day.
Departure timing deserves equal attention. A competition night identified as Tuesday may continue into Wednesday morning. Travelers should not assume that an early flight the next morning will be comfortable after attending the full event.
The detailed considerations for neighborhoods, airport transfers and transport arrangements are covered in the Rio Carnival Visitor Guide and Where to Stay.
Calendar dates and local operations
Is Rio Carnival a Public Holiday?
Carnival Tuesday is a state public holiday in Rio de Janeiro. The legal treatment of Carnival Monday and Ash Wednesday is different, and operating arrangements can vary by institution.
Rio de Janeiro State Law 5,243 of 14 May 2008 establishes Carnival Tuesday as a state holiday. In 2027, this date falls on 9 February.
Carnival Monday and part of Ash Wednesday may be treated as discretionary days off (pontos facultativos) under the applicable government calendar. A discretionary day off is not equivalent to a general legal holiday requiring every private business to close.
This distinction matters when planning appointments, essential errands, transport arrangements and other activities that depend on a specific establishment being open.
Banks and offices
Carnival-specific banking schedules and public-service hours should be checked before travel. Do not rely on normal weekday opening hours during the Carnival period.
Shops and restaurants
Opening arrangements are not uniform. Businesses may operate normally, shorten hours or close on selected days. Confirm directly when a visit is time-sensitive.
Transport and event access
Temporary street closures and special event arrangements may affect travel independently of whether a date is officially a holiday. Allow time for changes near major celebrations.
Before finalizing dates
Four Calendar Details Worth Checking Before Booking
01
Confirm the specific parade date
Knowing Carnival Tuesday is not sufficient when the purpose of a trip is to attend a particular samba-school competition night. Match flights and accommodation to the announced event date.
02
Allow for overnight events
Sambadrome parade programmes can run late into the night and continue past midnight. An event listed under one calendar date may finish the following day.
03
Do not assume future schedules
The date of Carnival Tuesday in 2029 or 2030 is predictable, but the official event programme for that year is a separate announcement. Avoid treating projected parade nights as confirmed bookings.
04
Check the street Carnival calendar separately
Street bloco routes, dates and meeting times depend on annual authorization and scheduling. The broader pre-Carnival period is useful for planning, but individual processions must be checked closer to the event.
Calendar questions answered
Frequently Asked Questions About Rio Carnival Dates
What are the dates of Rio Carnival 2027?
The conventional main Carnival period is 5–10 February 2027. Carnival Tuesday falls on 9 February, while the confirmed Champions’ Parade takes place on Saturday 13 February.
When is Rio Carnival in 2028?
The main Carnival calendar runs from Friday 25 February to Wednesday 1 March 2028. Carnival Tuesday falls on 29 February, which is leap day. Individual parade programmes still require separate official announcements.
Does Rio Carnival always happen in February?
No. Carnival Tuesday can occur in February or March because its date depends on Easter. For example, Carnival Tuesday falls on 5 March in 2030 and 1 March in 2033.
How many days does Rio Carnival last?
The commonly used Friday-to-Ash-Wednesday calendar spans six calendar days. However, the wider street-Carnival season, rehearsals and post-competition events extend beyond this period.
When do Rio Carnival street parties begin?
Street Carnival can begin several weekends before the main Carnival week. For 2027, 16 January has been identified as the planned season opening. Specific bloco dates and routes depend on authorization.
Is the date of Carnival the same throughout Brazil?
Carnival Tuesday follows the same Western Christian calendar throughout Brazil. Cities such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador and Recife have the same Carnival Tuesday date, although the duration and programming of their celebrations differ.
Is Ash Wednesday the last day of Rio Carnival?
Ash Wednesday concludes the traditional Carnival calendar, but it does not necessarily mark the end of all Carnival events. In 2027, the Champions’ Parade is scheduled three days later, on Saturday 13 February.
How far ahead can future Carnival dates be known?
Carnival Tuesday can be calculated many years in advance from the Easter calendar. The dates are predictable, but schedules for individual parades, street celebrations and rehearsals are announced separately.
Continue planning by event
Use the Dates to Plan Your Carnival Experience
Once you have identified your travel period, choose the relevant guide for confirmed events, parade attendance, street celebrations or accommodation planning.